Opening Prayer
Gladden us, Lord, with the comfort of Your Word. Amen.
Text: Psalm 126
When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, We were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, Whereof we are glad. Bring back our captivity, O Lord, As the streams in the South. Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.
Devotion
Israel was delivered from the Babylonian Captivity, and even though they had believed the promise and waited for it, it came as a surprise to them and was so glorious to them that they were beside themselves with wondering joy. But now the captivity and distress were over them again as we read Ezra and Nehemiah. Now it is true again: “Lord, Bring back our captivity, O Lord, As the streams in the South [dry land].” And the Psalmist is full of hope. The sower sows his seed under heat and weariness. Drought sets in, the seed and work seem wasted, the heart stands between hope and fear, tears flow. O God, send rain, send rain from on high! Then we can still get a fine harvest. Yes, from the seed, which is scattered with sweat and tears, comes a harvest amid joy and rejoicing.
So it always goes with God’s people, with each individual Christian, and with the Lord’s Church. Here on earth captivity and deliverance, lamenting and rejoicing are side by side, but finally there will be eternal, everlasting joy. — The Lord has done great things for us: He has converted us, delivered us from the slavery of sin, loosed our bonds and led us to the Canaan of grace. What a change! What an exchange to pass from death to life, from Satan’s power to God! From our whole heart we say: “The Lord has done great things for us, Whereof we are glad.” But “here we are still among so many drawn swords!” And now again! How heaven is shut up again over our land (2Ch 6:26)! The rain of grace is gone, the soul sits parched and empty in the heat of affliction. “I was once shown grace, I was a child of God, I tasted life, lived in His love, had peace and joy, served the Lord with joy and hope. That is gone! O it is over! Now I walk again in slavery and weariness, the streams have dried up, the earth is parched, the seed dies.” So sounds the lament, but still in it there is hope and prayer, because the faithful Holy Spirit secretly sustains the heart by God’s Word. Be comforted, dear friend! Don’t despair. You shall surely come with singing, bringing your sheaves with you. You long for it and pray: this shows that there is faith in your heart. And the Lord is the God of wonders. The tears of faith always give a bountiful harvest of joy in the end. That shall never fail.
Closing Prayer
But how long, O Lord? How long? You see how plagued I am by unbelief. Have mercy, and transform our captivity like a stream in a dry land. Lord, may it please You to do it soon. Amen.
Hymn
Jesus gives us joy and tears,
Blessed be His name forever!
When thy way most dark appears,
Trust in Him, despond thou never;
Weary soul, when sore distressed,
Call on Him and be at rest.
Surely, narrow is the way
To the land of gladness yonder;
While on this sad earth we stay,
We must here as pilgrims wander.
Through the desert we must roam,
Till we Canaan reach, our home.
Upward, then, my weary soul,
Where the crown of life is given!
Pressing onward to the goal,
I shall win the bliss of heaven;
For, O Jesus, I am Thine,
Blest am I, for Thou art mine!
Schmolck, Brorson: Why art thou cast down, my soul? L 380:4-6 LHy 237:4-6 tr. C. Døving;
tune: Jesus, meine Zuversicht (ELH 28); alternate hymn: God moves in a mysterious way ELH 434