We were like those who dreamed…. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” – Psalm 126:1-2
Everybody wants to live the dream! Are you living the dream? Do you have hope? Are you filled with joy? I think God wants that for you. But I’d like to suggest that he wants that for you for a very particular reason, and this Psalm tells us exactly what that is.
The first half of Psalm 126 is a psalm about people who were living the dream! It tells us that the LORD had restored their fortunes. This is most likely a reference to the exiled people returning to the promised land. However, the English word “fortunes” implies that their future was given back to them. It signifies that they had hope again. The psalmist tells us that their mouths were filled with laughter. That is one of the best images there is. There is nothing better than being around a group of people whose mouths are filled with laughter. That only happens when people have the freedom and the time to sit around and tell stories. Exiles and slaves don’t have that kind of luxury, but freed people back home, do. The same thing is true of people whose tongues are filled with songs of joy. They just have so much joy that they can’t help but sing about it. This is a picture of living the dream!
Now, I don’t know many people who just break out into song like in the musicals, but I do have a feeling that from time to time, you have had a sense that you are living the dream. Maybe it was because of a new job or a new relationship. Maybe you got married and you just felt like singing… maybe you did? Whatever the case may be, I believe that this sort of joy, laughter, and hope are clearly blessings that God wants us to enjoy. God isn’t a slave driver who only wants you to work for him… he wants you to enjoy life also. God wants you to live the dream! However, I just want to suggest that he doesn’t just want you to live the dream because he wants you to be happy. Your happiness is not God’s primary focus. Instead, I strongly believe that God wants you to live the dream and find happiness, joy, and hope as a means to an end. This psalm tells us exactly what that end is: other people. God wants you to live the dream for the sake of others. As the text says, “Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’” God wants you to live the dream so that others recognize Who it is that blessed you.
So my question for you today is: Does your joy, laughter, and hope point back to the author of all good gifts? As your pastor, I really hope that you find all of those things in this life, but I also hope that you don’t just think that it is for your sake. I pray that you see those blessings as opportunities to be a blessing to those around you… even “among the nations.”
Josh Rose
Teaching Pastor