The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.
Psalm 126:3
Charles Spurgeon once heard someone pray, “we desire to be glad.” He called this a “strange dilution and defilement of scriptural language, for surely if God has done great things for us we are glad, and cannot be otherwise.”
I understand that we are inclined to pray for happiness in our days, but under the influence of Psalm 126, a glance back at our release from captivity promotes undeniable gladness (Psalm 126:1). Therefore, we need not hope for some happiness to overtake us. We need only to look at the great things God has done to inspire our present attitude and outlook. So, today, if you find difficulty in locating your spirit of rejoicing, look at the great things God has done, and rejoice and be glad.
The obvious connection of Psalm 126 with the “Ascent Psalms” (worship songs of Jews who traveled up to the Holy City for one of three main festivals) offered celebration and praise for God’s deliverance from foreign captivity and a restoration of worship while traveling to the temple. This became the testimony: God has done great things; we are glad. And, this gladness should promote further prayers for each follower of Jehovah to realize more and more the reality of their restoration from the captivity that held them bound for so long (Psalm 126:4). J. W. Burgon carefully applied the truth of this Psalm to our present daily journey of faith toward our heavenly Jerusalem:
“As Israel of old prayed that God would bring all their brethren scattered abroad in captivity, so now should the members the church ever pray that all that profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.”
This encourages us to recognize in ourselves the need to have the blessed joy of our release from captivity (meaning our salvation) celebrated in how we live out our faith in attitude and action. And, this we should pray for all followers of Jesus. While scattered abroad at this present moment, each follower of Jesus can live out the very same joy of our salvation that in a common expression of praise will touch and minister to a sick and dying world.
Today, “be glad”, meaning, allow your soul to rejoice. For God has done great things for us. And, He will do greater things. Let this present moment be the opportunity for your gladness of heart to resonate to all around you. Let the world see that which is desperately longed for: the peace and joy of the heart. And, then announce aloud that only in Jesus can this be truly known.
Blessings.
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Read Psalm 126 and have your joy strengthened.
