Through the Bible: Nehemiah 11–13, Psalm 126
“When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.”
—Psalm 126:1–3 (NIV, 2011)
If you’ve been following this reading plan from the beginning of the year, you’ve come to the very last psalm. You’ve climbed the steps of the Psalms of Ascent, you’ve prayed with David in his caves, you’ve lamented with Asaph in his questions, you’ve praised with Israel in the temple courts. And now, on the final lap, you join the exiles in their laughter.
Psalm 126 is a song of laughter and joy. It remembers a time when God brought His people back from exile—when tears gave way to celebration, when mouths were filled with laughter, when even the nations looked on and said, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
It’s a psalm about homecoming. About the God who brings His people back. About restoration that feels almost too good to be true, like a dream you don’t want to wake up from.
This isn’t just the end of the psalms. It’s a celebration for the pilgrims who have read through them.
Captives or Fortunes?
Older translations of verse 1, including the 1984 NIV, read: “When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed.”
The newer NIV (2011) says: “When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.”
Which is it? Captives or fortunes? In the Hebrew, the phrase can mean either. The difference is instructive:
“Brought back the captives” points to people—the return of exiles from Babylon. “Restored the fortunes” points to circumstances—the reversal of suffering and loss.
Both are true. God brings His people home, and He also turns their situations around. Psalm 126 is joy for both the people restored and the fortunes reversed.
Tears into Joy
Verses 5–6 say, “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.”
That’s a promise to exiles, but it’s also a pattern for all of us. Reading through the Bible isn’t always easy. Some mornings it felt like sowing in tears—dry ground, hard plowing, unfamiliar names. Maybe you pushed through Leviticus with more groans than gladness. Maybe you sowed in tears through Job’s laments, Jeremiah’s warnings, or Ezekiel’s visions. But here you are, still planting the seed of God’s Word day after day.
And today, you reap with joy.
The Testimony of Joy
Notice in verse 2 that the nations are watching: “Then they said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’”
When God’s people are marked by joy, the world notices. Your consistency in God’s Word is not just for you. It’s a witness to your family, your coworkers, your friends who see the fruit of a year in Scripture.
The Pilgrimage Complete
It is no accident that the last psalm in the reading plan is a Psalm of Ascent. These were the songs sung by pilgrims climbing up to Jerusalem. And here you are, pilgrim, at the top of the hill. The psalms have been your soundtrack for the journey, and Psalm 126 is your song at the summit.
The Bible’s story ends with a feast—the wedding supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19). Our journey through the psalms ends with a feast of joy as well.
“The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.”
Amen.
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