A New Life

This article is based upon thoughts surrounding exegesis of Psalm 126.

"When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those in a dream." Thus opens this very short but important, theologically speaking, psalm. The opening lines speak of fortunes being restored to the nations of Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom). Since the mountain upon which the temple in Jerusalem is built is called Mount Zion, the poem more specifically refers to the latter, since Jerusalem is in the southern kingdom. There is a depiction of the exiles returning home from Babylon, and by a decree from Cyrus the Great of Persia, the Jews are indeed released. The people had become a byword among the nations as the ones who had been deserted by their God. Now, they were free and God was once again on their side. The sins of going after other gods was forgiven; their lack of hospitality and justice likewise forgiven, and God was now going to protect them instead of leaving them open to invasion from foreign countries.

Verse 4 offers a brief prayer: "Restore our fortunes, O lord, like the watercourses in the Negeb." The Negeb is the prominent desert in the area, so restoring the watercourses would be like God developing springs in the desert. It is interesting that under the sands of the Negeb are subterranean rivers, seen by satellite using special photography. We now can speculate that these underground rivers come to the surface on occasion and make oases. Other studies reveal that the Nile River, among others, may have had a somewhat different course than that which currently exists. In any case, the prayer is a plea for God to make them prosperous once again, to protect them and save them, as is mentioned at length in Psalm 23, "lead us beside still waters."

Verse 5 begins a kind of prayer, almost a whimsical hope: "May those who sow in tears shout for joy. Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves." (stalks of grain). In other words, may those who go out (to the exile) with only seeds to plant, using their tears to water the ground, return with a bountiful crop. Those who left in shame are to return in victory; those who left with nothing are to return with God's blessings.

It would be easy enough to assume that the author of the psalm is referring once again to the people of the exile, and probably this is true. But it is also interesting that these last words could be applied to the individual and not the nation. These words can become a personal victory and not a national one. For many years these words have been quoted at funerals, talking about death not having the final word, that God is victorious, and the soul that trusts in the Lord shall reap a harvest of love and eternity with God, and not have only empty seeds to plant and no harvest to bring in. Remember Jesus' words, and I'm paraphrasing here, "If a seed dies and is buried, only then can it spring up to new life." The seed that is buried will spring up in a new plant; the soul that trusts in God may be buried, but will be raised up to new life in the resurrection. We find this theme over and over again in the scriptures, in preaching, in works of art and music. One of the lovliest movements from Brahms' "Ein Deutches Requiem" quotes verses 5 and 6 of Psalm 126.

There is one final note, and that is there is a hint of new life to come. In the lectionary reading, this psalm is accompanied by the reading from Isaiah 43: "I am about to do a new thing, now it springs forth; can you not perceive it?" To the Christian interpreter, of course, the new thing is the salvation we shall receive through God's Son, Jesus Christ. Those who go out hurting and defeated will return as the children of God, through the victory of Jesus Christ upon the cross. The salvation plan, so long hidden, is now being revealed. You and I are being granted a great opportunity, to participate in newness of life, to come into the kingdom prepared for us from the foundations of the world.

We are drawing to the close of Lent. This psalm hints at a new life to come, the victory of the cross and the new life through the resurrection of Jesus. In a couple of weeks we shall see the victory fully revealed in Jesus as we come to Easter and the revelation of God's plan of salvation.

Blessings,

Terry