Then our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with shouts of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." Our mouths were filled with laughterThis phrase captures the overwhelming joy and relief experienced by the Israelites upon their return from exile. The Hebrew word for "laughter" is "שְׂחוֹק" (sechok), which conveys a sense of spontaneous joy and mirth. Historically, laughter in the Bible often signifies a divine intervention or fulfillment of God's promises, as seen in the account of Sarah in Genesis 21:6. The laughter here is not just a personal expression but a communal one, reflecting the collective joy of a people restored by God's faithfulness. our tongues with shouts of joy
The phrase emphasizes the vocal expression of joy, with "shouts of joy" translating from the Hebrew "רִנָּה" (rinah), which can also mean a ringing cry or joyful singing. This expression of joy is not silent or subdued; it is loud and exuberant, signifying a deep, heartfelt gratitude. In the context of ancient Israel, such shouts would have been part of communal worship and celebration, echoing through the streets and public spaces as a testimony to God's deliverance. Then it was said among the nations
This phrase indicates that the joy and restoration of Israel were so profound that even surrounding nations took notice. The Hebrew word for "nations" is "גּוֹיִם" (goyim), often used to refer to non-Israelite peoples. This acknowledgment by the nations underscores the magnitude of God's work, serving as a witness to His power and faithfulness. It reflects the biblical theme of Israel being a light to the nations, as seen in Isaiah 49:6. ‘The LORD has done great things for them.’
Here, the focus shifts to the recognition of God's mighty acts. The Hebrew word for "great things" is "גְּדוֹלוֹת" (gedolot), which implies acts of significant magnitude and impact. This acknowledgment by the nations serves as a testament to God's sovereignty and His ability to fulfill His promises. It also highlights the theme of God's glory being revealed through His people, a recurring motif throughout the Scriptures. The phrase invites believers to reflect on the greatness of God's works in their own lives and to share these testimonies with others, thus spreading the knowledge of His goodness and power. Persons / Places / Events 1. The IsraelitesThe primary audience and subject of this Psalm, reflecting on their return from exile and the joy that accompanied their restoration. 2. The NationsThe surrounding peoples who observed the restoration of Israel and recognized the work of the LORD in their deliverance. 3. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant God of Israel, who is credited with the great deeds that brought about the restoration and joy of His people. Teaching Points Joy in RestorationThe joy expressed in this verse is a result of God's restorative work. Reflect on how God has restored areas of your life and brought joy. Witness to the NationsThe nations recognized God's work in Israel. Consider how your life can be a testimony to others of God's greatness. The Power of Laughter and JoyLaughter and joy are gifts from God that can transform our outlook and witness. Embrace these gifts as a reflection of God's goodness. Acknowledging God's Great WorksJust as the nations acknowledged God's deeds, we should regularly recount and give thanks for the great things God has done in our lives. Community CelebrationThe communal aspect of joy in this verse encourages us to celebrate God's work together as a community of believers. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the joy described in Psalm 126:2 compare to the joy you experience in your spiritual life today? 2. In what ways can your personal testimony of God's work in your life serve as a witness to those around you, similar to how the nations recognized God's work in Israel? 3. Reflect on a time when God restored something in your life. How did that experience fill you with joy, and how can you share that joy with others? 4. How can laughter and joy be used as tools for ministry and encouragement within your church community? 5. What are some practical ways you can regularly acknowledge and give thanks for the "great things" God has done in your life, as seen in Psalm 126:2? Connections to Other Scriptures Nehemiah 8:10This verse speaks of the joy of the LORD being the strength of His people, similar to the joy expressed in Psalm 126:2. Isaiah 35:10Describes the redeemed of the LORD returning with joy and gladness, echoing the themes of restoration and joy found in Psalm 126. Luke 1:49Mary’s Magnificat, where she acknowledges the great things the Lord has done for her, parallels the acknowledgment of God’s deeds in Psalm 126:2. People Psalmist, SolomonPlaces JerusalemTopics Cry, Filled, Full, Glad, Heathen, Joy, Joyful, Laughing, Laughter, Mouth, Mouths, Nations, Rejoicing, Shouting, Shouts, Singing, Songs, Tongue, TonguesDictionary of Bible Themes Psalm 126:2 4945 history
5167 mouth
5193 tongue
5900 laughter
7949 mission, of Israel
7963 song Psalm 126:1-3 7271 Zion, as symbol Psalm 126:2-3 1060 God, greatness of
8287 joy, experience Library The Lost Silver Piece
But, my dear friends, the three parables recorded in this chapter are not repetitions; they all declare the same main truth, but each one reveals a different phase of it. The three parables are three sides of a vast pyramid of gospel doctrine, but there is a distinct inscription upon each. Not only in the similitude, but also in the teaching covered by the similitude, there is variety, progress, enlargement, discrimination. We have only need to read attentively to discover that in this trinity of …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871The Scattering of the People
[Illustration: (drop cap A) The Fish-god of Assyria and Babylonia] At last the full punishment for their many sins fell upon God's chosen people. The words of warning written in the fifth book of Moses had told them plainly that if they turned aside and worshipped the wicked idol-gods of Canaan, the Lord would take their country from them and drive them out into strange lands. Yet again and again they had yielded to temptation. And now the day of reckoning had come. Nebuchadnezzar, the great king …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making The Seed Growing Secretly.
"And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come."--MARK iv. 26-29. This is the only parable that is peculiar to Mark. The subjects contained in …
William Arnot—The Parables of Our Lord The Comforts Belonging to Mourners
Having already presented to your view the dark side of the text, I shall now show you the light side, They shall be comforted'. Where observe: 1 Mourning goes before comfort as the lancing of a wound precedes the cure. The Antinomian talks of comfort, but cries down mourning for sin. He is like a foolish patient who, having a pill prescribed him, licks the sugar but throws away the pill. The libertine is all for joy and comfort. He licks the sugar but throws away the bitter pill of repentance. If …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 Death Swallowed up in victory
Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory! D eath, simply considered, is no more than the cessation of life --that which was once living, lives no longer. But it has been the general, perhaps the universal custom of mankind, to personify it. Imagination gives death a formidable appearance, arms it with a dart, sting or scythe, and represents it as an active, inexorable and invincible reality. In this view death is a great devourer; with his iron tongue …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 Of the Necessity of Divine Influences to Produce Regeneration in the Soul.
Titus iii. 5, 6. Titus iii. 5, 6. Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. IF my business were to explain and illustrate this scripture at large, it would yield an ample field for accurate criticism and useful discourse, and more especially would lead us into a variety of practical remarks, on which it would be pleasant …
Philip Doddridge—Practical Discourses on Regeneration Introduction. Chapter i. --The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of Poitiers.
St. Hilary of Poitiers is one of the greatest, yet least studied, of the Fathers of the Western Church. He has suffered thus, partly from a certain obscurity in his style of writing, partly from the difficulty of the thoughts which he attempted to convey. But there are other reasons for the comparative neglect into which he has fallen. He learnt his theology, as we shall see, from Eastern authorities, and was not content to carry on and develop the traditional teaching of the West; and the disciple …
St. Hilary of Poitiers—The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of Poitiers Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Psalm 126:2 NIVPsalm 126:2 NLTPsalm 126:2 ESVPsalm 126:2 NASBPsalm 126:2 KJV
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