Turn a Turning

Sermon on Ascent Psalm 126

Readings:
1. John Goldingay, Old Testament Theology Vol. 2 Israel’s Faith (IVP, 2006).
2. 张国定：诗篇 -卷四（天道圣经注释）
2. Eugene Peterson, Ascent Psalms – A Long Obedience in the same direction.

After reading this psalm, what do you feel is its tone or mood? Some says mood is joyous celebration, another says it’s a complaint. What discrepancy! That’s what makes bible reading so intriguing. Whether this is a happy or sad psalm, whatever the context in which the psalm was originally written, as you read you will discover ultimately it speaks one same message. Let’s find out. What applies to God’s people in ancient times applies to us today. God’s teaching is universal and timeless. This psalm is divided into two halves. First half: remembering mood – reflect and recount the past. Second half: anticipatory mood – looking to a better future.
(1) The past: exile-return
“What has Israel’s history got to do with me?” Much if you desire to know God. Because God has chosen to reveal himself to mankind in a unique way. The most important revelation of course is Jesus Christ. But before that, God is revealed through his dealings with a particular people – the Israelites. If we are familiar with Israel’s history, we will have a better grasp of God’s ways. God is known through what he says and does. Two events in Israel’s ancient history tell much about God. One is exodus. The other event is Psalm 126’s background: exile-return. Recap the amazing event:
God cut a permanent covenant with Israel’s ancestors: I will be our God – you will always be in my presence. You will be my people – and be the light of the world. Warnings and blessings.
If you (Israel) turn away, be warned there will be judgment and discipline. But Israel ignored and turned away.
Consequence: exile. Israel plucked from homeland and deported to foreign land. Very trying times. To Israel it felt as if God had abandoned them – turned his back on them. But that’s misconception. God was always there, but because their backs were facing him they couldn’t see him.
God repeatedly urged Israel to turn back. Hebrew word is sub. “Turn! Come back! I have never left you.” Despite Israel’s continual rebellious stubbornness God assured them he would ultimately end her suffering and bring them home.
Finally one day it happened! Israel came home. What emotions? They were filled with great joy. Then God promised to do even more! “I’m going to renew my covenant with you.. much more wonderful than the old one.” God has promised a great future for the people. Israel lived in anticipation of that fulfillment.
What can we learn / apply from this historical event?
1. It's my responsibility to turn first
Restoration of any relationship requires the act of turning. Not only in our relationship with God, but also any human relationships. If we have learned forgiveness, we also need to learn reconciliation – how to mend our broken relationships. The key biblical term and act is sub. It means repent: change direction. If don’t reverse direction, you’ll walking further away. But turn around, you will draw closer. God says, “If you want to see my face (be restored to my presence), you must repent.” Notice how the OT prophets put the initiative and obligation to turn on the people i.e. on us.
Zechariah 1:3 “Turn to me.. that I may turn to you.” Sounds conditional: “if you don’t turn, you won’t be in my presence.”
Joel 2:13-14 “Turn to YHWH your God because he is gracious, compassionate and long-tempered.” Here the prophet doesn’t even dare to guarantee that God will welcome them back. Still he urges them on, his hope lying squarely on God’s inherent grace and mercy.
2. God is the turner initiator!
When we read psalm 126 (especially in Hebrew) we discover an interesting truth. Actually God is the turner’s initiator! God plays a crucial role in Israel’s turning and transformation! First word in Psalm 126 is turn (sub), second word God (Yahweh). The emphasis is clear in Hebrew. It is important for Israel to “turn”, the richer underlying tone is: it was God who empowered the act. Here is acknowledgment that had God not been merciful (to begin with), our action (whether we turn or not) has little consequence. Still remain as actives.
Recall Jonah’s story. The wicked people of Nineveh were spared from destruction – not only because they repented / turned from their wrong-doings but also predominantly because God is merciful and forgiving. He responds in grace. Sharp readers will notice it was God who sent Jonah to warn the Nineveh in the first place. God took initiative to prevent the people from eventually destroying themselves.
3. What does “turning” involve?
On the people’s part: not merely emotions (grieving, beg mercy etc.) It’s more action-oriented. The people/we must change in concrete ways. Zechariah 1:3-6 “Turn from your evil ways and deeds, give heed to YHWH’s ways.” This involves: take actions to stop personal dishonesty, immorality and compromise; greater effort in acts of justice, mercy and generosity etc. Even as I was preparing for this sermon, the Lord rebuked me to attend to certain neglected areas e.g. discipline in personal integrity, work ethics and tithing. (Yup, “turning” involves as concrete as honoring your tithe! Malachi 3:8-9)
Restoration of any relationship is always mysterious and involves both parties. In the process, not possible for any party to lay down rules for how reconciliation must happen, even if one party is clearly wrong. E.g. we cannot dictate: “You must apologize first” or “I have done this so you must respond this way and that etc.” In any reconciliation and restoration, risks are always involved – and both must take risk, whether the offended or offender. Guess what? You will never know the outcomes of your turning effort until you do so. “I’ve turned to face him now, will he also turn toward me?” Imagine scenario: we make courageous effort to patch up with the other party. Extend our hand – only to be rebuffed! The other fellow says, “No. Sorry no cure, no second chance for you.” How humiliating! Well friends, we will never know outcomes of our effort. But that’s no excuse not to do it. Whatever is in your responsibility and ability, just do it! Obey God first and leave the outcomes to him. If any consolation or encouragement, God’s the greatest risk-taker of relationships! He is always reaching out to us regardless that we keep snubbing him, ridicule and mock his outstretched arms.
(2) The now: outcomes
What were the immediate outcomes of the Return?
1. Immense joy v1-2. “Our mouths were filled with laughter; our tongues filled with songs of joy. We were like men who dreamed..” or “we were like men who were awakened from a terrible nightmare.” One more impetus for you to risk the sub turn. Those guilt feelings – sense of defeat by evil one – all will vanish as God wring you out from their bondages, restore to wholesomeness.
2. Witness that bring glory to God v2-3 “The Lord has done great things for them.. the Lord has done great things for us!” The outcome is acknowledgment for God’s awesome work and character. Not only Israelites praised God, pagan neighboring nations, bystander witnessed and were also amazed, gave Yahweh due credit. Including enemy nations that opposed and oppressed Israel. Friends, on those painful occasions that God disciplines us, we are not the only beneficiaries. These are also opportunities for others to know God.
3. Third outcome is hardships. The return brings challenges. From Haggai and Zechariah, we read and realize life wasn’t smooth sailing for the returned exiles. There’s immense rebuilding work ahead. (We only need to look at post-tsunami and post-earthquake areas to imagine the difficulty of restoration efforts. Requires grit and determination.) They also faced opposition and mockery as they tried to rebuild the Jerusalem city and temple. Plus, harvests were poor. It was tempting to quit. What gave the people strength to persevere was hope and optimism.
(3) The Future: Hope
Where does hope derive from? Real hope is not based on abstract projection. Real hope stems from history, because the future always has its roots in the past. Israel’s hope in this situation sprang from God’s past actions and interactions. In original Hebrew, v4 is an almost identical repetition of v1.
V1. When God returns the captives..
V4 When God restores the fortunes..
In fact, some bibles translate both verses as the same: “when God restores the fortunes”. Perhaps the scribe who copied the manuscript made an error because the word for “captives” and “fortunes” were so similar.
What message is the writer trying to convey by writing in this way? He is crying out: “Lord, how you have restored our fortunes in the past, restore our fortunes again now!” Not some vain hope pluck from the sky but hope based on historical testimony. The psalmist has absolute trust in God because he has witnessed how God has acted in the past - benevolently. The past boosts his confidence to appeal to God. “Lord, repeat your awesome act!” It is faith and hope grounded in facts of history. I have six nephews. Based on how I deal with them in the past, they know they can get away with anything with me. They dare to sulk at me or play mean tricks on me, because they have absolute confidence that whatever they do I won’t get mad with them. “The future builds on the past.” Friends, the Christian faith is not blind faith, neither is our hope. Our understanding of God is built on historical truths; our trust grows by witnessing his past dealings with people.
Two images in Psalm 126 describe the people’s hope in God.
1. Rain in drought. V4
“Bring rain to our drought-driven lives.” Negev in south Israel is a vast desert. The water source comprises networks of ditches, waterbeds and streams. Most year, these areas are dry-baked under the sun. But in late autumn rain comes and fills, soaking and healing the parched land. Perhaps our lives right now feel dry and shriveled. Psalmist exhorts us to “return to God.” In turn, God will fill our barrenness by his refreshing grace.
2. The other image is sowing and reaping.
Every farmer sows with anticipation. Without expectation of a future harvest, why bother? Can you imagine doing this? Sowing tiny seemingly lifeless seeds in a large plot of empty hard ground. Add on long hours of scorching sun / back-breaking pruning for a persistent season. How many of us would hang on diligently? The farmer is able to persevere amid the trying situation because his places his hope in God, not in outward circumstances. He knows God will never fail him. The current pain and tears are but temporary, his hard work will eventually pay off. The beauty of verse 5-6 in Hebrew. Both verses are doubled for effect of emphasis: halak ya-lak go out go out, bo ya-bo come in come in. The psalmist is conveying this picture:
Those who (certainly without doubt and persistently continually) go out weeping (sorrow) Carrying seed to grow
Will (certainly without doubt and persistently continually) come in rejoicing (joy) Carrying sheaves of harvest
The sentences sandwiched between (in blue). Note the contrast of movements – going out and coming in. Note the contrast in emotions – sorrow verses joy. Note too the contrast of what is sowed and what is harvested – a seed (singular) producing abundant sheaves of harvest. God is indeed a mysterious and powerful God! God’s principles of sowing and reaping differ from the world’s law. In the Olympics, many athletes sow years of hard work – tons of tears and pain. But not all will reap gold – only a minority blessed ones. The greater majority ends in disappointment and sorrow. But this is not so in doing God’s work. His ways are different from the world’s laws. Here is promise and assurance that we will certainly reap what we sow if we persist. Those who keep working diligently in and out of season – and never give up – will in time reap fruits for God in eternity.
A passage in the New Testament sheds light on this truth. Read Galatians 6:7-10. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Many “good things” that we do appear insignificant and perhaps not in the radar of human attention. But God sees in secret. In due time the effect of your work in people’s lives will surprise you. I know a lecturer who doesn’t drive. He travels by taxis. But every trip is a ministry for him. Whenever he needs a cab, he calls for the same few drivers – he kept their numbers. During the journeys he shares with the drivers about the things God has done in his life. They exchange life stories. He is genuinely concerned for their needs and the drivers in turn regard him as a personal friend. E.g. once he was asked by one driver to conduct a wake service for a relative! What a hardworking farmer! This is taxi-ministry, in and out of season, apart from his various ministries in church and in school. Many have come to know Jesus as a result of this individual’s hope and effort.
3. God the farmer
Finally, why this farmer crying? Is the task heart-breaking? Someone points out this interesting insight: God is the farmer! The seed (singular) that God sows refers to the people of God. They are people who need transformation. People – you and I – we all need new hearts and soul transplants in order to yield a different kind of life – vibrant and life-giving.
God is in the business of transforming human lives, and he is not done with us! When we are not quite there yet, like the Israelites, God prunes and disciplines us. The process is surely painful – for us and more so for God! Have you ever wondered that it pains God to watch us going through cold-turkey? But God persists. The discipline is necessary – for individuals and for the whole community, but it will be temporal. In due time, we will emerge as better persons – people who are mature and equipped to handle all challenges in life. We will emerge victorious to proclaim joyously, “God has done a great thing in me or in us!” And all who see our growth /transformation will testify with us, “Indeed, God has done marvelous things in them!” Look! They are no longer childish, arrogant, self-centered and quarrelsome like they used to be. Their lives now emits God’s glory and the fragrance of Jesus Christ. Remarkable! So friends, if you are facing tough times now due to God’s discipline, hang on and know that something beautiful will eventually emerge from you.
Conclusion
Prophets describe God’s amazing transformative work in an interesting way: Jeremiah 31:21-22 “Return, O Virgin Israel, return to your towns. How long will you wander, O unfaithful daughter? The LORD will create a new thing on earth – a woman will surround a man.” Israel was like a wayward maiden who became unfaithful to her husband. But the day will come when this turn-away young lady returns to God. When she does so, she is in turn able to “turn men around” i.e. she has new ability to defeat men who once controlled over her destiny. We all need to get back and draw close to God. He will turn our destinies around for good.
Those who wrote and sang Psalm 126 are no strangers to the dark side of things. They had painful memories of past humiliation. They face daunting challenges and hardships ahead. Yet they still express joy because of their hope in God. They are absolutely confident that they are people with a promising future. So they remain unyielding. May we draw strength and courage from Psalm 126.