The psalmist recounts how the Israelites were filled with joy when God restored their fortunes after their exile in Babylon. They could not believe their good fortune, as it seemed like a dream. Their laughter and songs of joy spread among the nations, who acknowledged that God had done great things for his people. The psalmist prays that God will continue to restore their fortunes, just as streams fill with water in the desert, so that those who sow in tears may once again reap with cries of joy.

1. The Lord has done
great things for us.
We are filled with joy
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2. A Song of Ascents.
When the LORD restored the
fortunes of Zion, then we thought
we were dreaming.
2 Our mouths were filled with
laughter; our tongues sang for joy.
Then it was said among the
nations, “The LORD had done
great things for them.”
3 The LORD has done great things
for us; Oh, how happy we were!
4 Restore again our fortunes,
LORD, like the dry stream beds of
the Negeb.
5 Those who sow in tears will reap
with cries of joy.
6 Those who go forth weeping,
carrying sacks of seed, Will return
with cries of joy, carrying their
bundled sheaves.

3. Fifteen psalms, chapters 120-134 of
the Book of Psalms, begin with
the words, "A song of ascents.“
What do we mean by “A song of
ascents,” well there are a number
of meanings.
In the Temple courtyard, there was a
wide stairway that consisted of
fifteen large, semi-circular steps
that "ascended" into the inner
section of the courtyard.
The Levites, whose job it was to
accompany the Temple service
with song and instrumental music,
would stand on these steps and sing
these fifteen psalms.
Another view is that these psalms were
sung by the Jews who ascended from
Babylon to Israel in the times of
Ezra the Scribe which would be
about the time that this particular
psalm was written.
Another explanation is that these
psalms were sung by Jews as they
ascend the mountain top on which
Jerusalem and Temple were located.

4. “we were dreaming,” v. 1
After being held captive in Babylon,
Cyrus the Gentile Persian king
allowed the Jews who were willing
to return to Jerusalem to worship
their God and rebuild their temple.
His granting permission to leave must
have seemed like a dream to the
Jews.
On our way to the confessional don’t
you feel like a captive to your sins?
And when you leave the confessional
doesn’t it feel like a dream ?
You are free of your captivity of sin
and are restored to friendship with
God.
“restored the fortunes of Zion,”
(v.1) prior to the captivity people
were living well in Israel, now
they would have to begin again
and work hard just to get back to
where they were prior to the
captivity.
“Then it was said among the
nations, “The Lord has done great
things for them.” (v. 2)

5. Receiving their freedom so
suddenly and at the hands of a
Gentile king, all nations must have
agreed that the God of Israel had
great power.
“Those who sow in tears will reap
with cries of joy!” (v. 5)
This means that the people who are
suffering, in pain, and crying due
to life’s circumstances will find
joy when God enters their lives to
alleviate their suffering.