Psalm 126 discusses joy experienced by God's people in the past, present, and future. It describes how they laughed and sang for joy when God restored the fortunes of Zion and brought the exiles home from Babylon. In the present, the psalmist calls on God to restore their fortunes again through bringing rains to the drought-stricken land so that those who sow in tears may reap with joyful song. Looking to the future, the psalm expresses confidence that God will continue to act in ways that bring joy, as he has done in the past.

1. Prayer
Almighty God,
creator of heaven and earth
in whom all things are possible,
have mercy on us and heal us,
that sustained by the power of your word
and by the constant intercession of our Lord and Savior,
we may draw near to you
and follow in your way as faithful disciples.
Amen.

2. The Church Calendar
October 24

3. Psalm 126
a PEOPLE of… JOY?!

4. • Psalm 120-134
• Fifteen psalms w/this heading
• Songs of pilgrimage, presumably of faithful
Jews going up to Jerusalem
• Could also refer to a musical term,
with an ascending of pitch/crescendo,
or a pattern of incremental repetition
common in many of these poems
• Could refer to all of the above!
PSALMS OF ASCENT

5. Negev Desert

6. Negev Desert in Bloom

8. When the Lord restores Zion’s fortunes, we should
be like dreamers. Then will our mouth fill with
laughter
and our tongue with glad song. Then will they say
in the nations: “Great things has the Lord done
with these.” Great things has the Lord done with us!
We shall rejoice. Restore, O Lord, our fortunes
like freshets in the Negev. They who sow in tears
in glad song will reap. He walks along and weeps,
the bearer of the seed bag. He will surely come in
PSALM 126 (ALTER)

9. The prayer for restoration of national fortunes in
verse 4 is a strong argument
that the fulfillment indicated here has
yet to take place. (The interpretation proposed
by others – that the exiles have already returned
from Babylonia but are
now praying for the full restoration of
the national home – seems strained.)
ROBERT ALTER

10. It seemed like a dream, too good to be true,
when God returned Zion’s exiles. We laughed, we
sang,
we couldn’t believe our good fortune. We were the
talk of the nations—“God was wonderful to them!”
God was wonderful to us; we are one happy people.
And now, God, do it again; bring rains to our
drought-stricken lives so those who planted their
crops in despair will shout “Yes!” at the harvest, so
those who went off with heavy heart will come
PSALM 126 (MSG)

11. This is not really a poem about joy;
it is the first of a set of three…
a “distress” psalm…
Our part is to do the persevering.
We look to the Lord to do the restoring.
MICHAEL WILCOCK

12. Psalm 126
a PEOPLE of… JOY?!

13. Joy is characteristic of Christian pilgrimage.
It is the second in Paul’s list of the fruit of
the Spirit. It is the first of Jesus’ signs in
the Gospel of John (turning water into wine.)
That is not to say that joy is a moral requirement
for Christian living.
Some of us experience events that are full
of sadness and pain. Some of us descend
to low points in our lives when joy seems
to have permanently departed.
EUGENE PETERSON

14. We must not in such circumstances or during
such times say, “Well, that’s the final proof that
I’m not (or “you’re not!”) a good Christian…I’m
not joyful, therefore I must not be a Christian.”
Joy is not a requirement of Christian
discipleship, it is a consequence. It is not what
we have to acquire in order
to experience life in Christ; it is what
comes to us when we are walking in
the way of faith and obedience.
EUGENE PETERSON

15. Christian joy is not an escape from
sorrow. Pain and hardship still come,
but they are unable to drive out the
happiness of the redeemed…
The joy comes because God knows
how to wipe away tears...Christian joy
is actual in the midst of pain, suffering,
loneliness and misfortune.”
EUGENE PETERSON

16. It seemed like a dream, too good to be true,
when God returned Zion’s exiles. We laughed, we
sang,
we couldn’t believe our good fortune. We were the
talk of the nations—“God was wonderful to them!”
God was wonderful to us; we are one happy people.
And now, God, do it again; bring rains to our
drought-stricken lives so those who planted their
crops in despair will shout “Yes!” at the harvest, so
those who went off with heavy heart will come
PSALM 126 (MSG)

17. JOY: PRESENT, PAST, FUTURE
PRESENT (V. 3)
“Present gladness has past and future.
It is not an ephemeral emotion.
It is not a spurt of good feelings
that comes when the weather and
the stock market are both right
on the same day.”

18. It seemed like a dream, too good to be true,
when God returned Zion’s exiles. We laughed, we
sang,
we couldn’t believe our good fortune. We were the
talk of the nations—“God was wonderful to them!”
God was wonderful to us; we are one happy people.
And now, God, do it again; bring rains to our
drought-stricken lives so those who planted their
crops in despair will shout “Yes!” at the harvest, so
those who went off with heavy heart will come
PSALM 126 (MSG)

19. PAST (V.1-2)
“Each act of God was an impossible
miracle. There was no way it could
have happened, and it did happen…
Joy has a history. Joy is the verified,
repeated experience of those involved
in what God is doing…Joy is nurtured
by living in such a history, building on
such a foundation.”
JOY: PRESENT, PAST, FUTURE

20. It seemed like a dream, too good to be true,
when God returned Zion’s exiles. We laughed, we
sang,
we couldn’t believe our good fortune. We were the
talk of the nations—“God was wonderful to them!”
God was wonderful to us; we are one happy people.
And now, God, do it again; bring rains to our
drought-stricken lives so those who planted their
crops in despair will shout “Yes!” at the harvest, so
those who went off with heavy heart will come
PSALM 126 (MSG)

21. FUTURE (V. 4-6)
“Joy is nurtured by anticipation.
If the joy-producing acts of God
are characteristic of our past
as God’s people, they will also
be characteristic of our future
as (God’s) people.”
JOY: PRESENT, PAST, FUTURE

22. THOUGHTS TO REFLECT ON…
PRESENT
• What’s your current experience of joy?
• How can you leverage your current
experience for the sake of others?

23. THOUGHTS TO REFLECT ON…
PRESENT
• What’s your current experience of joy?
• How can you leverage your current
experience for the sake of others?
PAST
• Are you willing/able to look back…?
• If not, are you willing/able to seek help?

24. THOUGHTS TO REFLECT ON…
PRESENT
• What’s your current experience of joy?
• How can you leverage your current
experience for the sake of others?
PAST
• Are you willing/able to look back…?
• If not, are you willing/able to seek help?
FUTURE
• What is the hope you’re anticipating?

25. Benediction
Almighty God,
creator of heaven and earth
in whom all things are possible,
have mercy on us and heal us,
that sustained by the power of your word
and by the constant intercession of our Lord and Savior,
we may draw near to you
and follow in your way as faithful disciples.
Amen.