Seven years ago, an Australian missionary doctor and his wife were kidnapped in Burkina Faso where they had been running a 120-bed clinic for more than 40 years. His wife was released after 3 weeks but until recently the doctor’s whereabouts was unknown. He has now been released and is home with his wife and family.
His family said: “We want to thank God and everyone who continued to pray for us,”
“Immense joy was expressed by Father Pier Luigi Maccalli, priest of the Society of African Missions, also a victim of kidnappings in the Sahel area for more than two years … “I learned with relief and immense joy the news of the release of Dr. Elliot who was finally able to be reunited with his loved ones… the news of the release of a hostage brings me deep joy and makes me relive the joy of the embrace of the return to freedom.” https://anglican.ink/2023/05/19/missionary-doctor-freed-after-7-years-captivity-by-al-qaeda/
These last words remind us of Psalm 126, probably (although there are other possibilities) the words of the psalmist expressed at the return of the people of God from their long exile in Persia, taken captive by the Babylonians over 70 years previously. Consider the similar emotions to the priest mentioned above – in bold font.
A song of ascents.
1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dreamed.
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
Kidner writes: “Delirious happiness and relief – such is the mood recaptured in the first half of the song.” He continues that their restored fortunes (v. 4) “whether… from famine or siege, captivity or plague… had obviously been miraculous and widely talked about.” (# 29)
But the psalm then turns into a prayer. The psalmist prays:
4 Restore our fortunes, Lord,
like streams in the Negev.
If the first verses (1-3) refer to the Babylonian captivity, then the prayer following refers to “the early postexilic period… [which] was also marked by hardships [see the book of Nehemiah], and so there was still the need to petition Yahweh to ‘restore our fortunes’… to bring that restoration to completion (v. 4).” (# 4)
He then uses the example of a well-known principle from farming and states confidently and full of hope that:
5 Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.
Longman concludes:
“The psalmist asks God to continue the work of restoration of the community’s fortunes that he had already begun. In other words, the psalmist speaks from an already-not yet perspective. Christians can relate to this moment in their own spiritual lives. We have been saved from sin and death by the redemptive work of Christ on the cross. However, our salvation is not yet completely worked out. We still suffer, sin and die. But we know that the future will bring the full realization of our restoration. Thus, we can rejoice in God’s work in our life as we ask him to complete our salvation.” (# 30)
On a similar theme, Paul writes to all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi and says:
4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:1, 4-6)
Worship and Wisdom - Psalms and Proverbs 