Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
Psalm 126:2 records the joyful effect of Jehovah’s turning again the captivity of Zion. The deliverance had seemed so wonderful that the people were “like them that dream” (v.1). Then astonishment became laughter, laughter became singing, and the work of God became known among the heathen. Later the psalm will speak of sowing in tears and returning with rejoicing (vv.5-6). Verse 2 remembers such a harvest: sorrow had been turned, and restored Zion could no longer keep silent.“Then.” This word marks the change God had made. Captivity came first; laughter followed when the LORD turned it. The people did not laugh because bondage was light or because sorrow was imaginary. They laughed because Jehovah had acted. God appoints both the night of weeping and the morning of joy. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).
“Then” appears twice in the verse. First, Zion’s mouth was filled with laughter and her tongue with singing. Then the heathen confessed what the LORD had done. One divine work produced two results: joy among the delivered and acknowledgment among those who saw them. God’s mercy was felt by His people and noticed by others.
“Was our mouth.” The restored people speak as one. “Our mouth” is the united voice of Zion. Their deliverance was not a private mercy hidden in one heart; it belonged to the congregation. God had turned their captivity, and together they gave audible expression to their joy.
Captivity had given them cause to weep. Elsewhere the captives asked, “How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?” (Psalm 137:4). But when God restored them, the mouth once burdened with sorrow was opened again. The LORD can restore songs that affliction silenced.
“Filled.” Their joy was abundant. The mouth was not touched lightly with laughter; it was filled. This agrees with Job’s hope: “Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing” (Job 8:21). The God who turned the captivity also supplied the response. Their joy was not worked up by human excitement. It arose from unmistakable mercy.
“With laughter.” This was not the laughter of folly, mockery, or careless amusement. It was the laughter of relief, wonder, gratitude, and restored hope. The deliverance had seemed like a dream; now their mouths testified that it was real. God had done what human sight had judged unlikely.
Scripture allows sorrow its season, but it does not give sorrow the final word over the saints. “A time to weep, and a time to laugh” are both under God’s appointment (Ecclesiastes 3:4). Psalm 126 holds both together. Tears water the sowing, but joy attends the harvest (vv.5-6). The same saint may know both without contradiction.
“And our tongue.” The tongue now joins the mouth. The joy God put within must be expressed without. The tongue that might have murmured in captivity is now employed in praise. This is one of the best uses of speech: to tell God’s goodness by singing.
The mouth and tongue are singular because the restored people answer with one voice. They had shared affliction; now they share praise. God’s deliverance joins His people in thanksgiving. The congregation should not be full of isolated gratitude only, but united confession of what Jehovah has done.
“With singing.” Laughter expressed their joy; singing directed that joy into praise. God had not delivered them so they might admire their own endurance. Their song belonged to Him. David described a similar mercy: “And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD” (Psalm 40:3).
Singing is therefore testimony as well as worship. It blesses God and publishes His work. The joyful tongue tells hearers that sorrow has been answered, captivity has been turned, and Jehovah has shown Himself faithful. A delivered people should sound like a delivered people.
“Then said they among the heathen.” The work was so evident that those outside Israel spoke of it. The heathen had seen Zion in captivity; now they saw restoration. They heard the laughter, heard the singing, and recognized that an extraordinary work had occurred.
This does not necessarily mean every speaker among the heathen turned to Jehovah in repentance and faith. Men may acknowledge a work of God without submitting to Him. Pharaoh confessed he had sinned and that the LORD was righteous, yet hardened himself again (Exodus 9:27,34). But even reluctant acknowledgment honours the greatness of the work. God may act so plainly that enemies and strangers cannot honestly deny His hand.
“The LORD.” The heathen identify the Deliverer. LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the divine name Jehovah, the self-existent and faithful God of His people. Zion’s restoration was not assigned to chance, human strength, or fortunate events. Jehovah had done it.
This is the proper substance of testimony. When mercy comes, the mouth should name the LORD. Men often speak of recovery, opportunity, timing, leadership, or good fortune while neglecting the God who ruled them all. Psalm 126:2 gives the glory where it belongs: “The LORD hath done.”
“Hath done.” The work was accomplished. The heathen do not say that Jehovah intended, attempted, or wished to help. He “hath done” it. His counsel took visible form in history. The captivity was turned, and Zion stood as evidence.
The right use of testimony is to declare what God has done. The psalmist elsewhere said, “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul” (Psalm 66:16). The redeemed should not make themselves the chief actors in their own testimony. Jehovah acts; the delivered speak.
“Great things.” The deliverance was worthy of wonder. Verse 1 says it seemed like a dream because it exceeded ordinary expectation. The heathen therefore called the works “great things.” They were great in power, mercy, effect, and public witness.
The next verse repeats the confession and makes it personal: “The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad” (v.3). The heathen say, “for them”; the restored people say, “for us.” The heathen observe the mercy from outside. Zion knows it by experience. What others recognize, the redeemed should confess with still greater gladness.
“For them.” God had acted favourably for His people. The heathen saw not only divine power, but divine distinction. Jehovah had remembered Zion and turned her captivity. The deliverance declared that the people had not been forgotten.
This did not magnify Israel’s worthiness. The glory belongs to the LORD who acted for them. Mercy gives the delivered no ground to boast over others. It gives them ground to praise the God who showed them favour. “Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory” (Psalm 115:1).
The pattern reaches a greater height in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He told His disciples, “Ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy” (John 16:20). After His death, they were troubled and afraid; when the risen Lord stood among them, “then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord” (John 20:20). The cross appeared to end their hope, but God raised Christ and filled His people with joy that must be preached among the nations.
Psalm 126:2 therefore shows what God’s deliverance should do to speech. It fills the mouth with laughter, the tongue with singing, and even the heathen with acknowledgment. Let remembered mercy restrain murmuring. Let great deliverance produce great praise. When the LORD turns sorrow, say what He has done. And when tears return, remember that the God who once filled Zion’s mouth with laughter can bring the weeping sower home again with rejoicing and sheaves.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
Psalm 126:2 records the joyful effect of Jehovah’s turning again the captivity of Zion. The deliverance had seemed so wonderful that the people were “like them that dream” (v.1). Then astonishment became laughter, laughter became singing, and the work of God became known among the heathen. Later the psalm will speak of sowing in tears and returning with rejoicing (vv.5-6). Verse 2 remembers such a harvest: sorrow had been turned, and restored Zion could no longer keep silent.“Then.” This word marks the change God had made. Captivity came first; laughter followed when the LORD turned it. The people did not laugh because bondage was light or because sorrow was imaginary. They laughed because Jehovah had acted. God appoints both the night of weeping and the morning of joy. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).
“Then” appears twice in the verse. First, Zion’s mouth was filled with laughter and her tongue with singing. Then the heathen confessed what the LORD had done. One divine work produced two results: joy among the delivered and acknowledgment among those who saw them. God’s mercy was felt by His people and noticed by others.
“Was our mouth.” The restored people speak as one. “Our mouth” is the united voice of Zion. Their deliverance was not a private mercy hidden in one heart; it belonged to the congregation. God had turned their captivity, and together they gave audible expression to their joy.
Captivity had given them cause to weep. Elsewhere the captives asked, “How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?” (Psalm 137:4). But when God restored them, the mouth once burdened with sorrow was opened again. The LORD can restore songs that affliction silenced.
“Filled.” Their joy was abundant. The mouth was not touched lightly with laughter; it was filled. This agrees with Job’s hope: “Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing” (Job 8:21). The God who turned the captivity also supplied the response. Their joy was not worked up by human excitement. It arose from unmistakable mercy.
“With laughter.” This was not the laughter of folly, mockery, or careless amusement. It was the laughter of relief, wonder, gratitude, and restored hope. The deliverance had seemed like a dream; now their mouths testified that it was real. God had done what human sight had judged unlikely.
Scripture allows sorrow its season, but it does not give sorrow the final word over the saints. “A time to weep, and a time to laugh” are both under God’s appointment (Ecclesiastes 3:4). Psalm 126 holds both together. Tears water the sowing, but joy attends the harvest (vv.5-6). The same saint may know both without contradiction.
“And our tongue.” The tongue now joins the mouth. The joy God put within must be expressed without. The tongue that might have murmured in captivity is now employed in praise. This is one of the best uses of speech: to tell God’s goodness by singing.
The mouth and tongue are singular because the restored people answer with one voice. They had shared affliction; now they share praise. God’s deliverance joins His people in thanksgiving. The congregation should not be full of isolated gratitude only, but united confession of what Jehovah has done.
“With singing.” Laughter expressed their joy; singing directed that joy into praise. God had not delivered them so they might admire their own endurance. Their song belonged to Him. David described a similar mercy: “And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD” (Psalm 40:3).
Singing is therefore testimony as well as worship. It blesses God and publishes His work. The joyful tongue tells hearers that sorrow has been answered, captivity has been turned, and Jehovah has shown Himself faithful. A delivered people should sound like a delivered people.
“Then said they among the heathen.” The work was so evident that those outside Israel spoke of it. The heathen had seen Zion in captivity; now they saw restoration. They heard the laughter, heard the singing, and recognized that an extraordinary work had occurred.
This does not necessarily mean every speaker among the heathen turned to Jehovah in repentance and faith. Men may acknowledge a work of God without submitting to Him. Pharaoh confessed he had sinned and that the LORD was righteous, yet hardened himself again (Exodus 9:27,34). But even reluctant acknowledgment honours the greatness of the work. God may act so plainly that enemies and strangers cannot honestly deny His hand.
“The LORD.” The heathen identify the Deliverer. LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the divine name Jehovah, the self-existent and faithful God of His people. Zion’s restoration was not assigned to chance, human strength, or fortunate events. Jehovah had done it.
This is the proper substance of testimony. When mercy comes, the mouth should name the LORD. Men often speak of recovery, opportunity, timing, leadership, or good fortune while neglecting the God who ruled them all. Psalm 126:2 gives the glory where it belongs: “The LORD hath done.”
“Hath done.” The work was accomplished. The heathen do not say that Jehovah intended, attempted, or wished to help. He “hath done” it. His counsel took visible form in history. The captivity was turned, and Zion stood as evidence.
The right use of testimony is to declare what God has done. The psalmist elsewhere said, “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul” (Psalm 66:16). The redeemed should not make themselves the chief actors in their own testimony. Jehovah acts; the delivered speak.
“Great things.” The deliverance was worthy of wonder. Verse 1 says it seemed like a dream because it exceeded ordinary expectation. The heathen therefore called the works “great things.” They were great in power, mercy, effect, and public witness.
The next verse repeats the confession and makes it personal: “The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad” (v.3). The heathen say, “for them”; the restored people say, “for us.” The heathen observe the mercy from outside. Zion knows it by experience. What others recognize, the redeemed should confess with still greater gladness.
“For them.” God had acted favourably for His people. The heathen saw not only divine power, but divine distinction. Jehovah had remembered Zion and turned her captivity. The deliverance declared that the people had not been forgotten.
This did not magnify Israel’s worthiness. The glory belongs to the LORD who acted for them. Mercy gives the delivered no ground to boast over others. It gives them ground to praise the God who showed them favour. “Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory” (Psalm 115:1).
The pattern reaches a greater height in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He told His disciples, “Ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy” (John 16:20). After His death, they were troubled and afraid; when the risen Lord stood among them, “then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord” (John 20:20). The cross appeared to end their hope, but God raised Christ and filled His people with joy that must be preached among the nations.
Psalm 126:2 therefore shows what God’s deliverance should do to speech. It fills the mouth with laughter, the tongue with singing, and even the heathen with acknowledgment. Let remembered mercy restrain murmuring. Let great deliverance produce great praise. When the LORD turns sorrow, say what He has done. And when tears return, remember that the God who once filled Zion’s mouth with laughter can bring the weeping sower home again with rejoicing and sheaves.