Temple Baptist Church - 2-9-2025
Psalm 126
Introduction:
A. Psalm 126 is another of the Psalm of Degrees or Upward Psalms that were sung when they traveled to one of the three feast days when all males were commanded to appear in Jerusalem. In this Psalm, we find the joy in their hearts as they come closer to home and the Temple of the Lord.
B. As I looked at this Psalm, there were several things that stood out to me. I remember each time that I was at Faith Baptist Church while Dr. John Waters was still pastor there and reading this verse which was over the baptistry: “The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.”
C. My thoughts would always return to the glorious days of that great church. I remembered the powerful revivals they hosted and the South Carolina Baptist Fellowship meetings held there. I also thought about the "Trumpet" publication that I often read. Truly, "great things" indeed!
D. When I read this Psalm, I saw:
Verse 1. Captivity Gone!
1. The Psalmist referred to the Babylonian Captivity when Nebuchadnezzar's army defeated Israel, taking most of the skilled and learned people to Babylon. They destroyed Solomon's Temple, tore down the walls, and left Jerusalem in ruins. For 70 years, Israel remained in captivity. Eventually, freedom was granted, and the walls, gates, and Temple were rebuilt! Israel returned home!
2. I applied this to the long-enslaved sinners, who have suffered and continue to suffer under the rule of the “god of this world.” This reminded me of the song: “He Made Me Free.”
I had drifted for so long with my life so full of wrong
That the Lord should have turned his back on me
But He took the trembling hand of a lost and lonely man
Broke the chains from mortal shame and made me free. (He made me free.)
Yes, He took away the sin from my soul where it had been
And He helped my blinding eyes again to see
Oh yes, and now I understand the beauty of salvation's plan
Out on the cross He paid the cost and made me free. (He made me free.)
I had sunk so deep in shame never calling on His name
All the joys of life had turned to misery
But then He gave me back control of my lost and wandering soul
Removed the fears, dried my tears and made me free. (He made me free.)
Yes, He took away the sin that had stained me deep within
And He gave me back the faith that I might see
Now, I'm so glad I understand the promise of salvations plan
Out on the cross (the cross) He bore the lose (the lose)
And made me free. (He made me free...)
3. As a lost man, I could have never envisioned the life that God bestowed upon me in 1976! He made me free; He made me free! Oh, what joy and delight! I have never desired to return to the captivity that once held me. Through the years and tears, I have never lost the joy of my salvation.
Verse 2-3. Joy Manifested. As they journeyed towards Jerusalem, Israel's laughter and songs of praise echoed along the way. The surrounding heathen nations observed this exuberant joy and extolled Jehovah for His marvelous deeds.
1. Since you and I have been redeemed, our joy has turned into laughter (A merry heart doeth good like a medicine) and our laughter into singing. Before I was saved, I listened to the music of the world but was never inclined to sing much. Today, I love to sing! Since I got saved, I have learned to sing and to sing loudly. I have sung in the choir of all three churches that I have been affiliated with. As a pastor, I still sing in the choir and make a joyful noise unto the Lord. I sing because I’m happy. I am happy because I am free!
2. The world is watching us! They see us when times are good, and they see us when we endure hardships. Let us endure hardships as good soldiers and allow our lights to shine so brightly that the world glorifies our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
3. In both good and bad times, let us remember, “The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.”
Verse 4. Captivity Possible. “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; prone to leave the God I love!”
1. Throughout the millennia, the Jews have experienced periods of righteousness and wrongdoing. “Turn again our captivity, O LORD!” In our lives, we also face ups and downs, right and wrong, sorrow and the need for restoration. Peter's story in John 21 perfectly illustrates the failures of the flesh. We are not yet perfected!
2. Like the “streams in the south,” which may dry up or flood at times but always flow in the right direction, O LORD, help your people to stay on the right path and in the right place in this life!
Verse 6. Freedom Shared.
1. Goeth! The Jews embarked on their journey to Jerusalem, both in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, at the end of the Babylonian Captivity. They were a free people heading back to the land flowing with milk and honey. Time and distance only increased their longing. Tonight, we will walk through the doors of our church into our mission field. The fields are ripe for harvest, so let us be soul minded. While we cannot save the lost, we can point them to the ONE who can!
2. Weepeth! I often reflect on the value of one soul, as each person we meet is a soul destined for eternity somewhere. We may be the only "Bible" they will read. It should break our hearts, and the Bible is clear in Jude 22 that compassion makes a difference.
3. Reapeth! "A Sower went forth to sow." As a child, I remember sowing peas in a pea patch with Dad on our farm. He would plow, till, and prepare the ground while we "broadcast" seed, scattering it evenly across the ground. Some seeds fell on stony ground, some on thorny ground, but some fell on good ground. We are to Go, Weep, and Sow while trusting God for the increase.
We are free tonight! Free indeed! Let us rejoice and be glad, but may we also be salt and light in a world that is distasteful and dark!
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