A Word from Psalm 126

Have you ever had the goodness of God show up in your life in such an unexpected and undeserved way that you couldn’t help but celebrate? That, I think, is what was happening in the opening verses of today’s word from Psalm 126. It’s hard to be certain, of course, since the psalms don’t often come with historical footnotes. But it’s easy to imagine that these words were written after God unexpectedly made it possible for His people to return home after being exiled in Babylon.

“When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem,” the psalmist says,
     “it was like a dream!

We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy.
And the other nations said,

     ‘What amazing things the Lord has done for them.’

Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us!
     And we are filled with joy.” (126:1-3)

Other times, however, we pray as faithfully as we know how, and God’s goodness seems to be delayed. And so, in the second half of the psalm, God’s poet invites us to trust that for those who wait upon the Lord, their dry and barren times will end.

“Restore our fortunes, Lord,

     as streams renew the desert,” he prays.

“Those who plant in tears

     will harvest with shouts of joy.

They weep as they go to plant their seed,

     but they sing as they return with the harvest.” (126:4-6)

Obviously, I hope you’re living in the first half of that psalm today. And if you are, maybe you can think of ways to share joy with those who need it. But even if you’re praying your way through a desert time, may you be able to cling to the promise that today’s tears are watering tomorrow’s joy. Amen.