A couple years ago, shortly after giving birth to my daughter, I wrote a blog post about Psalm 126. I found myself back there again recently as I was looking for short psalms to read to my almost-two-year-old. We have a children’s Bible that we read together, and I also like to pick a verse for the week that we read every day. Last week, we read most of Psalm 126.
When Yahweh brought back those who returned to Zion,
Psalm 126:1-2, 3, 5-6, WEB
we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with singing. …
Yahweh has done great things for us,
and we are glad. …
Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.
He who goes out weeping, carrying seed for sowing,
will certainly come again with joy, carrying his sheaves.
For me, the most striking part of this Psalm is the ending verses. When we plant seeds we don’t always know what the outcome will be. Will they grow? Will bugs eat them? Will a storm wash them away? It might be hard to plan when we’re feeling down, especially that uncertainty threatening to crush hope that the seeds will grow. But if we don’t plant seeds because we’re scared of what might happen, then we won’t get any harvest. So you plant even though you might be sad now and even though you’re not sure what will happen.
It’s the same way with our lives. Except for those who love God, the outcome is certain. Everything will eventually “work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28, NET). When we “sow” into our lives today there is a rich reward in the future and a certainty of joy.
Praise for God’s Goodness
The end isn’t the only part of Psalm 126, though. The first part talks about what happens after you get the harvest of joy that follows a season of weeping while sowing. Let’s take a look at those verses in a different translation this time to get a slightly different perspective on what the Psalmist is saying (since Hebrew is a very different type of language than English, reading multiple translations helps us understand the fullness of Old Testament verses).
When the Lord restored the well-being of Zion,
Psalm 126:1-4, NET
we thought we were dreaming.
At that time we laughed loudly
and shouted for joy.
At that time the nations said,
“The Lord has accomplished great things for these people.”
The Lord did indeed accomplish great things for us.
We were happy.
O Lord, restore our well-being,
just as the streams in the arid south are replenished.
God told ancient Israel that if they did not obey His commandments, they would be taken captive by their enemies. They disobeyed, and were punished exactly the way that God said. It was a season of weeping, but then God rescued them! He brought them back from captivity in Babylon to the land of Israel. It was so amazing that the people thought they were dreaming. The harvest of joy had arrived, and look what they did: “we laughed loudly and shouted for joy” and said “the Lord did indeed accomplish great things for us.”
When we make mistakes, God wants to restore a relationship with us. He wants to forgive us, keep us in covenant with Him, and give us eternal life. Psalm 126 is in many ways a picture of salvation: we strayed from God, He brought us back, and we ought to rejoice!
Living Changed Lives
I wonder sometimes if we take God’s forgiveness and the process of salvation for granted. It is so easy for us to ask God for forgiveness under the New Covenant. No need to travel to a physical temple, no need for animal sacrifices. We just need to go to Him in prayer through the name of Jesus Christ, who died for our sins.
Now this is the gospel message we have heard from him and announce to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him and yet keep on walking in the darkness, we are lying and not practicing the truth. But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:5-9, NET
It is so simple, yet so profound at the same time. We should be so grateful for this incredible gift that every renewed mercy makes us laugh, shout for joy, and proclaim the great things God has done for us. God’s great faithfulness gives us hope (Lam. 3:21-23) and that hope, alongside a recognition of His wonderful gifts, can help us cultivate joy. It should also change our entire lives.
Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have also obtained access into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of God’s glory. Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5:1-5 NET
Really wrapping our minds around God’s incredible gifts can make us rejoice even in suffering because that suffering (the sowing in tears) helps us grow and moves us forward toward our hope (the reaping in joy). There is “an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading … reserved in heaven for you!” (1 Pet. 1:4, NET). That is such good, good news that it “brings you great joy, although you may have to suffer for a short time”(1 Pet. 1:6, NET). We don’t see Jesus face to face yet, but we “believe in him, and so you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, because you are attaining the goal of your faith—the salvation of your souls” (1 Pet. 1:8-9, NET). With God’s wonderful plan of salvation playing out in our lives every day, we have so many reasons to sing His praises!
Featured image by Pearl from Lightstock
Song Recommendation: “Sheaves” by Karen Peck & New River
Like An Anchor 