Songs of Ascents ~ Bob Caldwell

Reaping the Fruits of Repentance

Psalm 126:5
 
Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.

This is a "song of ascents" sung by the throngs of Jews who came from all over Israel and the known world to the Temple for the Day of Atonement to confess their sins and worship God. 

This psalm was written when the Jews were re-gathered in their homeland, a cause for great joy after 70 years as captives in Babylon as judgment for their many sins. 

The lesson they learned is still applicable to God's people today.

As it was for them, the captivity and bondage that sin lays upon us is not to be the end of our story. Deliverance, restoration, and blessing wait to be had by all who seek true repentance. 

This repentance brings us tears of sorrow for our wrongdoing and waters the seeds of faith that we plant in the soil of His will. 

We too can be restored. 

Therefore, do not let your sorrow for your sins be wasted. 

They can become a life-giving fountain to water the seeds of repentance and reap a rich harvest of God's renewal in our life.

The Best Builder

Psalm 127:1  

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

The wisdom in this little psalm is as powerful as the atom in nuclear power. 

It is ultimate folly to waste our lives building a life that God will have no part of.

Conversely, 

to be a vessel of God, 

to be like a glove that God's hand has filled, 

changes everything. 

God will do what we as empty vessels of clay can never do on our own. 

He fills us with His wisdom, guidance, and power to accomplish the unique plan He has for each of us. 

Lay aside your own agenda and natural power. 

Take on God's plan with His power and let Him build your life. If you do, you too will find deep sleep each night as you rest in what He has done, is doing, and will do.

A Blessing Possible for All

Psalm 128:1 

Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, who walks in His ways.

The promised blessing in this psalm, possible for us all, is based on a condition of the heart. 

For anyone who is willing to fear God and work hard, this blessing is a possibility. In some way, it is possible for us all to "fear God" and to produce the "labor of [our] hands.

" God promises to do the rest! 

Therefore, aim to approach every area of life with sincere reverence for God and confidence in all God is and all He has commanded us to be and do. 

Making a daily decision to walk in God's way no matter what we face ensures us of His help and blessing. His response to even our most painful circumstances is sure to bring us divine blessing in the end. 

Add a faithful work ethic to your fear of God, and God will honor and lift you up. God will even bless those within your family and sphere of influence. It's possible therefore, make it your aim.

Victors Through Affliction

Psalm 129:2 

Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth; yet they have not prevailed against me.

How you approach the hateful opposition and attacks of those who seek to do you harm will determine your own ultimate end. 

If we follow the path of our Lord Jesus, we can be confident of victory. 

Hatred, beating, and ultimate crucifixion could not keep our Lord down. He rose up to be King of kings and Lord of lords. 

Let us forgive, let us pray, and let us do good for our enemies. 

In so doing, we bring God's divine intervention. He will be our defender, and He will be the one in and through whom we will be more than conquerors (Rom. 8:37).

A Song of Ascents.

1 When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion,
We were like those who dream.

2 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."

3 The LORD has done great things for us,
And we are glad.

4 Bring back our captivity, O LORD,
As the streams in the South.

5 Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.

6 He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.

Psalm 127 
A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the LORD guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one's youth.

5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

Psalm 128
A Song of Ascents.

1 Blessed is every one who fears the LORD,
Who walks in His ways.

2 When you eat the labor of your hands,
You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.

3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
In the very heart of your house,
Your children like olive plants
All around your table.

4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears the LORD.

5 The LORD bless you out of Zion,
And may you see the good of Jerusalem
All the days of your life.

6 Yes, may you see your children's children.
Peace be upon Israel!

Psalm 129
A Song of Ascents.

1 "Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth,"
Let Israel now say—

2 "Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth;
Yet they have not prevailed against me.

3 The plowers plowed on my back;
They made their furrows long."

4 The LORD is righteous;
He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked.

5 Let all those who hate Zion
Be put to shame and turned back.

6 Let them be as the grass on the housetops,
Which withers before it grows up,

7 With which the reaper does not fill his hand,
Nor he who binds sheaves, his arms.

8 Neither let those who pass by them say,
"The blessing of the LORD be upon you;
We bless you in the name of the LORD!"

Psalms 126-129

Biblical scholars have taken various positions regarding the time period in this psalm: either this is a praise psalm celebrating the return of Israel from captivity (past) or it is a prayer looking forward to God doing this in the future. It may also be that the return from exile is currently going on and the psalm is a prayer that God will fully restore the nation. The NKJV translation has chosen to treat this psalm as a past occurrence.

v. 1 brought back the captivity of Zion, we were – The "future" version of this would be: "When the LORD brings back the captivity of Zion, we will be like those who dream."

brought back [or "brings back"] – The Hebrew word means return: "When the LORD brings about the return of Israel" (from captivity in Babylon).

like those who dream – like a dream come true

v. 2 mouth was filled with laughter…our tongue with singing – The Hebrew preference for concrete descriptions rather than colorless words comes through clearly here: "our mouth will be filled with laughter" is much more graphic than "we will laugh," just as "our tongue with happy song" is much clearer than "we'll sing."

singing – rinah (Heb.) a joyful song. This word threads its way through the whole psalm; it appears here (v. 2), in v. 5 ("joy") and in v. 6.

Then they said among the nations – God's purpose for Israel always had the nations in mind, that His people were to be a witness to His character and grace.

v. 3 we are glad – Future form would be "We shall be filled with joy."

v. 4 Bring back our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the South – This happy image evokes a picture of the dry wadis (gulches) in the Negev desert that are filled with water when the dry season is over and the rains begin. With the coming of water, flowers spring up and the land is as if it were reborn.

v. 5 Those who sow in tears – People in ancient times were usually aware of the agricultural cycle of sowing in the spring, praying for rain and then harvesting in the fall. It is an image of hope, pointing to a better time.

joy – rinah (Heb.) glad song. This verse is an excellent example of Hebrew poetic chiasm; the two key words in the first phrase are "flipped" or reversed in the echoing or response words of the second phrase; Bible scholars describe this as a : b – b' : a'; specifically: sow : tears – joyful song : reap

v. 6 Note the Hebrew poetic parallelism: goes forth – weeps : bearing – seeds // comes again – rejoicing (rinah, (Heb.) with happy song) : bearing – sheaves.

come again – Or come in. I.e. from the fields after collecting the sheaves of grain.

Psalm 127

Of Solomon – l'Schlomo (Heb.) Either composed by Solomon, dedicated to him (probably because of the subject matter; i.e., the building of the Temple and the Davidic dynasty) or part of a collection of songs under his name.

v. 1 Unless the LORD builds the house – The word "house" (bayit, Heb.), together with the title relating to Solomon, would immediately trigger the association "Temple" for an Israelite hearing this song. But bayit means both "house" (a building) and "home" (the place a family lives), so from the very start of this psalm there seems to be a double meaning intended: the LORD must be the one who truly builds His Temple and only He can really establish the dynasty of David. It applies, of course, in a more general sense to all individual families and all of God's people.

labor – 'amal (Heb.) toil

guards – keeps watch over (Ps. 121:4-8)

v. 2 It is vain for you to rise up early – i.e., to begin the toil and work of attempting to build one's own "house" (v. 1).

to sit up late – after a hard day of back-breaking toil (v. 1)

to eat the bread of sorrows – to finally sit down to a meal in the dark (compare Gen. 3:17)

For so He gives His beloved sleep – Or, alternately, "He provides for His beloved in sleep." God's action on our behalf can accomplish more while we sleep than all the toil and sweat we can muster for ourselves.

v. 3 children are a heritage – the Biblical view of family and children

v. 4 arrows in the hand of a warrior – The idea of this verse seems to be that children (sons) are like a mini-army that stand with one in times of trouble and attack.

v. 5 They shall not be ashamed – or, defeated in battle

but shall speak with their enemies in the gate – The "sons" of v. 4-5 confront the enemy at the gate of the city. This can also refer to those bringing false charges against one (the law courts were convened in the gate of the city and Temple).

Psalm 128

The theme of "house/home" and "family" that was central to Psalm 127 is continued and expanded in this psalm. It has clear links to the "wisdom" tradition of Proverbs.

v. 1 Blessed is every one – The beginning of the poem calls Psalm 1 to mind: the path to choose in life is marked by the "fear of the Lord"; respectful and attentive focus upon Him and keeping on His road for life.

Walks – halak (Heb.) this is the classic term for friendship with God and living as His representative in the world (Ps. 1, 119).

v. 2 When you eat the labor of your hands – The Bible is very clear that work is a gift of God and the goal of life is not affluence and wealth but to have enough to meet one's needs and those of one's family, then to share with others who have need.

happy – blessed (the same word as in v. 1)

it shall be well with you – Literally: "good…to you." Or, life will be good.

v. 3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine – In Israel (and the entire Jewish tradition), the bearing of children was considered a great blessing from God.

in the very heart of your house – The central place of the woman in ancient Israelite society was at the center of family life; hence the classic picture of a "Jewish mother" fully involved in the life of her family. Compare this verse with the rest of the wisdom tradition in Prov. 31 for a fuller picture of her life and skills.

Your children like olive plants – The cultivation of olive trees, the symbol of prosperity, played an important role in the economy of Israel. Olive oil was a major export item (2. Chron. 2:8-10).

all around your table – where the family meets for food and fellowship

v. 4 thus shall the man be blessed – picks up the main promise of v. 1

v. 5 LORD bless you out of Zion – This verse makes clear that individual blessing is embedded in the good and prosperity of a society. God's people are commanded to be concerned about the well-being of their town and nation. Even the exiles in Babylon were commanded in to the peace and prosperity of their place of captivity (Jer. 29:7).

v. 6 Yes, may you see your children's children – To live a long life and die surrounded by one's children and grandchildren was considered a great blessing in Israel (Gen. 49, 50:22-26).

Peace be upon Israel! – Shalom al Yisrael! (Heb.) Another reminder that blessing is always personal but never private; we are linked with those around us in blessing and in woe.

Psalm 129

v. 1 afflicted me – oppressed or beset

Let Israel now say – This psalm has a somewhat unusual beginning: at first it appears to be an individual lament, but it is promptly made clear that the poet is speaking for the entire nation, probably in protest and complaint at the oppression and injustice suffered under the nation's conquerors. This phrase, as in Psalm 124, is probably a "call" by the leader of the pilgrims to the band on its way toward Jerusalem, or of the priest as the worshippers entered the Temple.

v. 2 Many a time – The same phrase from the beginning verse is repeated for emphasis.

prevailed against me – In spite of the fact that the nation had been conquered, the final victory will belong to the people of God.

v. 3 The plowers plowed on my back – A really unpleasant picture; the psalmist (as Israel personified) envisions a harrow, with long tines sticking out to break up the clods of earth, being dragged across his back.

v. 4 The LORD is righteous – But God is just and merciful; He will cut the ropes of bondage and oppression laid upon the nation.

v. 5 Let all those who hate Zion… – The oppressors and all the turncoats in the nation. This verse begins a prayer that God will curse the hated enemies. Israel was not squeamish about praying directly that God would "unbless" her tormenters and tyrants.

shame – the excruciating feeling of public humiliation

turned back – We have this same metaphor in English when we speak of a "reversal" of fortune.

v. 6 Let them be as the grass on the housetops – In Middle Eastern countries, stalks of long grass are combined with mud to thatch the flat roof of a house (Mark 2:1-4). The green stalks wither and dry up before they can grow to maturity.

v. 7 With which the reaper does not fill his hand – The reaper does not take the bundle of grain into his hands (plural) as he would if it had grown to maturity; the one binding the sheaves does not wrap his arms around it and tie it with a cord.

v. 8 those who pass by them – It was customary at harvest time for those walking by workers in the fields to call out blessings upon them (Ruth 2:4), reflecting the sense of thankfulness that God had provided the rain and fertile soil together with peace to bring in the harvest. The psalmist prays that God's curse upon his enemies would cut them off early and immature, so that their lives will never be fulfilled and completed.

Children's Ministry Hearts of the Children's Ministry volunteers are continuing to be opened as we seek to pray for and encourage each other daily.

Prayer Points for the Lord's protection and provision for those who so obediently serve the Lord by serving our children for the children to see that Jesus loves them early in their lives and that they would not stray from following Him