All right, Psalm 126, if you turn over in your Bible. Now, this psalm, if you read it, is called A Song of Degrees. And really, there's no explanation for the title. many preachers have sought for interpretations of this title, Psalm of Degrees, I might say this, that Augustine says concerning this, this is the seventh degree psalm. You'll notice it is, if you look, starting with 120, that's the first Psalm of Degrees. It is the seventh one, and it would almost seem, Augustine says, to be the perfect one of the degree Psalms, and be that which, Augustine puts it this way. Augustine says that it is a degree of raising our sights heavenward all the time, beginning with the first 120, and it goes beyond this 126th, of course. But all of the different expositors have different thoughts on this, so that this is something that has nothing to do with doctrine, but it's just the thought that it is a degree of praise, if I might say this. Some portions of this psalm you will remember as you hear the verses of it. I'll read the psalm and then we'll go back to the beginning. When the Lord turned to gain the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. This is, of course, Israel. Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing. Then said they among the heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again with rejoicing bringing his sheaves with him. Let us just have a word of prayer. Now, Father, we pray that you'd open this psalm just a little bit to our hearts that we may drink in the wondrous promises of God that are in this blessed psalm. We're thankful, Lord, whenever we think of the number seven, we think of perfection. This happens to be the seventh degree psalm. We pray that from it, we will see some of the perfections and the beauty of Christ and the glories of his people and how the Lord preserves and takes out of captivity those who are dead and alienated and are far off from God and draws them to himself. Now, Father, bless And may the Holy Spirit speak to our hearts, we pray in Christ's name, amen. Now the first verse here says, when the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. And I couldn't help but think here, it's the captivity of Zion he's speaking of. And it isn't Israel in any other area of the world. It isn't Babylon. It isn't that Israel has been taken out of the land, but it's in captivity in Zion. And this is a very important facet because it's up to us to see that we can be captive right where we are. We don't have to be taken out. We don't have to be placed in another nation. The reason Zion is mentioned is Zion is the place of the temple. If you read the scriptures and look in your concordance on Zion, you'll find that the Lord looks at Zion like he looks at no other place, you see. It was the place of the temple. And so, as far as Zion was concerned, he's speaking of the captivity of the people right within the land. They were captive. And I want to tell you that we can be captive as Christians within our Christian context. We can be captives to many, many things. Although we're born again, although we're Christians, although we love the Lord Jesus Christ, we can still be captive. And we can be bound by some sin, something that may crush our lives, that's secret, that no one knows about but God, but it can be, and we know this from the experience of so many in the Christian life, there can be that which binds the human heart. And here they were captive right within their own land. Israel was not living for God. Israel was not departed from God because it went to Babylon or was taken captive by anybody. Israel was an abomination to God because of disobedience. And right in their own land, they were disobedient. They were not what they should be, and so it would be, whether it's a church, whether it's Franklin Avenue Baptist or any other place, it could be that if the people are not living for the Lord Jesus Christ, they are captive. I remind you that it says Satan goes about like a roaring lion, devouring whoever he will, and it's not speaking of the world, it's speaking of Christians. You can be brought captive. And Israel was captive right in Zion, right in Zion, not outside. You know, we may look at the people who wander off from the church. We may look at those who go and seem to us to be out in the world. And yet right in the fellowship and the congregation, there can be those who are bound by some sin that has fettered them and held them down, some personal thing that has not been brought under the crucifixion of Christ and has not been nailed to the cross. And so Israel here in Zion was captain. We call ourselves a Christian nation. Do you think this nation really exhibits Christ? No other nation on the face of the earth calls itself a Christian nation. We've taken the title to ourselves. Certainly God has never given it to us. There was a day, today and this day we're living in, there are less Christians proportionately than there were in the day that the nation was settled. and getting less and less and less. And we take unto ourselves the title Christian nation, but actually we would have to say with Israel of old that they're captive right in this nation that we're living in. We're captive to this great affluent society and the dollars and all of the other things that go with it. We're And without hardly realizing it, our own souls become ensnared in this whole whirlwind of society that's continually striving and striving and striving for better things this way and better things that way. And all the time, the best of all is with Jesus, and we're forsaking the best and we're taking something less than the best and making that part and parcel of our life. Oh, how careful we have to be. And then, of course, it does say here, when the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. And I have to say that this is a true thing. You know, it's a tremendous thing. You've been captive. Well, let's say you're an individual here. You were captive to some sin. I don't know what it is. Every time I talk about sin, everybody gets a vision of sex. I don't know why that is. Sin is wrapped up in all kinds of things. He that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin. So while it may be true that fornication and adultery and these other sins are the most mentioned sins in the New Testament and the Old, because of the greatness of them and the fact that our flesh seems to have that terrible bent, that since the fall of Adam this whole tendency toward carnality and sensualism seems to have built up within man, But let's suppose you were captive to some other sins. I mean, it couldn't be anything in the sex area. This is the great bondage, I recognize that. I think that drunkenness is mentioned nine times in the New Testament and fornication 39 times. So I can see that the sin is mentioned greatly. But there could be any other number of sins, couldn't it? There could be the sin of just departing from God and getting so involved in worldly things that you've forgotten God. There could be all kinds of involvement in other things, and then there can be the inner sins. the sins of avarice and the sins of greed and the sins that we can't see, but they're present. There can be the heart that is always trying to think the worst of other people and not the best. There can be a million things. But let's assume that you're bound by some sin. You're bound tightly. And somehow through the word of God, you get to, you just reach the bottom. You know, I often hear talk about people who are alcoholics. So often I hear a doctor say, until they hit bottom, you can't do anything with them. Of course, we believe Christ can do wonders for them. But sometimes it seems that in sin, it seems almost that the heart has to be so crushed But finally, in that ultimate cry, it goes to the Word of God, and it looks for an answer in the Word of God. And a great revelation comes to the heart as the Holy Spirit speaks to us and tells us the possibilities of victory through Him, that we are to crucify the desires of the flesh and of the mind. and that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus can give us victory. And we can say with Paul, thanks be unto God that giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. And we suddenly come into this tremendous revelation and greatly in our heart we fathom that victory is going to come over this defiling thing. And we find victory. And we are as people who are in a dream. We can hardly believe it. The joy of our heart is so great. Well, haven't you ever felt that way? You're walking on clouds. You know, Peter was this way when the angel came and took Peter out of jail. And Peter, finally, when all of these things happened to Peter, and the doors are opened and all of these things, it's been, Peter wished not what was happening. That's what the scripture says. It was like a dream to him. Well, isn't it true the great spiritual blessings and the deliverances we have? We're like people walking in a dream. We just can hardly believe it. We had forgotten what closeness to Christ meant. And when we get back close to Christ, it's like a dream to us. And it's a dream that, you know, you just don't want to stop. You want that dream to go on, and you're afraid, you know, sometimes you're afraid you might wake up. Could it be I'm dreaming? Oh, usually I know it's the other way. You know, it's some dreadful thing, and you're almost praying. I hope it's a dream. I hope it's a dream. But oh, when a great victory comes, here's Israel and Zion, and they've been delivered by God, then they said, we were like a people in a dream. You can just picture the great rejoicing of their hearts as God delivers them. Have you ever felt that way? You've had a tremendous delivery, you know, and you're just so thrilled in your heart. You know, if you went to the next verse, you'd get the, then was our mouth filled, see, with laughter and our tongue with singing. And this is the finish, you know. You know, I couldn't help but think it was like when I was going through the trial with my eye. And I couldn't help but think when I read that today, I thought, that's just how I felt. I went through that whole trial. It took about eight weeks, this long gap in there between the time I was first told it was probably cancer and all the explanations of the skin grafts I'd have to go through, and then all of this time, you know, and praying and asking God for deliverance, trusting him implicitly, just bringing my heart to him in prayer. Alice and I, just the deacons, didn't want to frighten the church, just held it to our own hearts. And then that day when deliverance came, And when that morning, I just, we had to make a trip up to Connecticut, and I said, let's call a doctor. You know how you feel, I'll call a doctor. Well, you know, with all the faith that's in your breast, you still don't know what's gonna happen. Call a doctor, and then have the doctor say, well, I don't have the answer, but I'll call the laboratory right away. And then to get a secretary, call me back and say to me, Again, it's providential. We cannot find cancer in the biopsy we took. Well, I tell you, I cried. I laughed. You see what I mean? I was like in a dream. My wife and I prayed. I mean, this was, you see, like in a dream. Deliverance. Deliverance. I think, Harry, you had a little experience like that last week, just last week, you know? And it's such a thrill. Have you ever had that great joy of deliverance? Have you? Something's bound you? Are there any Christians here tonight that have never been bound by anything since you've been born? You never had any trouble, never had any burdens, never had any sins that really can crush you? Never had any desires that you have to go to Christ and pray, Lord, give me victory. I'd love to hear that, give me victory or die, you know? And that's what you mean spiritually. It's like death if you don't get victory. And so there is that tremendous area here. It was like a dream. Why, listen, when you receive Christ as your personal Savior, it was the same thing. Could you believe it? I've been wandering all my life, looking for Jesus Christ, desiring, trying everything I could. Roman Catholic, wondering where the answer is. Well, what has to happen? I have to have a boy die of cancer, my own son, to find Christ as my personal savior. And although my boy was dying of cancer, I was, as a man, walking in a dream. Could the world understand Alice or I at that time? Never. They would look at us and say they must be hypnotized. Because no matter where we went with a boy dying, we were testifying for Jesus. And in the funeral home, when he was there in that little coffin, we stood by the coffin and every single soul come in, we testified about the salvation that there is in Jesus Christ. Why? We were like as those in a dream, you see? Victory, deliverance was ours. And we had this tremendous joy in our hearts that bubbled up and we had to impart We had to pray that God would use it. That's all we wanted. Lord, use this in our lives that others may find Christ. Then in that second verse there, he says, then was our mouth filled with laughter. And I, you know, when I think of that, you know, laughter is a wonderful thing, isn't it? Laughter and singing. You know, I've often thought, I don't know how many tongues there are on the earth, but I know that Wycliffe talks about, what, a thousand tongues or two thousand, is it? One thousand tongues? But you know, in all those one thousand tongues, laughter's all the same. You haven't just saw anybody laugh any differently, did you? Laughter has no language. Tears have no language. People cry the same, you know, no matter what they speak. So laughter has no language at all. And singing, somehow, the heart humming, you know, where the Lord says, making melody in our hearts unto the Lord. There's no language barrier here. And the laughter, oh, how wonderful laughter is. Is there anything more wonderful than to have a family gathered together around your table? It always thrills me when the family gets around the table. We've had this happen, you've had it happen too. And you know, you get talking, you've talked about the things of the Lord. We always spend three, four hours at the table when our family's home. We never get up from the table. I mean, we can start at one o'clock and go right through till five with the children, you know, just talking about the things of the Lord. But then, of course, at one point, Lynn usually is the silly one, you know, and she'll start. And she gets us all laughing. And Lynn will get us all just laughing so much all together, you know. And we can't stop. Is there anything more wonderful? I tell you, it's such a thrill. We always make sure dinner's finished first. But just that laughter, you know? Isn't laughter a wonderful thing? It's so contagious too, isn't it? So contagious. And it does so much for the heart. Now and then, present company accepted, you know, Now and then I come in contact with families where there's no laughter, where I've never seen a smile on a child's face, where I've never seen a father laugh, nor a mother. Oh, I feel so sorry. Laughter's so wonderful. Laughter. The Lord speaks of it often. But the laughter, you see, their hearts were so filled. He says, then was our notice set. Our mouth was what? Filled. with laughter, you see? Mouth filled with laughter. May I say this? Laughter is something that has no word to it. It's an inexpressible thing. Everyone can laugh together. And it brings joy to the heart. And I tell you, to have a home where there's some laughter is a wonderful thing. And of course, this goes for singing too. Singing is expressing though. One is not, is inexpressive in that it has no word quality to it. Singing will have word quality to it sometimes, but maybe it's possibly just, you know, humming or something like that. But I tell you, you know, I don't know how you are, but I know that it's this way with me. If I think in my home, I remember over the years with the children and with Alice, if I think that I hear someone in the home singing or humming, I stop everything and I listen very intently. And I, you know why I do it? Because it brings great joy to my heart. Because I know that I'm involved in it. because that one I love is contented with my Lord and with me. And so when I would hear my children humming or singing upstairs in their bedrooms, or I would hear Alice going around humming or singing, and there's no, you know, talking about the quality or anything here of the voice. I'm just talking about Not to you, I'm thinking of my children. But it's just that it would thrill your heart so. Is there anything more blessed than this? And see how the Lord puts it here. He said, then was our mouth filled with laughter. and our tongues with singing. Then said they among the heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them." This is an amazing thing the heathens admit about the Lord. The Lord hath done great things for them. Why? Happy Christians. All right? That's it, right? What does it say happened to them? They were delivered, they were laughing, they were singing. I want to say this, it might be hard in the world we live in to ever get this across to some people because they don't see that happy demeanor, they don't see that joy of the Lord in the heart. And you know yourselves, if you as Christians carry the little complaints of your life to the unbeliever, you never can convert them. If you've got problems, take them to the Lord or go to the pastor or talk to a Christian and pray about it, but never go to an unbeliever with your problems because you're going to lose any possibility of ever converting that soul. To them, there is to be the joy of the Lord and singing in the heart and making melody in the heart to the Lord, you see. So that this great deliverance we have is to be filled with the joy of the heart. Why? And then the heathen said, notice that, the Lord has done great things for them. But you know, it's a little sad here the way this is put. Because the next thing, Israel has to hear the heathen say, the Lord's done great things for them. And then Israel says, notice, the Lord has done great things for us, whereof we are glad. But imagine the heathen noticed it first. the people outside notice it first, and then Israel comes to God and says, why, thou hast done great things for us. Here we've been walking as in a dream, we've been laughing, we've been singing, we've had the joy of the Lord in our hearts, and the heathen have to remind us, you've done these great things for us. Thou hast done great things for us, whereof we are glad. Are you glad tonight? Are you glad? Let me ask you, what did the Lord do for you this week? You know, it's a terrible thing when we have to go way back to find something that God did good for us. I want to tell you, if you're redeemed in the blood of Christ tonight, the Lord's done great things for you that every single moment of your life you should say, the Lord has done great things for me. Where am I? Have you been delivered from some sin? Have you had victory? Has your heart bubbled up? Have you been at times like walking in a dream and the great victory God has given you? Has your heart been filled with laughter over a deliverance? And have you been singing and making melody in your hearts unto the Lord? And I want to tell you something. There's been some people around you in your office and some people around you in your neighborhood where you live who have been taking notice about you, and they've been saying, this Lord they have that they talk about, if you've talked about Him, He's really done great things for them, hasn't He? But you better make sure that you've got a happy demeanor, let me tell you. Notice how carefully that's done. They were laughing, they were singing. Well, listen, beloved, we got to get a hold of that kind of thing, you know. What does the Lord say? My joy I give to you that your joy may be what? Full. Well, I have to admit that while God said it, There aren't too many Christians that have full joy in their hearts. And if you've had the victory through Christ in salvation, and you're looking for the victory in life through the Holy Spirit of God, then may the Lord give you a happy heart. Remember what the Proverbs say? A happy heart is like a medicine. Right? For it doeth good. Happy heart. Mother, dad, happy heart. What it means to the home when a father comes home with a happy heart. A little smile. What it does for the children. There'd be less children in psychiatrists if we had happy parents who really would joy us in the Lord Jesus Christ. And there'd be less parents who'd be in psychiatrist offices if they'd be happy in the Lord Jesus and take the joy of the Lord and let it fill their hearts to overflowing in their love for each other. And then that love can get out into the world, that souls might find Christ as their Savior. How about you? Been delivered? Happy tonight? Oh, I pray that you really have a joyous heart, singing heart, laughing heart. Laughter is of the Lord. Singing is of the Lord. Joy is of the Lord. Despair is of the devil, despondency is of the devil, but joy and peace, that's of Christ. May you have it. Let us pray. Father, we thank thee for thy precious word tonight. Bless it to our hearts, Lord. We know the world reads the Psalms, but the Psalms really are meant for believers who really know Christ as their Savior, and then they become living and real. And so, Father, we pray tonight that you'd bless this Psalm to our hearts, the portions we've spoken of, and that our hearts will really rejoice in the victory we have in Christ, and that we'll long to be the kind of a joyous Christian who so shows forth Christ to a dying world that even the heathen will have to say, the Lord has done great things for them. But may we say first, the Lord has done great things for us, whereof we are glad. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.