The Songs Of Ascent – Part 8 – Psalm 126 – Sow In Bitter Tears And Reap The Joyful Harvest Series

THE SONGS OF ASCENT – PART 8 – PSALM 126 – SOW IN BITTER TEARS AND REAP THE JOYFUL HARVEST

Psalm 126:0 A Song of Ascents.

[A]. NOT A DREAM, NOT AN ILLUSION, BUT NOW REALITY

{{Psalm 126:1 “When the LORD brought back the captive ones of Zion, we were like those who dream.”}}

“I just can’t believe it. We were resigned forever not seeing our motherland again. It can’t be possible. The whole thing seems like a dream. It does not seem real.”

Can you see the minds of the exiles as they returned from Babylon under the decree of Cyrus? It was like a dream come true, an impossibility that became reality. For 70 years they were in despair, captives in a foreign land where the Lord had banished some of them. They were totally married to idolatry before Nebuchadnezzar’s overthrow, but from that point onwards they never returned to idolatry again.

God works with principles. One of those is to shake us very solidly when we venture off the path and into sin. It is God’s desire we depart from the horrible thing and keep on the straight path.

In Babylon their hearts longed for their homeland but it was a dream they would ever attain their own land again. Sadness filled their lives, but the chastening of the Lord was good for them. There is a Psalm written on this very theme –

{{Psalm 137:1-6 “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion. Upon the willows in the midst of it we hung our harps. There our captors demanded of us songs and our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” How can we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget her skill. May my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy.”}}

This is one example of writing in the bible that is overflowing with pathos. Their sadness in Babylon is so evident.

These pilgrims were among those who were able to return from captivity and the whole of God’s deliverance was like a phantom, like a dream that has no substance. Imagine that delight as they wended their way in ascent to Zion for the Feasts.

[B]. SUCH JOYFUL PRAISE BECAUSE THE LORD HAS DONE GREAT THINGS

{{Psalm 126:2 THEN our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting. Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”}}

Praise God always for the “Then”. The dark night THEN gives way to the soft dawning light. The time of terror and being afraid THEN passes into peace and calm. The tormented guilty conscience is THEN revived with the joy of the Lord upon repentance. I am just so delighted that there are two passages of scripture of special significance in the bible. Without these the Christian who falls into sin would be much deprived of the help from God to lift him and her up again. Where would he turn in desperation? Well God has provided these for us.

The first one is Psalm 51, which is a prayer of repentance when David sinned against God and Bathsheba. For 9 months he had locked away a burning and guilty conscience, but with the prophet Nathan’s intervention, it all came bubbling out. That Psalm is a wonderful example and guide for us in repentance and restoration. In that prayer David prays this – {{Psalm 51:12 “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.”}}

The experience the Jews passed through was a bit like that – 70 years of misery that passed into joy.

The second passage is simply two verses but they are so comforting, so delightful, and so strengthening. Here they are – {{1John 1:8 “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”}}

God does not want us to be unjoyful. It is foreign for a child of God even when the world situation is closing in and wickedness prevails. There is an inner peace and joy shed in our hearts and lives by the Holy Spirit.

Verse 2 talks about the mouth and the tongue. God created us with emotions and sometimes these get out of control and lead us into sin, but in our verse, it is the mouth that echoes the laughter and joyful shouting because the Lord had delivered them from captivity.