Psalm 126 | Resources
Discussion Questions
Summarize this psalm as a group.
Share a time in your past when God “restored” you.
Share a story of God’s goodness toward you that filled you with joy.
How does knowing what God has done in the past offer encouragement for the future?
What requests are you asking God to do for you or your family based on His character?
What promises are offered to us in verses 5-6? How do we apply these to our lives today?
Memory Verse
“The Lord had done great things for us; we were joyful.” Psalm 126:3 (CSB)
Devotional
Often times, our prayers can seem like more of a wish list or dreams without the meat of God’s word or His will anywhere to be found. That’s not to say that God is uninterested in our prayers, hurts, and emotions, but how important is God to our prayers? Even as we lament and pray for a revival for Christ’s church and for our nation, is the purpose of our heart simply to have a more comfortable life with better morality among our leaders and communities? Cleaner entertainment and safer communities for our children? While the writer of Psalm 126 remembers stories of wonderful times of great comfort and joy for the nation of Israel and a desire to experience anew a time where “the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,” his lamentation includes true substance. He remembers the praise due the Lord for His great glory and restorative mercies. In verses 2 and 3 the psalmist exclaims “they said among the nations ‘the Lord has done great things for them [Israel].’ The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.” May God’s glory and fame be the true substance of our prayers of lament and not only our own comfort. After all, restoration from God generally requires work from His people before they enjoy any worldly comforts. In the Old Testament, this could be rebuilding a city, rebuilding a temple, reclaiming a vineyard or tearing down idols. As we pray, let us be ready to tear down the idols in our own lives preparing to rebuild our relationships, faith, and service.