We see that the gospels often go out of their way to ground the events they describe in real history. They are not abstract accounts.
Seeds
Jeremiah 31:7-9
Psalm 125(126)
Hebrews 5:1-6
Mark 10:46-52
Sapling
We’ve mentioned a few times in these reflections that the whole psalm – not just the refrain we repeat – is our response, as the people of God, to the word received in the first reading. Today, let’s have a look at psalm 126 as our prayerful response to God’s word.
Firstly, we see the psalmist acknowledging something that God has done for his people, namely delivering them from bondage.
We also have a stark, and very human admission that they struggled to believe that God had done something so monumental for them: it seemed like a dream. That kind of reaction is, by this psalm, sanctified and placed on the lips of God’s people by the Holy Spirit. It’s ok to feel surprised by what God does.
Indeed, laughter (joyful or disbelieving) mixed with songs (of praise) filled the hearts of God’s people in light of what he had done.
I was recently at a conference organised by the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and experienced again what this joyful response to God in song can be like. That may not be your experience of spirituality, and you may express joy in other ways, but joy in the presence of God is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, one he will produce as we dive into his saving work more and more.
The psalmist then turns outward: beyond the boundaries of the people of God, people recognised what God had done in salvation and deliverance. We see this elsewhere in the Old and New Testaments – think of the centurion acknowledging that Jesus is the Son of God as he witnessed him die on the cross. His salvation is seen, even if barely understood, by those who don’t yet know him.
At this point the psalmist turns from the past to the present and future. Having reminded us of God’s past acts of salvation, we bring before him our present needs. But it’s not simply a laying our problems before the Lord, because of his past deeds it is infused with a bold confidence. Notice these words: “those who are sowing in tears will sing” and “they come back, full of song”.
There is no uncertainty there, just conviction. A conviction based on true hope, that is trust that God will keep his promises just as he always has.
For us, then, we can make such bold prayers, reminding ourselves of what God has done throughout salvation history, especially in Jesus. We can pray with conviction for suffering to cease, for peace and goodwill to come on earth. And that conviction is nourished and given life by God’s sure promises.
That doesn’t mean all our problems disappear right now, just as they didn’t for the psalmist. But hope gives us the trust that one day all things work together for good for those who love him.
Fruit
