Lessons from Psalm 126: Divine Intervention, Restoration, and Joy
October 31, 2023 - Tuesday, 30th Week in Ordinary Time
Psalm 126:1b-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6
The main themes of Psalm 126 are divine intervention, restoration, and joy. The act of divine intervention went beyond people’s wildest imagination. The psalmist says that all were “like those dreaming” (Ps 126:1). For these reasons, Psalm 126 has been an inspiration for artists and novelists. One of the famous paintings of Marc Chagall is titled “Psalm 126”. There is a 19th-century Christian hymn titled “Bringing in the Sheaves” using the metaphor of sowing and reaping for proclaiming the Gospel and waiting for the fruits of that proclamation.
We do not know which historical event the psalmist had in mind while speaking about the restoration of the fortunes of Zion (see Ps 126:1). Some scholars think that it refers to the return of the Jewish people from the Babylonian exile in the sixth and fifth centuries BCE. Indeed, the fast decline of the mighty but cruel Babylonian empire came as a surprise to many. The edict of the Persian ruler, Cyrus the Great, that allowed the Jewish exiles to return home and rebuild Jerusalem and the temple filled their hearts with immense joy. Finally, joy is presented as following a period of toil and suffering: “They who sow in tears shall reap with song of joy” (Ps 126:5).
These three themes of Psalm 126 can be linked with the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus was predicting his passion and subsequent resurrection and telling his disciples about his departure. But, the message of Jesus’ departure filled their hearts with sadness and they could not understand what Jesus meant by resurrection. Good Friday seemed like the end of everything they dreamed and hoped for. Then came Easter morning with the multiple stories of the encounter of Christ’s disciples with the risen Lord.
The news that Jesus is risen makes many shake their heads in unbelief. And to some extent, I can understand it. The encounter with the risen Lord is so incredible that it goes beyond human imagination. It is such a surprising act of divine intervention in a person’s life that it feels like “dreaming”. Where before was sadness and lack of meaning, now is joy and purpose. We see that on the pages of the New Testament and in the biographical stories of the following generation of Christians. We become new persons in Christ and take the Good News about him to the ends of the world.
The three main themes of Psalm 126 can become guiding principles in our personal lives. Our God is a God of surprises and his intervention into the history of the world and our personal lives goes beyond what we can ever dream of. Therefore, with Abraham, we can hope against all hope because nothing is impossible for our God. We can face our lives with courage knowing that toil and suffering are part of the process of growing in faith. We can look forward to the final restoration of all things in Christ and say with Julian of Norwich that at the end “all manner of thing shall be well.”