As I Heard Them, Vol. 1, pp. 368-369, no. 4
I heard from R. Yitzchak Masmid (may G-d avenge his blood) that an eminent chossid, R. Itchele, lived in a small town where a gvir's daughter had become ill. The gvir gave money to the chossid for the purpose of a pidyon nefesh, 13 and what did he do? He gathered his chassidim together and made a festive seudah and farbrengen.
"What is this?!" the gvir asked the chossid. "Is this how you ask the Eibershter for help?"
"When Itchele fasts, when Itchele weeps — that's nothing new for G-d," the chossid replied. "But when Itchele gathers his chassidim together and farbrengs, they ask in Heaven, 'What is this?', and they concluded that the gvir's daughter is ill."
And that's the meaning of, And He looked upon their distress – when He heard their rejoicing. 14