(See the addendum to this post here)
I have been blogging recently on the Psalms of Ascents and hoping that my posts on them will firm up some of my outlines. I also hope that others will contribute to the process and provide suggestions which will improve the outlines and provide a great skeleton for teaching through these psalms.
To briefly sum up where we have been so far, the psalmist travels to Jerusalem (120-122). He begins his worship by asking God for mercy, praising God for His help in the past, and about the relationship they have currently (123-125). In the next psalm, Psalm 126, the psalmist now remembers how the Lord brought them back to Jerusalem and requests that the Lord will restore them to what they once were.
Read Psalm 126 (NASB, NIV, KJV)
Here is my working outline. It really needs improved so any suggestions anyone could give, please post those in the comments. I know that many will be helped by it (I have notices a little more traffic coming to the posts regarding these psalms so you will be helping many other pastors by posting your thoughts):
Still Looking for a Title
I. Past rescue/redemption (1-3)
A. Too good to be true/Astonishment (1)
B. Rejoicing (2b)
C. Noctice by others/Noticable (2b)
D. Gratitude (3)
II. Present Request for Restoration (4)
II. Future Blessing/Rejoicing (5-6)
A. Sow in tears -> Reap joyful shouting
B. Weeping with bag -> joy with sheaves
One of the reasons I have waited so long between posts is because the incompleteness of these outlines. They really need some serious work, but I thought I could post these and maybe we could get a dialogue going to hone them a bit.
The first three verses is an obvious "flashback" to a time when God brought the people back to Jerusalem. It seems that this is a reference to the Babylonian exile but it could be a reference to the Exodus from Egypt. The issue for me is the term "brought back." While the Exodus did bring the people back to the land Jacob lived in before they moved to Egypt, the fact is they were there 400 years and everyone who came out of Egypt had never lived in the promised land. However, they were only in Babylon 70 years and many of the people remember what living in Judah was like. Additionally, the context (especially verse 4) indicates the psalmist is referring to captivity. While they were slaves in Egypt, they were not captured. They moved there and eventually became slaves. Babylon came and captured them. However, this is really not the main point of this psalm or this section.
The point is, the psalmist is remembering a past rescue God preformed for His people. The psalmist expresses his emotions concerning this act. It was like a dream, they would have never imagined it. They laughed and laughed and shouted with joy. It was such a marvelous act, the lost nations even commented on the great things their God did for them. They just were glad that God had done so many great things for them.
The remembrance of these past acts of God prompts the psalmist to petition God for restoration. He asks God to restore the people to what they were before they were taken captive. The simile used here is that of the seasonal wadis found in southern part of Israel. In the months of little rain, these streams will completely dry up and there will be nothing remaining but a ravine where the water once ran. In the spring, when the rains come again, the streams will fill up again, some almost immediately (if you can find a video clip of this, you should watch it because it is pretty amazing how fast and furious these streams become one the rain begins).
Finally, the psalmist declares his faith in God's activity to bring about the restoration of his people. To 21st-century believers who have both the Old and New Testament at their disposal, and who are familiar with Jesus' parable of the soils, it is easy to read a message of evangelism in these verse. However, these verses speak about broader issues than just evangelism. I will post more about this tomorrow because these two verses deserve a little closer look. The point here is that when God's people returned to the promise land from their captivity, there was sorry for what they had lost (tears, weeping). However, the psalmist is looking forward to the time when God will restore them to what He wants them to be (joyful shouting, shouts of joy).
I think the believer can walk away with from this psalm thinking about the great things God has done for us in the past, the most amazing being salvation. These thing, when recounted, can really astound us at how great God really is. But in times of trouble, or doubt, or struggles, we cry out to God for restoration. And we place our faith in the goodness of God that even though we may be crying now because of our tough circumstances, God will use it for His glory and our refinement.
Calvin said, "The reason why so many examples of the grace of God contribute nothing to our profit, and fail in edifying our faith, is, that as soon as we have begun to make them subjects of our consideration, our inconstancy draws us away to something else, and thus at the very commencement, our minds lose sight of them." Remembering the past acts of God will strengthen our faith as we go through or are coming out of troubled times. If God is has been faithful in the past, and God does not change, then He will be faithful in the present and in the future. We can count on it.
As I have been posting for this psalm, the hymn "Count Your Blessings" has been coming to mind. Perhaps, this hymn conveys the mindset of the psalmist (click to listen).
When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
0 comments:
Post a Comment