1When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3The Lord has done great things for us;
we are glad.
4Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
6He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.
Observation:
This song is so given over to hope. This is such an upbeat and encouraging song.
But in order for the Lord to restore, it means he has removed those blessings.
This is sung from a hard place. It recognizes the life-rhythm of pain and suffering, blessing and joy, the ebb and flow of darkness and light.
In this song there is no complaint about the hardship and tears, there is only remembering what God has done in their past. David is leading his suffering people as they make a long difficult journey – a journey towards Jerusalem – the dwelling place of God.
He leads them with a song of remembrance. Remember what it was like when God brought us out of exile, from wandering the desert, lost? Remember? The joy! The laughter! The exhilaration of being home!
Let’s ask and pray for that again when we find ourselves in a place of hardship and tears.
Interpretation:
We are hardwired for home. It is where we belong, where we are known and loved, where we are formed. When we are torn from our home – for whatever reason – we are dis-placed and we long to be back, we cry for it.
Application:
No blind or naive denial of tears and struggle here. No over-religious denial.
Just a refocusing – “remember when?” Let’s ask for that again.
And let’s let It drown out our pain and struggle – even for a bit.
Remember that the tears now are watering the seeds of joy and restoration and rich harvest.
And here’s your vision (without which you perish):
Streams of living water coursing through the desert.
Fields as far as the eye can see that are rich and ripe for harvest.
And US! Shouting and laughing with arm loads of blessing, joyful and spilling over, falling out of our arms – too much to hold!
What vision! Grounded in my reality and carrying me forward, upward towards New Jerusalem, to God himself, to glory, to Shalom. Father, sustain me / us right now with this vision.
