Psalms 126:2

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.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The restored community of Zion speaks to God and the surrounding nations immediately following the LORD’s deliverance of captives.

The words — The text highlights שְׂח֡וֹק (se.Chok), meaning laughter, and רִ֫נָּ֥ה (ri.Nah), meaning a shout of joy, describing the physical response to divine intervention.

The thread — This motif of restored joy and public declaration appears in Job 8:21, Psalms 71:19, and Isaiah 35:10.

Why it lands — The passage demands recognition that God’s historical acts of deliverance warrant public testimony and compel the community to acknowledge His power.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

אָ֤ז'azthen יִמָּלֵ֪אyi.ma.Le'it was filled שְׂח֡וֹקse.Choklaughter פִּינוּ֮pi./Numouth/ our וּלְשׁוֹנֵ֪נוּu./le.sho.Ne./nuand/ tongue/ our רִ֫נָּ֥הri.Naha shout of joy אָ֭ז'azthen יֹאמְר֣וּyo.me.Rupeople said בַגּוֹיִ֑םva./go.Yimamong the/ nations הִגְדִּ֥ילhig.Dilhe has made great יְ֝הוָ֗הYah.wehYahweh לַעֲשׂ֥וֹתla./'a.Sotto/ do עִם־'im-with אֵֽלֶּה׃'E.lehthese [people]

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Job 8:21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with a shout of joy.
Psalms 71:19 Your righteousness reaches to the heavens, O God, You who have done great things. Who, O God, is like You?
Isaiah 35:10 So the redeemed of the LORD will return and enter Zion with singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee.
Zechariah 8:22 And many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Hosts in Jerusalem and to plead before the LORD.”
Psalms 106:47 Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name, that we may glory in Your praise.
Nehemiah 6:16 When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and disheartened, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.
Psalms 53:6 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion! When God restores His captive people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!
Jeremiah 33:11 the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those bringing thank offerings into the house of the LORD, saying: ‘Give thanks to the LORD of Hosts, for the LORD is good; His loving devotion endures forever.’ For I will restore the land from captivity as in former times, says the LORD.
Joshua 2:9 and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you.
Jeremiah 31:12 They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will be radiant over the bounty of the LORD—the grain, new wine, and oil, and the young of the flocks and herds. Their life will be like a well-watered garden, and never again will they languish.