Though they often spoke in exaggerated terms, the Prophets were realists. They looked deeply into Israel's present reality and understood what the future would inevitably bring. They called unfaithful Israel back to God and proclaimed that failure to return would result in great punishment. When disaster did strike unfaithful Israel, the Prophets looked beyond the circumstances to the mind and heart of God to see God's mercy bringing salvation out of punishment, for like the Psalmist, they knew that God desires peace for his people. So we can always turn to God in hope.

Amos sees that David's kingdom will lie in ruin but at the same time he sees that there is more to the story. David only had a kingdom because God gave it to him, and God would never completely regret or forget any gift. Like every other great gift of God, David's kingdom was a promise of a greater gift, signified in Amos' picture of abundant wine. Jesus turned water into wine at Cana and then gave us the wine of the Eucharist, the sacrament of his sacrifice bringing to us that peace and that hope which the Psalmist speaks about.