They say nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.

Music is a key source of Nostalgia

A 2019 YouGov survey found that 90% of Brits occasionally think fondly about the past, with 47% doing so quite often or almost always. Interestingly, millennials reported the highest frequency of such reflections. The research also showed that each generation tends to feel most nostalgic about the decades of their youth, with the 1990s being the most fondly remembered across the British population.

I mention this particular statistic not only to provide a scientific explanation for why, as a millennial, I always seem to talk about the 1990s in my sermons, but also because, even if you can’t relate to my personal memories, I’m sure you know what it feels like to look back and miss a time gone by. In fact, there’s a 90% chance you’ve had that experience of nostalgia yourself.

But nostalgia, as warm as it may feel, is a mixed blessing. While it can bring comfort, it can also serve as a reminder that time has moved on, and there’s no going back. It’s the bittersweet nature of looking back: at its best, it leads to moments of harmless indulgence, like buying a 30-year-old video game we’ll never realistically play again. But at its worst, it leaves us grieving for something that’s been lost and can never be fully recaptured.

Our Psalm for today, Psalm 126, is a kind of “Nostalgia Psalm.” It’s one of the ‘Psalms of Ascent,’ sung by the Israelites as they made their way to the temple for worship during special festivals. However, this isn’t one of the original worship Psalms from Israel’s heyday—it was likely written later, reflecting on a time of glory that had long since passed.

Psalm 126 was probably penned when the Jewish exiles returned from Babylon in the 6th century BC. Here’s a bit of context: Between 597 and 586 BC, the Babylonians, under King Nebuchadnezzar, attacked Jerusalem. In 586 BC, they destroyed the Temple and took many Israelites into exile. Fast-forward to when the Persians later invaded Babylon, and King Cyrus allowed the exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple, a story recounted in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

It’s likely that Psalm 126 was written by Israelites who returned to find Jerusalem in ruins. They looked back longingly at the time before the exile when things were at their peak, and the first three verses of the Psalm express that nostalgic longing:

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.

These verses capture that wistful, fond remembering of past glories—something we know all too well in our own nostalgic reflections.

What comforts me about this Psalm is the reminder that over 2,500 years ago, people were engaging with nostalgia too. It shows us that this longing for the past is normal, and it’s okay to feel it. So, I don’t need to feel guilty for listening to “Now That’s What I Call 90s” on Spotify!

But as we move into the second half of the Psalm, we see a healthier way of dealing with nostalgia. Rather than simply yearning for a time that’s gone, Psalm 126 calls us to look ahead with hope—to long for a future that’s even better than the past.

Verse 4 begins: “Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev.” This isn’t just about wishing for the “good old days” to return. It’s a prayer for restoration, a longing for something greater than what was lost. The joy they remembered was real, but they knew that true restoration would come through God’s intervention—something more than what they had experienced before.

Nostalgia can sometimes trick us into thinking that the best days are behind us. My 90s nostalgia might lead me to believe that the band STEPS was the peak of musical achievement, and that no one will ever produce better music again. But let’s face it—if we genuinely believed that our best days were behind us, what would be the point of anything else?

That’s the danger of nostalgia: it can trap us in the past, making us believe that everything was better “back then,” and leaving us feeling stuck in a bygone era. But Psalm 126 refuses to fall into that trap. Instead, it calls out to God to bring about something new—something even better than what came before.

The gospel offers a similar message. Yes, we look back at the mighty acts of God, at the cross and the resurrection, and we are filled with awe and gratitude. But we don’t stop there. Through the resurrection of Jesus, we’re promised a future where God is at work making all things new. The future that awaits us is one that surpasses anything we’ve experienced in the past.

Like the psalmists, we too can look forward with hope—not stuck in a golden past, but eagerly awaiting a future of restoration that is even greater than anything we’ve known before.

This message is not just for us as individuals; it’s a challenge for us as a church community too. We often find ourselves romanticizing the past, especially when we think about the Church. We remember a time when the pews were full, when things seemed to be running smoothly, and when people appeared to be more committed. But the truth is, it probably wasn’t as perfect as we remember. If things had been flawless 30, 40, or 50 years ago, then perhaps we wouldn’t be facing some of the challenges we’re dealing with today.

The reality is that we sometimes perceive ourselves as “struggling” because we compare ourselves to an idealized version of the past. Nostalgia can deceive us into thinking that if we could just return to the way things were, everything would be better again. But the past wasn’t perfect, and the present isn’t beyond hope. God is still at work, and His story is far from finished.

On a personal level, this same dynamic can play out. Perhaps you look back at a time when you had more energy, passion, and enthusiasm for life and faith. You might miss that feeling of zeal and vigor, but in doing so, you might overlook the ways in which God has been working in your life since then. You may not feel the same way you once did, but you’ve grown. You’ve gained wisdom and experience, and your understanding of who God is has deepened.

Psalm 126 reminds us that, while it’s natural to feel nostalgic, God doesn’t want us to remain stuck in the past. We are called to look forward with faith, trusting that God is in the business of restoring, renewing, and even surpassing what has been lost.

So, let’s hold on to the hope that, just like the Israelites in Psalm 126, God is at work, bringing something new and even better than we could imagine.