In Psalm 126, the Psalmist is remembering back to a time when God delivered His people from captivity. He remembers the weeping and grief that the people of Israel (Zion) experienced. It was a time where they were not living in their homes, a time when family was separated, a time when security was gone.

And yet, in remembering, he is not reflecting on the hardship that he endured, but on the joy of the gift of deliverance that God gave to Israel. The joy that filled their hearts resulted in laughter and joyful shouting, like children on Christmas morning who get the very gift they want and let out a loud shout of joy!

At the time of this Psalm, the joyful restoration is just a memory. In verse 4, the Psalmist calls on the Lord to bring a new deliverance into their lives. While there are good memories of great rejoicing, a sad reality is also present. He feels grief, but he has great expectations of future joy.

For those who belong to the Lord, no period of grief compares to the great final deliverance that we have in Christ. For those, like the Psalmist, who belong to God, we can weep and grieve in this world, yet we have great expectation of endless joy because of Christ. Take time to recount a time that the Lord has given you great joy. This is but a glimmer of the joy that we have and will have in Christ forever!