Psalm 126 (NRSV)
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Verse 1When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.
Verse 2Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them."
Verse 3The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.
Verse 4Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the watercourses in the Negeb.
Verse 5May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.
Verse 6Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.
Devotion
Memory and hope. These two do not always go hand in hand. Often the contrary is true-memory and despair. We remember lost opportunities, lost friendships, lost hopes and imagine a future darkened by loss. The psalmist reminds us that recalling even the most painful losses may lead us not to despair but to hope. When we remember that the future belongs to the Lord, we dare to hope for happiness restored. Oh, surely what the future brings will not be exactly like the past. But here is the promise: We will sing songs of joy again, no matter how bitter our tears have been. God’s mercy keeps us in God’s care and leads us into God’s joy-filled future.
Prayer
Dear Lord, forgive us when we cling to the grief we know, not trusting that you have better and truer hopes for us. Give us the strength to let go of our bitterness toward you and one another and receive your Spirit through our living Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.