Psalm 125 v 8 - Going out and coming in

Van Gogh

In the previous verse of Psalm 125 we looked at the idea of 'going out', and the need for almsgiving and other good works; in this verse the focus is on 'coming in', the harvest or reward for our efforts.  It takes us back to the joy of the Resurrection, and of the New Jerusalem to come.

8	V/NV	Veniéntes autem vénient cum exsultatióne, * portántes manípulos suos.
	JH	ueniens ueniet in exultatione, portans manipulos suos.
		ἐρχόμενοι δὲ ἥξουσιν ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει αἴροντες τὰ δράγματα αὐτῶν

Text notes: Venientes…venient, is as in verse 7, a construction based on the Hebrew and emphasizes the certainty of the action. 

venio, veni, ventum, ire,  to come; to come upon

porto, avi, atum, are, to bear, carry.

manipulus, i, m.  lit., a small bundle, a handful; a sheaf. 125,6 Venientes autem venient cum exultatione, portantes

manipulos suos. But coming they shall come with joy, carrying their sheaves. 128,7.

DR	But coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves
Brenton	but they shall surely come with exultation, bringing their sheaves with them.
Grail	they come back, they come back, full of song, carrying their sheaves.
MD	But they return rejoicing, bearing their sheaves.
RSV	shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
Cover	Shall doubtless come again with joy, and bring his sheaves with him.
Knox	trust me, they will come back rejoicing, as they carry their sheaves with them.

Sheaves

The image of a sheaf is not one that will be familiar to most of us, so St Cassiodorus' explanation of the context for the literal meaning of the verse is rather helpful:

When harvesters have finished their work, after assembling the ears of corn they carry in their laps to the thresh­ing-floor the bundles which they have tied together in the fields. In the same way the blessed ones carry to the Lord's threshing-floor their most fruitful works. Happy is the bosom which is weighed down by the loads of wheat, so that light straw does not cheat the prayers of the harvester; otherwise he would then reap empty rewards for his toil, for he can now work no longer.

St Augustine provides the spiritual meaning of the verse, focusing on the nature of the reward being held out to us, alluded to figuratively by the reference to sheaves:

For in that resurrection of the dead, each man shall receive his own sheaves, that is, the produce of his seed, the crown of joys and of delight. Then will there be a joyous triumph, when we shall laugh at death, wherein we groaned before: then shall they say to death, O death, where is your strife? O death, where is your sting?

For him, the essence of the reward receive is peace:

And what will you reap? Peace. Said the Angels, Peace on earth unto rich men? No,  but, Peace on earth unto men of a good will.  

 Coming in

St Cassiodorus also explains why this represents a 'coming in':

Coming, they come in joyfulness, for divine mercy is in store for them because their actions on this earth have accorded with the commands of heaven

There is perhaps, a temptation to want t move straight to the positives, and skip past the difficult times that God sends to enable us to endure and learn from in order to progress spirituality.   St John Chrysostom closes his commentary on the psalm, though, with a reminder that we should thank God for both sides of the equation:

Let us also be aware of this, therefore, and thank the Lord both tor tribulation and for relief. Different though they are, after all, they each have one end in view, like sowing and harvest. Let us hear tribulation generously and gratefully, and relief with words of praise, so as to attain also to the future goods, thanks to the grace and loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power for ages of ages. Amen.

Psalm 125 (126)

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.
1  In converténdo Dóminus captivitátem Sion: * facti sumus sicut consoláti:	When the Lord brought back the captivity of Sion, we became like men comforted.
2  Tunc replétum est gáudio os nostrum: * et lingua nostra exsultatióne	2 Then was our mouth filled with gladness; and our tongue with joy.
3  Tunc dicent inter Gentes: * Magnificávit Dóminus fácere cum eis.	Then shall they say among the Gentiles: The Lord has done great things for them.
4  Magnificávit Dóminus fácere nobíscum: * facti sumus lætántes.	3 The Lord has done great things for us; we have become joyful.
5  Convérte, Dómine, captivitátem nostram, * sicut torrens in austro.	4 Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as a stream in the south.
6  Qui séminant in lácrimis, * in exsultatióne metent.	5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
7  Eúntes ibant et flebant, * mitténtes sémina sua.	6 Going they went and wept, casting their seeds.
8  Veniéntes autem vénient cum exsultatióne, * portántes manípulos suos.	7 But coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.	Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.	As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

And you can find the next part in this series, on Psalm 128, here.

The importance of almsgiving - Psalm 125 v7

In many respects verse 7 seems like another way of repeating the sentiments of verse 6: sorrow turned to joy.  However, the added element is the idea of 'going out', pointing us to the need not to be discouraged, but to actually be active in following the right path and helping others.

7	V	Eúntes ibant et flebant, * mitténtes sémina sua.
	NV	Euntes ibant et flebant semen spargendum portantes;
	JH	Qui ambulans ibat et flebat, portans ad seminandum sementem,
		πορευόμενοι ἐπορεύοντο καὶ ἔκλαιον αἴροντες τὰ σπέρματα αὐτῶν

Text notes: The first phrase is literally ‘Going they went’, a construction based directly on the Hebrew – St Jerome’s version from the Hebrew actually 'corrects' it to a more idiomatic Latin rendering.  In Hebrew, it conveys continuance, a prolonged state of action.

eo, ire – to go, walk, proceed (euntes = pres active participle pl; ibant=impf)

fleo, flevi, fletum, flere 2, to weep

mitto, misi, missum, ere 3,  to send; cast out, semina mittere, to sow seed

semen, mis, n. (sero), (1) seed. 

DR	Going they went and wept, casting their seeds.
Brenton	They went on and wept as they cast their seeds
Grail	They go out, they go out, full of tears, carrying seed for the sowing:
MD	They go forth weeping, sowing their seeds
RSV	He that goes forth weeping, bearing the seed for sowing,
Cover	He that now goeth on his way weeping, and beareth forth good seed,
Knox	Mournful enough they go, but with seed to scatter;

Going out

Cassiodorus argues that the idea of going forth relates to the idea of taking the right path on the pilgrimage of life:

The word Going denotes the advance of a most holy life, in which they always reach their destination by taking the right path.

St Augustine has a slightly different take on it, implicitly relating the verse back to the very first psalm of the sequence, when the decision to set out was made.  He starts from the idea that we can be reluctant to actually get started on what we must do, just as the farmer is put off by the weather.:

When the farmer goes forth with the plough, carrying seed, is not the wind sometimes keen, and does not the shower sometimes deter him? He looks to the sky, sees it lowering, shivers with cold...

The farmer, he argues, nevertheless goes out, lest he end up with no crop, and we too, he argues, need to cease procrastinating:

...nevertheless [he] goes forth, and sows. For he fears lest while he is observing the foul weather, and awaiting sunshine, the time may pass away, and he may not find anything to reap.  Put not off, my brethren; sow in wintry weather, sow good works, even while you weep; for, They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. They sow their seed, good will, and good works. 

Why did they weep?

St Augustine's answer is because of the trials and tribulations of this world, the suffering of others, and the weight of our sins:

In this life, which is full of tears, let us sow...Why do they weep? Because they were among the miserable, and were themselves miserable...

Cassiodorus builds on this, suggesting we should cultivate a proper concern for the suffering of the poor:

They wept, then, when they saw the poor stripped naked, rigid with cold, disfigured by savage poverty, so that they evinced devotion in their hearts before their hands made any generous provision. 

What is the seed being sewn?

St Augustine focuses on the nature of the crop we should sew, pointing particularly to the importance of almsgiving and good works: 

It is better, my brethren, that no man should be miserable, so that you should do alms...as long as there are objects for its exercise, let us not fail amid those troubles to sow our seed...What shall we sow? Good works. Works of mercy are our seeds: of which seeds the Apostle says, Let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. 

Cassiodorus follows St Augustine's lead and suggests that the verse is pointing to almsgiving as the particular good work we must undertake:

Though this verse too seems to point to good works in general, it is recognised—and others have thought the same—to be prescribing in particular almsgiving. Hence the words of Scripture: As water quenches fire, so alms quenches sins...

St Robert Bellarmine also takes up this theme:

...it cannot but be of use to consider in what respect the seed may be compared with alms, in the hope that they "who have in their heart disposed to ascend by steps" may be more encouraged to divide freely with the poor. 

The grain that is sown is very small, and yet produces such a number of grains as to seem almost incredible; thus it is with alms, a small thing, a poor thing as being a human act; but when properly sown, produces, not money, nor food, nor clothes, but an eternal kingdom; just as if the grain of wheat that we sow should produce an ear of gold instead of an ear of wheat, studded with precious stones instead of grains of wheat.

Then, the grain put into the ground must corrupt and die or else it will not sprout, as our Lord has it in the Gospel, "Unless the grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, itself remaineth alone;" thus alms must be freely bestowed as a right, and not as a loan, and to those only who cannot return it; and it must be given to corrupt and per­ish, that is, without the slightest hope of getting it back in this world; for when thus lost and corrupted, it will not fail to shoot out again, and produce much fruit in life everlasting. 

Again, the grain put into the ground needs both sun and rain to germinate; and so with alms, which, as well as all other good works, needs the sun of divine grace, and the showers of the blood of the Mediator; that is, in order to become meritorious, they must spring from the grace of God, that has its source in the blood of Christ; for then a matter of the greatest insignificance becomes one of the greatest value, by reason of the stamp impressed upon it by grace; and thus merits, not only as a favor, but as a right, the grace of life everlasting...alms, when given with a proper intention, is always safe; for it is stored up in heaven, where neither moths, nor flies, nor thieves can come near it.  

Almsgiving as the key to the spiritual ascent

St Augustine provides a short exposition on how almsgiving and the works of mercy relate to making our spiritual ascent that is worth meditating on:

 In this Psalm we have chiefly exhorted you to do deeds of alms, because it is thence that we ascend; and you see that he who ascends, sings the song of steps. Remember: do not love to descend, instead of to ascend, but reflect upon your ascent: because he who descended from Jerusalem to Jericho fell among thieves...The Samaritan as He passed by slighted us not: He healed us, He raised us upon His beast, upon His flesh; He led us to the inn, that is, the Church; He entrusted us to the host, that is, to the Apostle; He gave two pence, whereby we might be healed, the love of God, and the love of our neighbour. ... All this has already happened: if we have descended, and have been wounded; let us ascend, let us sing, and make progress, in order that we may arrive.

Psalm 125 (126)

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.
1  In converténdo Dóminus captivitátem Sion: * facti sumus sicut consoláti:	When the Lord brought back the captivity of Sion, we became like men comforted.
2  Tunc replétum est gáudio os nostrum: * et lingua nostra exsultatióne	2 Then was our mouth filled with gladness; and our tongue with joy.
3  Tunc dicent inter Gentes: * Magnificávit Dóminus fácere cum eis.	Then shall they say among the Gentiles: The Lord has done great things for them.
4  Magnificávit Dóminus fácere nobíscum: * facti sumus lætántes.	3 The Lord has done great things for us; we have become joyful.
5  Convérte, Dómine, captivitátem nostram, * sicut torrens in austro.	4 Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as a stream in the south.
6  Qui séminant in lácrimis, * in exsultatióne metent.	5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
7  Eúntes ibant et flebant, * mitténtes sémina sua.	6 Going they went and wept, casting their seeds.
8  Veniéntes autem vénient cum exsultatióne, * portántes manípulos suos.	7 But coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.	Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.	As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

And you can find the final set of notes on Psalm 127 here.

Sowing the crop of good works: Psalm 125 v 6

Official's house Thebes

Verse 6 of Psalm 125 reminds us of this necessity of the hard work of penitence.

6	V/NV/JH	Qui séminant in lácrimis, * in exsultatióne metent.
		οἱ σπείροντες ἐν δάκρυσιν ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει θεριοῦσιν

semino, avi, atum, are to sow.

lacryma, ae, /., a tear.

DR	They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
Brenton	They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
Grail	Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap.
MD	They who sow in tears shall reap in gladness
RSV	May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy!
Cover	They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
Knox	The men who are sowing in tears will reap, one day, with joy.

The first harvest, and the last

On Holy Wednesday, Our Lord said to the apostles:

Amen, amen I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die,Itself remaineth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world, keepeth it unto life eternal. (John 12:24-25)

Similarly, in chapter 16 of his Gospel, Our Lord alludes to the psalm, saying:

Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.

 In this light, the verse can be interpreted as a reference to the Resurrection.  St Augustine, for example, says that:

Therefore in Judea the harvest was now ready. Rightly there the crop was, so to speak, ripe, when so many thousands of people were bringing the price of their possessions and laying it at the feet of the apostles; their shoulders freed of worldly baggage, they were following Christ, the Lord. Truly a ripe harvest...

This is not, however, the end of the story, for there is another and final crop yet to be harvested:

What came of it? From that harvest a few grains were cast out, and they sowed the world, and there arises another har­vest that is to be reaped at the end of the world. About this harvest it is said, "They who sow in tears shall reap in joy." To this harvest, there­fore, not apostles but angels will be sent; he says, "The reapers are the angels." Tractates On The Gospel Of John 15.32.3.16

Ensuring we are part of the harvest

The Fathers and Theologians invariably apply the verse also to the necessity of cultivating virtue in ourselves, teasing out each part of the verse to do so.

Planting out a crop, St John Chrysostom reminds us, requires hard work:

Virtue is like that, you see: it offers conspicuous reward for its labors; we need firstly to toil and struggle, and then to seek rest. After all, you would find this happening everywhere even in things of this life. For this reason the psalmist also focused on these things, sowing and harvesting. In other words, just as the sower needs to apply effort, sweat and tears, and winter is also required, so too the person practicing virtue: nothing is so unsuited to laxity as a human being. 

Hence God made this way narrow and constrained - or, rather, not only the practice of virtue: even the things of this life he made laborious, and in fact far more so. I mean, the sower, the builder, the traveler, the woodsman, the artisan - every person who has in mind to gain some advantage needs to apply labor and effort.

And, he adds, the crop needs to watered with our tears:

As the seeds need rain, so we need tears; and as the land has need of ploughing and digging, so too the soul needs trials and tribulations in place of the hoe so that it not bear noxious weeds, that its hardness be softened, that it not be carried away. Soil that is not worked with diligence, remember, produces nothing healthy...

This crop will not be harvested in this world, Caesarius of Arles, but rather the next:

Let no one believe that he possesses any happiness or true joy in this world. Happiness can be prepared for, but it cannot be possessed here. Two times succeed each other in their own order, "a time to weep, and a time to laugh." Let no one deceive himself, brethren; there is no time to laugh in this world. I know, indeed, that everyone wants to rejoice, but people do not all look for joy in the place where it should be sought. 

True joy never did exist in this world, it does not do so now, and it never will. For thus the Lord warned his disci­ples in the Gospel when he said, "You will suffer in the world,"and again, "While the world rejoices, you will grieve for a time, but your grief will be turned into joy. "For this reason, with the Lord's help let us do good in this life through labor and sorrow, so that in the future life we may be able to gather the fruits of our good deeds with joy and exultation according to that sentence: "Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing." Sermon 215.2.20

We sow now, in other words, in order to obtain our reward in heaven.  Cassiodorus says:

Casting means sending in advance into the world to come, which our deeds reach before we ourselves can get there. As Scripture has it: But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not dig through and steal." 

Psalm 125 (126)

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.
1  In converténdo Dóminus captivitátem Sion: * facti sumus sicut consoláti:	When the Lord brought back the captivity of Sion, we became like men comforted.
2  Tunc replétum est gáudio os nostrum: * et lingua nostra exsultatióne	2 Then was our mouth filled with gladness; and our tongue with joy.
3  Tunc dicent inter Gentes: * Magnificávit Dóminus fácere cum eis.	Then shall they say among the Gentiles: The Lord has done great things for them.
4  Magnificávit Dóminus fácere nobíscum: * facti sumus lætántes.	3 The Lord has done great things for us; we have become joyful.
5  Convérte, Dómine, captivitátem nostram, * sicut torrens in austro.	4 Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as a stream in the south.
6  Qui séminant in lácrimis, * in exsultatióne metent.	5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
7  Eúntes ibant et flebant, * mitténtes sémina sua.	6 Going they went and wept, casting their seeds.
8  Veniéntes autem vénient cum exsultatióne, * portántes manípulos suos.	7 But coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.	Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.	As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

And the next part in the series, on verse 7 of Psalm 125, can be found here.

Convert us O Lord - Psalm 125 v5 (Gradual Psalm No 7/5)

5	V/NV	Convérte, Dómine, captivitátem nostram, * sicut torrens in austro.
	JH	Conuerte, Domine, captiuitatem nostram,  sicut riuum in austro.
		ἐπίστρεψον κύριε τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν ἡμῶν ὡς χειμάρρους ἐν τῷ νότῳ

Text notes: The second phrase is a proverbial allusion to the sudden change from dried up wadies in summer to overflowing rivers and streams in winter, ie Converte Domine captivitatem nostram, sicut torrens in Austro = Change, 0 Lord, our lot, like the wady in the south-land.

converto, verti, versum, ere 3,  to turn, change, alter, bring back, quicken, refresh,restore,  convert, turn from sin

torrens, entis, m.  a brook, stream, torrent

Auster, stri, m.,  the south wind;, the south.

DR	Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as a stream in the south.
Brenton	Turn, O Lord, our captivity, as the steams in the south.
Grail	Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage as streams in dry land.
MD	Restore again our fortunes O Lord as the torrent in the south
RSV	Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the watercourses in the Negeb!
Cover	Turn our captivity, O Lord, as the rivers in the south.
Knox	Deliver us, Lord, from our bondage; our withered hopes, Lord, like some desert water-course renew

A traditionalist's prayer for the restoration of the Church?!

There are two main lines of interpretation in relation to this verse.  The first is to see it as a call on the part of those who have already returned to God praying for the return of the rest of the people, just as there were two waves of return from Babylon to Jerusalem, under Ezra and Nehemiah respectively.

St Robert Bellarmine, for example, suggested:

As all the captives did not come home together—for some came, in the first instance, with Esdras, and then another party with Nehemias — the first party, then, pray to God for the return of all the captives, and they take up the simile of a torrent that is wont to run with great force and violence in a southerly gale; hence they say, "Turn again, O Lord, our captivity." Bring back our captives, the majority of whom are still in the land of the stranger; and bring them back at once, as quickly "as a stream in the south;" for when the wind blows from the south, the rain falls, the streams and the rivers rise, and the great flood rolls rapidly on to the ocean, and that without delay or obstruction. 

If the exiles, on their return, prayed to God so earnestly, what amount of earnestness will not be required of us, still exiles as we are? For though some have got home, have  come to their country, yet many are still in exile, on the not so are quite reconciled to the captivity, and attached to the things of this world that they don't bestow even a thought on their country; it was, then, absolutely necessary that the Lord, with all the violence of a torrent, when the south wind blows, should force them and compel them to ascend. 

In conclusion, then, the former, as well as the latter, are, to a certain extent, captives; for "all expect that every creature shall be deliv­ered from the servitude of corruption;" and even the blessed in heaven included. It is for this perfect liberty of the children of God, of which St. Paul treats in Rom. 8, that we most properly pray when we say, "Turn again our captivity as a stream in the south." The south means the south wind that usually preceded rain, and caused the streams and rivers to fill and run with rapidity; most expressive of the tide of captives returning back again in crowds and in haste to their beloved country.

And for our own conversion

The second line of interpretation focuses on the verses application to ourselves.  Cassiodorus, for example says: 

Now that they have proclaimed redemption brought by the Lord's coming, the faithful people reach the second section, entreating that their sins be again pardoned, for as Scripture says: The just man is bis own accuser at the beginning of his speech? and again: First tell of your iniquities that you may justify yourself. So rightly they both rejoiced at the general pardon and prayed that they too be granted indulgence. 

There follows a beautiful comparison: As a torrent in the south wind. The south is a warm wind which by the force of its exhalation looses waters which are fast bound with cold, and unleashes a rushing torrent through the heat of its breath. In the same way, sins held fast by the cold of death (for they have no life in them) are loosed by the warmth of heavenly mercy, and swiftly depart like a raging torrent. To grasp the fullness of the sense we must say: "Transform our captivity, Lord, as a torrent in the south wind is transformed into running water."

 Psalm 125 (126)

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.
1  In converténdo Dóminus captivitátem Sion: * facti sumus sicut consoláti:	When the Lord brought back the captivity of Sion, we became like men comforted.
2  Tunc replétum est gáudio os nostrum: * et lingua nostra exsultatióne	2 Then was our mouth filled with gladness; and our tongue with joy.
3  Tunc dicent inter Gentes: * Magnificávit Dóminus fácere cum eis.	Then shall they say among the Gentiles: The Lord has done great things for them.
4  Magnificávit Dóminus fácere nobíscum: * facti sumus lætántes.	3 The Lord has done great things for us; we have become joyful.
5  Convérte, Dómine, captivitátem nostram, * sicut torrens in austro.	4 Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as a stream in the south.
6  Qui séminant in lácrimis, * in exsultatióne metent.	5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
7  Eúntes ibant et flebant, * mitténtes sémina sua.	6 Going they went and wept, casting their seeds.
8  Veniéntes autem vénient cum exsultatióne, * portántes manípulos suos.	7 But coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.	Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.	As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

And the next part of this series, covering verse 6, can be found here.

The Lord has done great things for us - Psalm 125 v 3-4 (Gradual Psalm No 7/4)

The previous spoke of our proper Easter joy; this one builds on it by emphasising that  God's great work of redemption was visible not just to the Jews of the time, but to the Gentiles as well, many of whom converted.  And truth has a greater impact when outsiders can witness to it.

3	V/NV	Tunc dicent inter gentes: * magnificávit Dóminus fácere cum eis.
	JH	tunc dicent in gentibus,  Magnificauit Dominus facere cum istis.
		τότε ἐροῦσιν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐμεγάλυνεν κύριος τοῦ ποιῆσαι μετ' αὐτῶν

Text notes:  A number of the commentators suggest that ‘dicent’ should be translated here as ‘men were saying’ or ‘it is said’.  ‘Magnificare facere’ is a particular construction taken over from the Hebrew meaning ‘has done great things’.

gens, gentis, sing., people, nation, the chosen people, the Israelites; pl the heathen, the gentiles,

magnifico, avi, atum, are to praise, glorify, extol, magnify

DR	Then shall they say among the Gentiles: The Lord has done great things for them.
Brenton	then would they say among the Gentiles The Lord has done great things among them.
Grail	The heathens themselves said: "What marvels the Lord worked for them!"
MD	Then was it said among the heathens, The Lord hath done great things for them
RSV	then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them."
Coverdale	Then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.
Knox	Among the heathen themselves it was said, What favour the Lord has shewn them!

Cassiodorus explains the reasons for emphasising the attention of the Gentiles:

The praise proclaimed by enemies is unambiguous; there is great weight of truth when a person known to have opposing senti­ments gives favourable testimony. Note quite carefully that he does not say: "The Gentiles," but among the Gentiles. At the coming of the Lord not all Gentiles believed, but among them were some who could have uttered such words when pricked at heart. So when they saw religion flourishing among the Christian people, they attained good understanding, and they proclaimed that the Lord was truly with such people, for they showed zeal for an upright conscience, and did not desire to besmirch themselves with any superstition. 

Since they saw that the Christians were also exercising virtues, they said: "The Lord has decided to do great things with them," for they saw that the Christians through their prayers were having their requests fulfilled.

The second half of the verse is echoed in the Magnificat, and goes to the wonder of what has happened, as St John Chrysostom explains:

And observe: they did not say, "He saved us," nor "He freed us," but He excelled himself, wanting to bring out through the term "excelling" the baffling character of the marvel...  word of them circulated everywhere, making clear to every­one God's lovingkindness: the wonders worked for them were marvellous and larger than life. 

As St Augustine tells us, we have received reward well beyond any possible merit or expectation:

It is the fact that the Lord dealt nobly with us, beyond our merits and our expectations, when he brought us from a miser­able captivity to this our sweetest native land; and thus "we are become joyful;" we who had hitherto been groaning in sorrow, captives as we were.

4	V/NV/JH	Magnificávit Dóminus fácere nobíscum: * facti sumus lætántes.
		ἐμεγάλυνεν κύριος τοῦ ποιῆσαι μεθ' ἡμῶν ἐγενήθημεν εὐφραινόμενοι

laetor, atus sum, ari, (laetus), to rejoice, be joyful, take delight in

DR	The Lord has done great things for us; we have become joyful.
Brenton	The Lord has done great things for us, we became joyful.
Grail	What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.
MD	Yes the Lord hath done great things for us, and we were filled with joy.
RSV	The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.
Coverdale	Yea, the Lord hath done great things for us already, whereof we rejoice.
Knox	Favour indeed the Lord has shewn us, and our hearts are rejoiced.

St Augustine comments: 

In the whole world our redemption is received; Amen is answered. The dwellers in Jerusalem, therefore, captive, destined to return, pilgrims, sighing for their country, speak thus among the heathen. What do they say? The Lord has done great things for us, whereof we rejoice. Have they done anything for themselves? They have done ill with themselves, for they have sold themselves under sin. The Redeemer came, and did the good things for them.

Psalm 125 (126)

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.
1  In converténdo Dóminus captivitátem Sion: * facti sumus sicut consoláti:	When the Lord brought back the captivity of Sion, we became like men comforted.
2  Tunc replétum est gáudio os nostrum: * et lingua nostra exsultatióne	2 Then was our mouth filled with gladness; and our tongue with joy.
3  Tunc dicent inter Gentes: * Magnificávit Dóminus fácere cum eis.	Then shall they say among the Gentiles: The Lord has done great things for them.
4  Magnificávit Dóminus fácere nobíscum: * facti sumus lætántes.	3 The Lord has done great things for us; we have become joyful.
5  Convérte, Dómine, captivitátem nostram, * sicut torrens in austro.	4 Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as a stream in the south.
6  Qui séminant in lácrimis, * in exsultatióne metent.	5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
7  Eúntes ibant et flebant, * mitténtes sémina sua.	6 Going they went and wept, casting their seeds.
8  Veniéntes autem vénient cum exsultatióne, * portántes manípulos suos.	7 But coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.	Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.	As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

And the next part in this series is on Psalm 125 verse 5.