“When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream.”

Psalm 126 is a short, but very encouraging, passage of hope fulfilled. Centuries after it was penned, it gives us grounds for expectation– that God is for us and not against us; that His Word is true and not a lie; that we really are the apple of His eye.

The Message Translation says, “It seemed like a dream, too good to be true, when God returned Zion’s exiles. We laughed, we sang, we couldn’t believe our good fortune. We were the talk of the nations– “God was wonderful to them!” God was wonderful to us; we are one happy people” (Psalm 126:1-3 MSG).

Awakened

We could go around the room and fill in the blank with what God did (revealed) that makes us feel like the writer of this Psalm — like those awakened from a great dream only to find out it wasn’t a dream at all. My fill in the blank would have to be understanding our righteousness in Christ.

In other words, “Wow, that’s how God sees us? That’s how God accepts us?” It really was a wow moment when my eyes were opened to the truth of who we are in Christ. I fully understood who I was on my own (a sinner). And my entire identity was wrapped in the knowledge that I had failed miserably and no matter how hard I tried, I would never measure up.

Sadly, religion still yells this in people’s ears (with the devil’s help).

It’s definitely true– I was (you were) a sinner. But it’s equally true that I (and you!) were saved by grace “not of ourselves lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). How you ask? Simply put: “God made Jesus who knew no sin to be made sin on our behalf so we could be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). 

A simple exchange.

And yet, not really simple– just simply believed and received. From the beginning God made this plan. In the garden, He announced it. Satan was put on notice that God would send One to redeem His creation. And He did. Jesus fulfilled every prophecy. We were lost; we were without hope; and then, faith awakened our heart.

“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). Somehow, each of us heard the Word of grace. It tugged on our heart until we opened up enough to believe and receive it. And the result: salvation.

Fully saved. Fully restored. Fully awake.

David said it best: “As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness” (Psalm 17:15). Like from a dream, something too good to be true, David’s eyes were opened to the reality that God loved us and wanted to save us from our sins.

I remember when I felt the same way — and in all honesty, I never want to forget. I can say like David, “As for me, I was never the same once my heart awakened to Your truth.”

This is what righteousness means– to be made in the image and likeness of God. His original plan with Adam and Eve was fully restored through Jesus. But as Paul said in his letter to the Colossians, “You must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News…” (Colossians 1:23 NLT).

Awakened from a dream, not a fantasy.

It was real. It is real.

“We were like those who dream [it seemed so unreal]” (Psalm 126:1 AMPC) that we could have right-standing with God and the ability to stand before Him without guilt or inferiority as if we had never sinned. This is our righteousness in Christ.

David wasn’t dreaming. He was prophesying of a future day when God’s plan would be accomplished, when believers would be made righteous and restored, no longer separated from the One who loved them and made them in His image.

“The Lord has done great things for us! We are glad!” (Psalm 126:3).