Then Our Mouth Was Filled With Laughter

The joy of the people is expressed in this Psalm, in particular relating to the event that God brought the captive Israelites back to their homeland. This most likely refers to the Babylonian captivity, but it is also reminiscent of the deliverance from Egypt; as well as God's deliverance of us from our former selves into His family.

The second part may be open to misinterpretation about those who are weeping and sow in tears will be rejoicing in the future. Some may view this as an encouragement to weep or be sorrowful so that we will be rewarded with joy. But an understanding of God and His son Jesus will clarify this. There are many descriptions in Scriptures showing people dancing and singing with joy and praising God, eg the Israelites at their victories and deliverance and David's worship of God. So the Scripture here is more likely saying that for those who happen to be in tears and weeping, not that it is encouraged, they can look forward to rejoicing in the future as God delivers them.


Psalm 126
A Joyful Return to Zion
A Song of Ascents.

1 When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.
4 Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.
5 Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
6 He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.

Make a Joyful Shout to the LORD, All You Lands

As the title suggests, this is a psalm about thanksgiving. There is a few ways to express our thanksgiving beside saying thanks. These include worshiping with shouts, singing, praise and blessing His name. Or indirectly, thanks can be shown by serving God with gladness. Also the reason for thanks which we need to remind ourselves are:
- He is God
- we are His people
- He is good
- He is merciful
- His truth is unchanged.


Psalm 100
A Psalm of Thanksgiving.

 1 Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
 2 Serve the LORD with gladness;
         Come before His presence with singing.
 3 Know that the LORD, He is God;
         It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;[a]
         We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
       
 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
         And into His courts with praise.
         Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
 5 For the LORD is good;
         His mercy is everlasting,
         And His truth endures to all generations.

Let Us Shout Joyfully To The Rock Of Our Salvation

This psalm calls for God's people to worship the LORD joyfully with singing and shouting, with psalms. God is recognized to be in control of the whole earth from the deep places to the highest mountains. We are called to worship, bow and kneel and recognize that He is our Maker. A kind reminder to also listen to God and do not turn away when He speaks to us. An example for the reminder is the Israelites who was delivered by God, yet grieved God with their hardness of hearts.



Psalm 95
A Call to Worship and Obedience

 1 Oh come, let us sing to the LORD!
         Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
 2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
         Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
 3 For the LORD is the great God,
         And the great King above all gods.
 4 In His hand are the deep places of the earth;
         The heights of the hills are His also.
 5 The sea is His, for He made it;
         And His hands formed the dry land.
       
 6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
         Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
 7 For He is our God,
         And we are the people of His pasture,
         And the sheep of His hand.
       
         Today, if you will hear His voice:
 8 “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion,[a]
         As in the day of trial[b] in the wilderness,
 9 When your fathers tested Me;
         They tried Me, though they saw My work.
 10 For forty years I was grieved with that generation,
         And said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts,
         And they do not know My ways.’
 11 So I swore in My wrath,
         ‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”

Who Has Not Turned Away My Prayer, Nor His Mercy From Me

The psalmist calls to shout, sing, praise to God. He recounts how God saves His people on many occasions, with the example of the parting of the Red Sea. God is so deserve of our praises and thanks and so the psalmist asks the people to do so. God is not a distant God, but rather one who has involved in human affairs. It is clear that the psalmist has experienced God in his life - "Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me!"

Psalm 66
To the Chief Musician. A Song. A Psalm.

 1 Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!
 2 Sing out the honor of His name;
         Make His praise glorious.
 3 Say to God,
         “How awesome are Your works!
         Through the greatness of Your power
         Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.
 4 All the earth shall worship You
         And sing praises to You;
         They shall sing praises to Your name.”  Selah 
        
 5 Come and see the works of God;
         He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.
 6 He turned the sea into dry land;
         They went through the river on foot.
         There we will rejoice in Him.
 7 He rules by His power forever;
         His eyes observe the nations;
         Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves.  Selah 
        
 8 Oh, bless our God, you peoples!
         And make the voice of His praise to be heard,
 9 Who keeps our soul among the living,
         And does not allow our feet to be moved.
 10 For You, O God, have tested us;
         You have refined us as silver is refined.
 11 You brought us into the net;
         You laid affliction on our backs.
 12 You have caused men to ride over our heads;
         We went through fire and through water;
         But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.
        
 13 I will go into Your house with burnt offerings;
         I will pay You my vows,
 14 Which my lips have uttered
         And my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble.
 15 I will offer You burnt sacrifices of fat animals,
         With the sweet aroma of rams;
         I will offer bulls with goats.  Selah 
        
 16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
         And I will declare what He has done for my soul.
 17 I cried to Him with my mouth,
         And He was extolled with my tongue.
 18 If I regard iniquity in my heart,
         The Lord will not hear.
 19 But certainly God has heard me;
         He has attended to the voice of my prayer.
        
 20 Blessed be God,
         Who has not turned away my prayer,
         Nor His mercy from me!

David Prays for Deliverance from Enemies

Several psalms like this one is where David pleads for God's help to save him from his enemies and also to bring justice to those who have tried to harm him unjustly. David describes the actions of his enemies as they: strive, fight, pursue, seek his life, plot to hurt him. David prays that God will help him by: fight against them, provide salvation, stop them, put to shame, turn them back, bring confusion, send angels to chase them, bring destruction for them.

It seems that at the time of writing, David was in the middle of such persecution. But despite asking God to save him and destroy his enemies, David also remembered to praise God and rejoice in Him.


Psalm 35

A Psalm of David.

 1 Plead my cause, O LORD, with those who strive with me;
         Fight against those who fight against me.
 2 Take hold of shield and buckler,
         And stand up for my help.
 3 Also draw out the spear,
         And stop those who pursue me.
         Say to my soul,
         “I am your salvation.”
       
 4 Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor
         Who seek after my life;
         Let those be turned back and brought to confusion
         Who plot my hurt.
 5 Let them be like chaff before the wind,
         And let the angel[a] of the LORD chase them.
 6 Let their way be dark and slippery,
         And let the angel of the LORD pursue them.
 7 For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit,
         Which they have dug without cause for my life.
 8 Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly,
         And let his net that he has hidden catch himself;
         Into that very destruction let him fall.
       
 9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD;
         It shall rejoice in His salvation.
 10 All my bones shall say,
         “LORD, who is like You,
         Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him,
         Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?”
       
 11 Fierce witnesses rise up;
         They ask me things that I do not know.
 12 They reward me evil for good,
         To the sorrow of my soul.
 13 But as for me, when they were sick,
         My clothing was sackcloth;
         I humbled myself with fasting;
         And my prayer would return to my own heart.
 14 I paced about as though he were my friend or brother;
         I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother.
       
 15 But in my adversity they rejoiced
         And gathered together;
         Attackers gathered against me,
         And I did not know it;
         They tore at me and did not cease;
 16 With ungodly mockers at feasts
         They gnashed at me with their teeth.
       
 17 Lord, how long will You look on?
         Rescue me from their destructions,
         My precious life from the lions.
 18 I will give You thanks in the great assembly;
         I will praise You among many people.
       
 19 Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies;
         Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.
 20 For they do not speak peace,
         But they devise deceitful matters
         Against the quiet ones in the land.
 21 They also opened their mouth wide against me,
         And said, “Aha, aha!
         Our eyes have seen it.”
       
 22 This You have seen, O LORD;
         Do not keep silence.
         O Lord, do not be far from me.
 23 Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication,
         To my cause, my God and my Lord.
 24 Vindicate me, O LORD my God, according to Your righteousness;
         And let them not rejoice over me.
 25 Let them not say in their hearts, “Ah, so we would have it!”
         Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
       
 26 Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
         Who rejoice at my hurt;
         Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor
         Who exalt themselves against me.
       
 27 Let them shout for joy and be glad,
         Who favor my righteous cause;
         And let them say continually,
         “Let the LORD be magnified,
         Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
 28 And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness
         And of Your praise all the day long.