September 2, 2023 — Psalm 126

“When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then 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.” The LORD has done great things for us, and we rejoiced. Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the watercourses in the Negeb. May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.”

In the old religious myths of Egypt, seedtime was associated with the death of the god of fertility, and harvest was associated with his revival. This tradition created an association of sowing seed with grief and reaping the harvest with joy. The Psalm then uses this association as a cultural idiom. Sowing in tears represents the going out of the Israelites during the diaspora to Babylon and the shouts of joy represent those who come carrying the sheaves of harvest as they return.

I believe that the Lord weeps every time someone leaves the faith — leaves the church — expresses their contempt for any hope that the church can be a healing, sustaining, and worshipful presence in the community. But when someone returns to the faith, or when one person remembers their need for the Lord, then, as Jesus says “In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” (Luke 15:7)

Let us Pray:

Faithful God, like a grain of wheat falling into the earth your Son went into death, so that after three days the earth might bloom with the joy of his rising. Let the seeds of justice, which we plant with tears, bring forth the power of the resurrection in the places of death and despair, and gather us at last into the joyful harvest of the saints; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

Pastor Dave

September 1, 2023 — Psalm 125

“Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, from this time on and forevermore. For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, so that the righteous might not stretch out their hands to do wrong. Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts. But those who turn aside to their own crooked ways the LORD will lead away with evildoers. Peace be upon Israel!”

“Those who trust in the LORD…abide forever.” We should notice by now that these Psalms, these Psalms of Ascent are psalms that build upon each other. That’s another reason why we can call them psalms of ascent. Psalm 125 takes the hills of Psalm 121 (I lift my eyes upon the hills) and the holy city of Psalm 122 (Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem) and combines them into a new image showing G-d’s people are as safe and secure as Mount Zion (Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion).

In the world in which we live we continue to see an escalation of violence against each other, an increase of evil, and the continual need for justice and hope to win the day. If we allow these issues like violence and injustice to grow unheeded they obviously will have dire consequences in the whole society. When those who live according to unrighteousness increase within our neighborhoods and cities, it has the effect of tempting the righteous to act accordingly.  It dilutes the moral and spiritual strength of everyone, especially the righteous.

In the U.S. we live in a time where corruption and dishonesty seem pervasive and they threaten the very foundation of our society and its institutions.  We would do well to listen to the Psalm’s prayer: Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts.

Let us Pray:

Almighty God, surround your people with your presence. Let your justice rule, that we may not put our hands to evil nor turn aside to crooked ways, but that we may stand fast in your word and pursue the ways of peace; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

Pastor Dave