Psalm 126:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.

NIV: The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

NASB: The Lord has done great things for us; We are joyful.

CSB: The Lord had done great things for us; we were joyful.

NLT: Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!

KJV: The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

NKJV: The Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad.

In the prior verse (Psalm 126:2), the psalmist mentioned that the world outside of Israel was taking note of their restoration. That faithful Israelites could return to their homeland (Ezra 2:1) was thrilling enough. To know that the Gentile world was witnessing God's glory was an additional blessing. Here, the psalm follows the statement coming from "the nations" with the same truth spoken by the people of Israel.

Declaring God's influence in our lives is a key part of giving Him the glory He deserves. Jesus healed a demon-possessed man, who then wanted to travel with Jesus. Yet Jesus told the man to return home and declare how much God had done for him. In response, the cleansed man did just that (Luke 8:39). The simple testimony of the power of the Lord in a believer's life can be easily shared with others. Among the amazing things God has done for Christians are His provision of salvation (John 3:16–18), assurance of salvation (John 10:28), forgiveness of sins (1 John 1:8–10), transformation into a new person (2 Corinthians 5:17), the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; Ephesians 1:13–14), an eternal future with the Lord's abiding presence (Revelation 21:1–4), the privilege of prayer (Hebrews 4:16), peace with God (Romans 5:1), the peace of God (Philippians 4:7), Christian fellowship (Galatians 6:2), and the gift of the inspired Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

Psalm 126:1–3 expresses joy beyond belief over news which seemed too good to accept. Hearing that the people of Israel could return from exile (2 Chronicles 36:17–21; Ezra 2:1) was a dream come true. This unlikely restoration showed the nations outside of Israel how the Lord was working for their good.

Learning that they could return to the Promised Land (2 Chronicles 36:17–21) would have been incredible news for Israel. It seemed too good to be true. Yet God's work was being seen by the entire world. The psalmist prays for the Lord to continue restoring the people. This would have included those who chose to remain in Babylon.

This is a "song of ascent," sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem for one of three annual festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16). Psalm 126 seems inspired by Israel's return from exile in Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:17–21; Ezra 2:1). A few scholars suggest a connection to the thwarted siege of Jerusalem during the reign of Hezekiah (2 Kings 19:32–36). The psalmist celebrates what God has done. Yet he also prays to bring all the people of Israel back to the Promised Land.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.