Master's Prayer Network

A — Return to the Lord for His Mercy

Comments: The LORD knew the heart of man, and through the books of the law given by Moses, He forecast more than once how they would stray from His path and bear the consequence of their actions. The LORD also instructed as to how they could again receive His compassion by once again observing His commands with their whole heart and soul. This continued as an unchangeable message from the time Israel was called out of captivity in Egypt.

B — Solomon Prayed in Affirmation of the Lord’s Mercy

When the LORD allowed a temple to be built at Jerusalem, Solomon structured his prayer of dedication around the requirements and promises that the LORD had given in the book of the law. He made it clear that every person is a sinner who needs to turn to the LORD for forgiveness and mercy. 1 Kings 8:50 “And forgive your people that have sinned against you, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against you, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them.” There can be no restoration without a genuine commitment of heart and soul to the LORD.

C — Specific Promises Through a Prophet of God

Comments: When Babylon overran Jerusalem, broke down the walls and destroyed the temple, Zion lost the special blessing of the place where the LORD had put His name. Over the several years leading up to this destruction, Jeremiah had prophesied that captivity would last seventy years. The LORD promised to return the captives to the place they lost after they turned back to Him.

D — The Captivity of Zion Turned Away by the Lord

Comments: Psalm 126 opens by giving full credit to the LORD for bringing a restoration from captivity. The emotions accompanying the return of Zion are likened to something that seems as good as in the best dream imaginable. The joyful outburst had impact even on heathen observers, and they concluded that the LORD had done something great for His people. The believers affirmed that they were glad because the LORD had done great things for them! Those who have a true heart for the LORD might endure the same consequences along with others who honor with their lips but have their heart set on other things. When restoration of a sense of the presence of the LORD comes even in the midst of a lack of material abundance, the heart of a child of God can overflow with the joy of the LORD.

E — Recognition of Needed Additional Release from Captivity

Comments: These last three verses seem to indicate that the prayers have not stopped as the request goes to asking for an increase of prosperity through blessings from the LORD. The physical condition of Zion was not miraculously restored immediately after Cyrus made the first decree to allow captives to return from Babylon, and there were subsequent returning groups. It would take many years, even decades, for the walls and buildings of the city and the temple to be rebuilt. The agricultural word picture in verses five and six portrays a process of preparation followed by a time of waiting for the end result. Once the seed was in the ground, the farmer had little ability to bring it to the point of harvest, but waited rather upon the LORD. Jeremiah 33:11 promises “The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness… of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endures for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD.”

F — Christ Jesus Sets the Captives Free Eternally!

Luke 4:18–19 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives… To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” John 8:32–36 “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free… Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin… If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.” Romans 6:22–23 “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 8:1–2 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus… For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” 1 Corinthians 15:57 “Thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Comments: Jesus came into the world to fulfill the prophecy that he quoted from Isaiah 61, and the release he spoke of was from the captivity within the heart of man. The most desperate condition of captivity is that which is not perceived as captivity at all. Paul tells us in Romans chapter 6 that the release from this state of captivity that holds every person, is a gift offered by God through Jesus Christ. We have ultimate victory because “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”