About 70 years after the Israelites were exiled to Babylon (and after Jerusalem and its Temple were destroyed), the hesed of the LORD moved the Persians to permit a remnant of the Israelites to return to Jerusalem to rebuild its Temple.

Psalm 126 expresses the joy of these exiles when they returned to Jerusalem:

“When the LORD brought back the captives to [Jerusalem],

   we were like those who dreamed.

Our mouths were filled with laughter,

   our tongues with songs of joy. . . .

The LORD has done great things for us,

   and we are filled with joy.

Restore our fortunes, LORD,

   like streams in the [desert].

Those who sow with tears

   will reap with songs of joy.

Those who go out weeping,

   carrying seed to sow,

will return with songs of joy,

   carrying sheaves with them.”

(Psalm 126:1-6).

Many translations prefer to translate the first verse of this Psalm to read as follows: “When the LORD restored the fortunes of [Jerusalem]”.

This translation gives a useful, practical understanding of this Psalm. It expands its applications to people and nations in innumerable situations, not solely to the people who returned from their exile in Babylon 70 years after Jerusalem and its Temple were destroyed.

Who has not known the sorrow of being “exiled” from those people and places we love?

Who has not known the joy of being restored to those people and places we love?

The Pandemic “exiled” us from people and places we love. And now, we sing songs of joy when the Vaccine restores us to those people and places we have missed for so long.

For example, in about a month our family will be singing “Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah Day” (and many other songs of joy) when we go to Disneyland with our 6-year old grandson!

Yet, the horrors inflicted by the Pandemic for about 1 year are minuscule compared with the horrors inflicted for about  70 years by the exile in Babylon, and by the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple. (Lamentations 1:1-5:22).

The Pandemic is being overcome by the miracle of vaccines whose effectiveness will fade away. (1 Corinthians 13:8).

The Babylonian Exile, (and the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple) were overcome by the miracle of the hesed of the LORD that endures and blesses forever. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8,13).

It’s no wonder that the hesed of the LORD gives people and nations the joy of the LORD that endures and blesses forever.

It’s no wonder that the people who returned from exile to rebuild, restore, and resurrect Jerusalem and its Temple sang to the LORD with praise and thanksgiving:

“He is good; his hesed toward Israel endures forever.” (Ezra 3:11).

It’s no wonder that Ezra and Nehemiah told the people who established the work of their hands by rebuilding, restoring, and resurrecting Jerusalem and its Temple:

“[T]he joy of the LORD is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10 (emphasis added)).

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For more of my thoughts about the hesed of the LORD God, please read my blogs “The Hesed of the LORD Endures Forever”, “Hesed Saves and Nurtures Baby Moses”, “Hesed Saves Israel—Passover”, “Hesed Nurtures Israel—From the Red Sea to Mount Sinai”, “Hesed Nurtures Israel—Mount Sinai”, “Hesed Establishes the Work of Moses’s Hands—Mount Nebo”, “Hesed Blesses Forever—David”, “Walking Humbly With Hesed—Micah”, and “Hoping in Hesed—Jeremiah”.

For my thoughts about the return from the Babylonian Exile and the rebuilding of Jerusalem and its Temple, please read the chapters “Ezekiel and Daniel Revive God’s People in Exile”, “Hoping in the LORD Revives God’s People in Exile”, “God’s People Begin Rebuilding the Temple”, “God’s People Finish Rebuilding the Temple”, “Esther Saves God’s People”, “Ezra Stops God’s People From Sinning”, “Nehemiah Rebuilds the Wall of Jerusalem”, and “Ezra and Nehemiah Work Together” in my book Healing the Promised Land, at pages 293-366.

The word hesed in Hebrew is translated a number of ways in English:

     —Faithfulness. (Psalm 117:2 NIV).

     —Love. (Psalm 136 NIV).

     —Mercy. (Psalm 136 KJV).

     —Steadfast love. (Psalm 136 ESV; Exodus 34:6-7).

     —Lovingkindness. (Psalm 136 NASB).

     —Kindness. (Micah 6:8).

Since no one English word captures the richness of the Hebrew word hesed, I use the word hesed in this blog.