A song of ascents.

¹ When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who dreamed.
² Our mouths were filled with laughter,
    our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
    “The Lord has done great things for them.”
³ The Lord has done great things for us,
    and we are filled with joy.

⁴ Restore our fortunes, Lord,
    like streams in the Negev.
⁵ Those who sow with tears
    will reap with songs of joy.
⁶ Those who go out weeping,
    carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
    carrying sheaves with them.

Prayer

Group Prayer:

Father, Your goodness is like a dream. You have blessed us in unimaginable ways. The only response fitting to give is joy. You have done great things for us. When we look back at Your goodness, we rejoice. 

And yet, we still have incomplete and unsettled circumstances. Restore us so that we more fully experience Your goodness in our circumstances. We ask for Your blessings. May every tear we’ve shed be turned into a shout of joy. May those who went out with heavy hearts come home laughing, with armloads of blessings.

“WE WERE LIKE THOSE WHO DREAMED.”

“Life could be a dream. Life could be a dream. Do do do do, sh-boom.”

“Sh-Boom” by the Chords 1954

“Sweet dreams are made of this. Who am I to disagree?

I travel the world and the seven seas. Everybody’s looking for something.”

“Sweet Dreams” by Eurythmics  1983

Q: What would feel like a dream if it happened to you?

¹ When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.  

• To understand this Psalm, we have to dive into Israel’s history.

In God’s Prayer Book, Ben Patterson writes about the connection between Israel’s history and reading the Psalms:

It took a while for me to appreciate what Paul meant when he said we Gentiles, by the grace of God, have been grafted into the vine of Israel.” (Romans 11:13-24)But when the lights came on, I was stunned and delighted to realize that their story is my story too. It’s our story…I began to see my name written into the whole biblical story. I started reading and praying the Psalms like a child learning how to read, learning a new “vocabulary, a grammar, and a plot line” discovering a family tree I didn’t know I had. Huge parcels of the Psalms that had formerly seemed to belong to someone else started feeling like home (12).

Captives Set Free

1. Most theologians believe this Psalm was in response to exiles being released from Babylon.

Q: “Can you think of another time Israel was set free from captivity?”

Q: How can we tell Psalm 126 wasn’t written for that time?

1. In 586 BC King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon broke through the city walls, destroyed the temple, and exiled most of the population to Babylon (2 Kings 25; 2 Chron. 36; Jer.39).
2. The LORD promised through the prophet Jeremiah that the people would be released after 70 years. 

“This is what the Lord says: ‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.’”  Jeremiah 29:10

• It was completely unheard of for a nation to be taken captive and then returned.
• In 722 BC the Northern Kingdom of Israel was deported to Assyria – never to return. 
• They became known as the “Lost Tribes of Israel.”

• In 539 BC, King Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon.
• In 538 BC, Cyrus issued a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple (2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4).
• The Temple was rebuilt by 516 BC, 70 years after its destruction in 586 BC, completing the prophetic promisemade in Jeremiah 29:10.

Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.”

Let’s look at verses 1-3 now that we know the history, which as Christians, is also our story.

¹ When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.  ² Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” ³ The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

• Psalm 9 says, “¹¹ Sing the praises of the Lord, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what He has done.”
• In Psalm 126:2b the nations marvel at what God has done for His people. “The LORD has done great things for them.”
• The Israelites agree and echoed, “The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” ³

Psalm 126 and the following Psalms reflect on God’s goodness, recount His works, and offer gratitude for His enduring love and mercy.

Psalm 9, Psalm 18, Psalm 21, Psalm 22:22-31, Psalm 30, Psalm 34, Psalm 40, Psalm 44, Psalm 66, Psalm 68, Psalm 77, Psalm 78, Psalm 81, Psalm 89, Psalm 92, Psalm 103, Psalm 105, Psalm 106, Psalm 107, Psalm 111, Psalm 116, Psalm 118, Psalm 124, Psalm 126, Psalm 136, Psalm 138.

“Restore our Fortunes , LORD, Like Streams in the Negev” ⁴

1. After remembering what God has done in the past, the Psalmist asks God to “Do it Again.”
2. The Negev Desert in Israel, without rain, is a barren, arid landscape characterized by dry riverbeds, rocky terrain, and sparse vegetation. The lack of water, made it difficult for crops or livestock to survive.
3. However, when the rains did come, particularly in the form of flash floods, the transformation was dramatic. Vegetation would sprout rapidly.

 “[There are] few transformations more dramatic than that of a dry gully into a torrent. Such can be the effect of a downpour, which can also turn the surrounding desert into a place of grass and flowers overnight. (Derek Kidner).

“When grace descends like rain on the thirsty soul, even the desert of the heart brings forth flowers of praise and gratitude.”~ Charles Spurgeon

^“ Those Who Sow With Tears Will Reap With Songs of Joy” ⁵ 

Psalm 126 comforts those sowing in tears (Lament) with the promise of reaping with joy. 

1. The Joy of the LORD is my Strength

a. When the Israelites returned from Exile, they had to walk 900 miles home. Ezra 1:3-5

b. When they returned, the temple, the wall, and most of the city was destroyed.

Nehemiah said, “This day is holy to our LORD. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

A.W. Tozer

• “The joy of the Lord is not merely happiness. It is a condition of spiritual elation that arises from the realization of God’s presence and goodness, even in the midst of trials.”
  — The Root of the Righteous

Dr. Danjuma Gibson, Professor of Pastoral Care at Calvin Theological Seminary

• “Lament is not the opposite of joy. It is a particular manifestation of joy. Joy is the inner assurance that you cultivate over time that you belong to God.” 

Applying Psalm 126 to the Life of the Christian.

1. How were we held captive, and by what?

We were held captive by sin and spiritual death, enslaved to its power.

• Romans 6:20: “When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.”
• Ephesians 2:1-2: “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world.”

• How were we released from captivity?

We were set free through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who redeems us from sin.

• John 8:36: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
• Colossians 1:13-14: “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
• Galatians 5:1: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”

• How do we sometimes lose the “joy of our salvation”?

We lose this joy when we become weighed down by sin, forget God’s goodness, or face spiritual dryness.

• Psalm 51:12: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
• Revelation 2:4-5: “You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”
• Hebrews 12:1: “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.”

• When will we be fully restored / What is the promise of ultimate joy?

We will be fully restored when Christ returns, and we experience eternal joy in God’s presence.

Revelation 21:4: “‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’”

Psalm 16:11: “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Isaiah 35:10 : “And those the LORD has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads.”

Spiritual Challenges from Psalm 126

Choose at least one of these practices for this week: 

• Consider who is part of your “we”: your family, church, friends. Intentionally spend time with someone this week and give thanks in your heart for the presence of this person in your life. 
• Where do connect more readily with God? Being in nature, or listening to music? Or something else? Intentionally place yourself in a place where you can just enjoy something for at least a few minutes. Talk to God about the joy you receive from this place, situation, or experience. 
• During a mealtime, stop and think about how much you are enjoying what you are eating. Offer genuine gratitude to God for where the food came from, who prepared it, and your enjoyment of it.