The Lord’s servant thankfully recording past joys, and anticipating future 

Captivity in Babylon gives way to release and return to the homeland. Such was the experience that the writer, maybe Ezra, thought that it seemed like a happy dream. Though it was a literal experience, yet it also describes a future redemption that the Messiah would effect for the church. We were also chain-bound captives, but Christ has delivered us from our prison. He has translated us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, and it is no dream!

Mourning is turned into laughing, and silence into singing. Unless there is a sowing in intercessory prayer, or preaching the word in and out of season, there will be no fruit nor joy. It is tears that water the good soil, and consequently there will be results with the labourers weighed down with blessed spiritual produce. There shall be a harvest.

-Pastor Jeff O’ Neil

Recommended Tune: St Fulbert, St Matthew

Psalm 126

¹When Zion’s bondage GOD turn’d back,
    As men that dream’d were we.
²Then fill’d with laughter was our mouth,
    Our tongue with melody:

They among the heathen said, The LORD
    Great things for them hath wrought.
³The LORD hath done great things for us,
    Whence joy to us is brought.

⁴As streams of water in the south,
    Our bondage, LORD, recall.
⁵Who sow in tears, a reaping time
    Of joy enjoy they shall.

⁶That man who, bearing precious seed,
    In going forth doth mourn,
He doubtless, bringing back his sheaves,
    Rejoicing shall return.