Psalm 126—We were like those who dream with eyes open.

"...With a greater harvest than dream guessed, heart hoped for, or hands could hold."

This Psalm is a companion to Psalm 137. Psalm 137 is a psalm of lament remembering the Babylonian exile. (“How can we sing the Lord’s songs in the land of our exile?”) Psalm 126 is a psalm of thanksgiving and praise remembering the time the exile ended and the Lord “restored the fortunes” of the exiles and brought them back to their land.

Rendition of Psalm 126

When the Lord rescued us from captivity
We were like those who dream with eyes open.
He filled our mouths with laughter
And we sang songs of joy 
That we thought we would not sing again.
Everyone who heard our story said,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
And he has, greater than we had
The strength to hope for.
Even now gladness gathers
And wells and is not swept away.

After so long God has restored our fortunes.
He sent his goodness rushing toward us
Like a desert stream dry until
It rises like a torrent when the rain comes.
Those who sow in tears
Will reap with shouts of joy.
Those who leave carrying their grief aloft
Like a bag of dark seeds,
Will return with arms filled 
With a greater harvest 
Than dream guessed, heart hoped for,
Or hands could hold.

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Psalms: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 34, 35, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, 46, 50, 51, 53, 54, 62, 63, 65, 66, 73, 74, 75, 84, 86, 88, 90, 91, 100, 107, 110, 114, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 137, 139, 140, 142, 147, 148.

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Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash