Israel had to experience the most demoralizing situation for any people group- occupation. Babylonian armies swept over them and most of the people never saw their homes again. For seventy years, the Promised Land was a desolate and barren land that so no meaningful civilization. When the people returned to Jerusalem, it was still the ruin that it had been when they left. This is a far cry from the world they had known at the beginning of the psalm. Before the exile, the Israelites knew victory well, and knew it well.
But now things were different, and they didn't know how to think of God. Had God changed? Is this the God they were stuck with forever? Did God pick a new people? Sometimes our images of God can be shaken- things happen that defy our expectations. We are left in the same camp as the Israelites, wondering how God could let things happen. The one thing I would ask in those situations is to follow the lead of the Psalm- cling to the redeeming love of God. Cling to God. Our images of God will always be imperfect, but the love of God carries through. What we know today is that in the midst of exile and occupation, Jesus was sent into the world. And because of that, we can have hope. May hope invade your world today.
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