Restore Our Joy, Lord

Speaker: Pastor Stephen Hsu

Scripture: Psalm 126

Psalm 126 (#7 of 15 Songs of Ascent)

Big Idea:Those who RETURN to the Lord planting tears will reap songs of joy.

How do you rejoice always?

Past JOY: Remember when the Lord restored, we dreamed with joy. (1-2a)

Q: Have you ever dreamed with joy?

[1] When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.

[2a] Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.

—Psalm 126: 1-2a

Present JOY: Joy takes root when we realize God is for us. (2b-3)

Q: Has the Lord done great things just for them OR also for US?

[2b] Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

[3] The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

—Psalm 126: 2b-3

Future JOY: RETURN to the Lord for joy always. (4-5)

Q: Do you pray to get things or to get God?

[4] Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev.

[5] Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.

—Psalm 126: 4-5

“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

—Joel 2:12-13

“but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

—John 4:14 memory verse

“In tears” = bedimah (hebrew)

“In joy” = berinnah (hebrew)

CONCLUSION: The Lord can turn our tears of weeping into shouts of joy (5-6)

[6] Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.

—Psalm 126: 6

“unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground & dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

—John 12:24