MEMORY AND HOPE
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Opening Prayer
Lord God, you are forever faithful—faithful to your Word, faithful to your promises, always faithful to me. Thank you for creating me, thank you for calling me to be your own, and thank you for the kingdom work you do in and through me.
Read PSALM 126
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Psalm 126
A song of ascents.
1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of[a] Zion,
we were like those who dreamed.[b]
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,[c] 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.
Footnotes
- Psalm 126:1 Or Lord brought back the captives to
- Psalm 126:1 Or those restored to health
- Psalm 126:4 Or Bring back our captives
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
‘When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, / when you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, / count your many blessings, name them one by one.’1
The repeated use of the verb ‘restore’ (vv. 1, 4) helps to define this psalm. The first use is in the past tense. The community remembers what the Lord did for his people in the past. The reference to restoring the fortunes of Zion (v. 1) probably refers to the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon. This dream-like experience brought great joy to God’s people (vv. 2, 3) and it even surprised the surrounding nations (v. 2) in those days.
The memory of God’s restoration in the past (vv. 1–3) becomes the rationale for the people’s petition for God’s restoration in the future (vv. 4–6). Seeing God’s faithfulness in the past helps us to find hope in the difficulties lying ahead. Counting our blessings requires a shift in perspective. Without seeing God, the wadi remains a dry river bed in the barren wilderness of the Negev. With God in sight, we anticipate a flowing stream in the Negev, bringing life to the desert (v. 4b). Without seeing God, we may focus on our sorrow during the hardship (‘tears’, v. 5a; ‘weeping’, v. 6a). With God, we look forward to the joyful ending after perseverance (vv. 5b, 6b). It’s a long wait between sowing and harvesting, but the hope built upon the previous bountiful harvest gives farmers patience and encouragement to endure the hardship until the harvest.
As Henri Nouwen puts it, ‘By inviting God into our difficulties we ground life—even in its sad moments—in joy and hope.’2 Thus weeping does not have the final say. No wonder the theme of joy permeates this psalm.
Apply
As we count our blessings, may the songs of joy keep sounding in our minds amid all the challenging times.
Closing prayer
When time doesn’t heal our wounds, Jesus, you can—only you can. Thank you that you are always present in my hardships and always at work with purpose. Thank you that you have proven your faithfulness in the past and give me hope for the future.
1 ’Count your blessings’, Johnson Oatman 1856–1922, 2 Henri Nouwen, Turn My Mourning into Dancing (Nelson, 2001)
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