Those Who Dream
Psalm 126
Not all dreams are pleasant, which in part explains the tone of Hamlet’s famous soliloquy:

…To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub; 
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause.

If you’ve ever had one of those nightmares that keeps disturbing you well into the next day, even when you know that you are wide awake, you will understand Hamlet’s concern.

And yet we often use the word dream to describe pleasant events, with expressions like “dream come true,” or “dream vacation.” These are experiences, which at their best, may give us a surreal, fuzzy feeling and make it difficult to believe what is happening. Which, of course, is close to what the psalmist had in mind when he or she wrote the first words of Psalm 126: “When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream” (v. 1). This surreal, fuzzy feeling sort of joy was prompted by the restoration of Israel, the setting aright in the lives of God’s people all those things that had gone amiss. Or was it? Some scholars actually think the passage should be translated in the future tense: “When the Lord restores the fortunes of Zion—we see it as in a dream…” Is this a past reality, or is it one that awaits the people of God in the future?

Frankly it shouldn’t matter. Why? Because God is Sovereign Lord of the past as well as the future, of lives restored, or things set right as well as futures filled made bright with hope and promise. Whichever way we look, forward or behind, we find God’s grace and mercy active and alive. Nor is the present exempt from God’s control. Here, too, God is at work sustaining and leading God’s people.

Do we see God’s work and experience it as in a dream-like state, overwhelmed with joy? Or do we dream of a day when the Lord will set all things right and bring truth and justice to bear? The answer is yes, and either way, the dreams are good.

Prayer: Lord, we bless your holy name for all that you have done in the past; all that you are doing in the present; and all that you will do in the future, for you alone are sovereign. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Laughter Like No Other

Psalm 126

One of the evening psalms for today is Psalm 126. It paints a wonderful picture of restoration and hope. “When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced” (Psalm 126:1-3).

We are hearing a lot of music these days because it’s that time of year. But the sentiment of Psalm 126 is about more than chestnuts roasting on the fire, or bells jingling on a sleigh, or even being home for Christmas. Psalm 126 is about more than a season of good cheer, it is about life set right and about the fulfillment of God’s promises. It is about laughter rising from the hearts of those who know beyond a doubt that the road ahead is filled with blessing, and that to journey on is to do so in the company of God’s people in a fellowship of gladness and praise. This is what the birth of a Savior is really about, and this is what the coming reign of God is about as well. If we really understand what Christmas means for us then we will allow the joy to fill us up and the laughter to come flowing out every day of our lives.

Prayer: Lord, fill us with your joy during this season and beyond. In Jesus’ name. Amen.