Psalm 126:3 kjv
The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.
Psalm 126:3 nkjv
The LORD has done great things for us, And we are glad.
Psalm 126:3 niv
The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
Psalm 126:3 esv
The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.
Psalm 126:3 nlt
Yes, the LORD has done amazing things for us!
What joy!
Psalm 126 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 126:1-2 | "When the Lord brought back the captives of Zion... then they said among the nations, 'The Lord has done great things for them.'" | Context of divine restoration and Gentile recognition |
| Psa 4:7 | "You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and new wine abound." | God as source of inner joy |
| Psa 30:11-12 | "You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness... so that my glory may sing your praise." | God turns sorrow to joy, prompts praise |
| Psa 51:12 | "Restore to me the joy of your salvation..." | Seeking renewed joy from salvation |
| Psa 71:19 | "Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens... You who have done great things." | God's great, righteous deeds |
| Psa 98:1 | "Oh, sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things!" | New song for marvelous divine acts |
| Psa 106:21 | "They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt." | Remembers God's past great deeds in exodus |
| Psa 118:23 | "This was from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes." | Acknowledging divine origin of miraculous events |
| Psa 147:5-7 | "Great is our Lord, and abundant in power... Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving." | God's greatness and power worthy of praise |
| 1 Sam 12:24 | "Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart, for consider what great things he has done for you." | Encouragement to remember and serve God for His past works |
| Isa 25:1 | "O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you... For you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and true." | Praise for God's faithful, wonderful plans |
| Isa 43:18-19 | "Remember not the former things... Behold, I am doing a new thing." | God continually doing new, great acts |
| Jer 30:18-19 | "Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob... and out of them shall come thanksgiving and the voice of those who make merry." | Prophecy of future restoration and joy |
| Jer 33:7 | "I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, and rebuild them as they were." | God's promise of complete restoration |
| Neh 1:9 | "If you return to me... though your exiles were at the farthest horizon, I will gather them." | Basis for exiles' return in God's promise |
| Ezra 1:1-3 | "In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia... he stirred up the spirit of Cyrus... 'The Lord... has charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem.'" | God's divine hand in Cyrus's decree |
| Hab 3:18 | "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation." | Joy in God despite circumstances |
| Rom 8:28 | "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good." | God's working all things for the good of His people |
| Phil 4:4 | "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice." | Exhortation to constant joy in the Lord |
| Col 1:12 | "Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." | Thanksgiving for spiritual deliverance |
| Luke 1:49 | (Mary) "For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name." | Mary's declaration, mirroring the psalm, about God's mighty acts for her. |
Psalm 126 verses
Psalm 126 3 Meaning
Psalm 126:3 is a heartfelt confession and declaration by the repatriated Israelites, echoing the sentiment observed by the surrounding nations in the preceding verse. It affirms their deep conviction that the magnificent restoration and joyous freedom they experienced were not due to human effort or chance, but solely by the powerful, merciful, and faithful intervention of the Lord (YHWH). Their profound sense of exhilaration and complete happiness is presented as the natural and overwhelming response to God's incredible redemptive work on their behalf. This verse signifies a recognition of divine agency as the ultimate source of their deliverance and joy.
Psalm 126 3 Context
Psalm 126 is one of the "Songs of Ascents," sung by pilgrims journeying to Jerusalem for the great annual feasts. It specifically reflects the period following the Babylonian exile when God' miraculously orchestrated the return of a remnant to Judah. The preceding verses (1-2) vividly depict the initially unbelievable nature of their return, described as like a dream, prompting laughter and tears of joy. Even the surrounding nations (Gentiles) acknowledged that the Lord had done great things for them. Verse 3 serves as Israel's communal echo and affirmation of this truth—what the nations observed from afar, Israel confirmed from their direct experience. This immediate context underscores the profound, often unexpected, divine intervention that liberated and restored them, making their joy understandable and deeply rooted in God's redemptive historical acts.
Psalm 126 3 Word analysis
- The Lord (YHWH):
Yahweh(יהוה): This is the covenant name of God, highlighting His personal, relational, and self-existent nature.- Significance: It emphasizes that the 'great things' were not random occurrences or the work of human ingenuity, but the intentional, powerful acts of the faithful, covenant-keeping God of Israel. It asserts divine sovereignty over historical events.
- has done:
Asah(עָשָׂה): A Hebrew verb implying a completed action, to make, accomplish, perform.- Significance: Indicates a decisive and definitive action already accomplished. It points to a tangible, historical event rather than a general attribute.
- great things:
Gedōlōt(גְדֹלוֹת): Feminine plural adjective ofgadol, meaning great, mighty, awesome, large.- Significance: Denotes deeds of extraordinary magnitude, power, and wonder. These are actions beyond human capability or expectation, implying a miraculous or supernatural quality. For the exiles, it referred to the astonishing release from captivity and the opportunity to return home.
- for us:
Lānû(לָנוּ): A preposition with a first-person plural pronominal suffix, literally "to us" or "for us."- Significance: This personal pronoun emphasizes the direct, beneficial, and intimate nature of God's actions. It highlights His grace and specific care for His people, making the "great things" intensely personal to the community.
- and we are filled:
Mālē'(מָלֵא): A verb meaning to be full, filled, or complete.- Significance: Expresses an overflowing, abundant state. The joy is not partial or fleeting but saturating and overwhelming, suggesting a profound and complete emotional state.
- with joy:
Simḥāh(שִׂמְחָה): Noun meaning joy, gladness, rejoicing, mirth.- Significance: Describes a deep, exhilarated happiness. This joy is not circumstantial happiness but a profound, spiritual delight that flows directly from the recognition of God's saving acts. It's a hallmark of God's presence and blessing in the Bible.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "The Lord has done great things for us":
- This phrase is a foundational statement of theological affirmation. It identifies YHWH as the sole actor and source of Israel's deliverance.
- It points to specific historical acts (the return from exile) as demonstrative proof of God's power and faithfulness.
- This recognition of divine agency is crucial; it prevents the people from attributing success to their own strength or favorable circumstances.
- It echoes the very statement the surrounding nations made in Psa 126:2, showing internal alignment with external observation, validating the truth.
- "and we are filled with joy":
- This phrase describes the natural, powerful, and uncontainable human response to such divine beneficence.
- The "fullness" of joy indicates an immersive, overwhelming experience, a deep welling-up from within rather than a superficial emotion.
- It underscores that true and lasting joy for God's people flows directly from acknowledging His redemptive works.
- This joy serves as a testimony, both to themselves and to others, of the goodness and power of their God.
Psalm 126 3 Bonus section
The structure of Psalm 126 suggests a chiasm (ABBA) with verse 3 ("The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy") paralleling verse 2b ("The Lord has done great things for them"). This highlights the shared testimony of God's work, both from an outside perspective and an insider's experience. This communal "we" and "us" is significant, showing shared experience and corporate declaration. The psalm looks back to God's finished work (verses 1-3) and then looks forward with a plea for continued restoration and future blessings (verses 4-6). This particular verse, however, stands as the zenith of their grateful declaration for present joy based on past deliverance.
Psalm 126 3 Commentary
Psalm 126:3 is a profound communal affirmation. It solidifies the truth stated by the nations: God's hand was undeniable in their restoration. The exiles were not merely back by human political decree, but by a sovereign act of Yahweh. This acknowledgement moved them beyond mere relief to an overflowing, encompassing joy. This joy is not a transient emotion but a deep, saturating state (filled with joy) because it is rooted in a correct theological understanding: God, the covenant Lord, actively intervened on their behalf with His immense power (great things). This verse captures the essence of redemptive joy, where the recognition of God's amazing grace naturally leads to overwhelming gladness and serves as an ongoing testimony. For instance, like parents overflowing with joy after witnessing their lost child miraculously found, the exiles' joy was boundless upon experiencing God's grand act of restoration.