We have seen that the third stage of the Psalms of Ascent, the stage of enjoyment, begins with two different “turns” from captivity. In Psalm 126 we are freed from the world and from Christianity to be brought into the church life. After enjoying the church life we are eventually released from the captivity of our self-life by falling into the ground to die. This leads to the experience of transformation as seen in Psalm 127. In the process of being transformed we become a “mighty man with arrows.” As we go through the process of bearing fruit in the church life we became equipped with riches to serve the Lord. This issues in the mature and healthy serving life as described in Psalm 128. We become like an “olive tree” and a “fruitful vine,” which means we become a supply of “oil” for the church to grow and a supply of “wine” for the church to be joyful. We no longer labor in vain but are able to produce and minister life to meet the needs of those around us.
Adapted from The Journey of Life, page 77.
Tomorrow: “The Need of Enlargement and Its Way”