Psalm 126 v3 “Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!
It was like a dream. We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy! They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.”
Lent is one of the more solemn times in the Christian calendar. Traditionally there is minimal decoration in the church building and songs are quieter and more reflective. So why as we journey towards Jesus on the cross is there this psalm “a song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem”? There are fifteen songs grouped together from psalm 120- psalm 134. Jerusalem was built on a hill so when walking towards the city there is always an up-hill march. We have all seen groups of soldiers in training singing to keep motivated as they march along laden with huge backpacks, and when walking with my small children I would often sing to keep them motivated so singing and walking are in regular use today. My husband and his three sisters drove most summers from BC to Alberta and there is a point on the journey where no radio reception is available and they would sing in the car to pass the time, and our family would do the same on journeys around Ontario camping in the summer to have fun on the journey.
So this is a reminder as we travel this Lenten road that “those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy” That difficult journeys are not endless, that singing a joyful song as you go along the road will show others what amazing things the Lord has done.
CrossWalk 