We Are Glad Indeed
Psalm 126:1-5: "When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, 'The Lord has done great things for them.' The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb."
While we read this psalm, especially this portion of Psalm 126, we can't help but feel joy at what God has done for his people; however, Psalm 126 is actually a psalm of lament, a community lament at that. The writer does remember what God has done for the nation of Israel. It is not just a cognitive remembering but an experiential remembering - there is laughter and shouts of joy. The Lord did for his people what they could not do for themselves. This could be a remembrance of the return of the exiles from Babylon or Israel's deliverance from Egypt. Throughout Israel's history, there were instances of this sovereign and all-powerful God coming to rescue and redeem his people.
In remembering what God had done for his people, the writer cried out for God to act once again on behalf of his people - to save them, to rescue them, to restore them to the place of laughter and shouts of joy. He referenced the Negeb which was known for its dry gullies. Only the Lord could bring springs of living water back into that place.
The nation of Israel would represent the sovereign Lord to the surrounding nations. As these other nations saw God work on behalf of his people, lead his people, provide for his people, and even fight for his people, they could not help but acknowledge that Israel's God was one of power and relationship while their gods were made of wood, lacking power and connection to the people. As God's set apart people, the nation of Israel was called to reflect his glory to the nations.
The cry of Israel through this psalm was for God to come and do what he had done in the past - to restore them to their former glory. They knew of God's faithfulness in the past and looked forward to God's faithfulness in their future. Is this how you approach God? Do you remember his faithfulness to you in the past and look forward to his faithful intervention in the future? Remembering builds our faith for present trials. Let us remember God's work in our lives; let us trust him to work in our present; and let us continue to have hope in his faithful work in our future.
Reflection:
How would God have you remember his faithfulness today? How does that remembrance build your faith for the challenges of this day?
While we read this psalm, especially this portion of Psalm 126, we can't help but feel joy at what God has done for his people; however, Psalm 126 is actually a psalm of lament, a community lament at that. The writer does remember what God has done for the nation of Israel. It is not just a cognitive remembering but an experiential remembering - there is laughter and shouts of joy. The Lord did for his people what they could not do for themselves. This could be a remembrance of the return of the exiles from Babylon or Israel's deliverance from Egypt. Throughout Israel's history, there were instances of this sovereign and all-powerful God coming to rescue and redeem his people.
In remembering what God had done for his people, the writer cried out for God to act once again on behalf of his people - to save them, to rescue them, to restore them to the place of laughter and shouts of joy. He referenced the Negeb which was known for its dry gullies. Only the Lord could bring springs of living water back into that place.
The nation of Israel would represent the sovereign Lord to the surrounding nations. As these other nations saw God work on behalf of his people, lead his people, provide for his people, and even fight for his people, they could not help but acknowledge that Israel's God was one of power and relationship while their gods were made of wood, lacking power and connection to the people. As God's set apart people, the nation of Israel was called to reflect his glory to the nations.
The cry of Israel through this psalm was for God to come and do what he had done in the past - to restore them to their former glory. They knew of God's faithfulness in the past and looked forward to God's faithfulness in their future. Is this how you approach God? Do you remember his faithfulness to you in the past and look forward to his faithful intervention in the future? Remembering builds our faith for present trials. Let us remember God's work in our lives; let us trust him to work in our present; and let us continue to have hope in his faithful work in our future.
Reflection:
How would God have you remember his faithfulness today? How does that remembrance build your faith for the challenges of this day?
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