Why waste any time. Let’s look directly into Psalm 126.1-6, specifically verses 5-6.
1-4 “When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south.”
5-6 “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”
It’s important to set the setting. This was from the return of Israel to Jerusalem after being released to build the temple by King Cyrus of Babylon. We are speaking of 5th century BC (520-440 BC), a focus on their deliverance from slavery. Interesting to note though, that most of Israel stayed behind and enjoyed the pleasures of Babylon. They were more willing to be in slavery and have pleasures, rather than work hard for a future with God. Only a remnant served, worshipped, and only a remnant would reap the spoils. When they had arrived in Jerusalem they had enemies all around. They were attacked as they built and farmed. Rebuilding anything is difficult, much less when it is a spiritual endeavor; you ought to expect attack from without and within your ranks. You should ought to expect the temptation to quit, to be very real, and often. They came into a broken-down, destroyed city with almost no infrastructure. They also had to work a parched, untilled, fallow ground, to sustain themselves.
Verses 5-6a state— “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed…” He is speaking in an agricultural medaphor, but it was real life for those Israelites. As the farmer casts seed… keep in mind it is in a dry parched soil with desponding doubtful fears within themselves. There was no guarantee this would pay off, except God said so.
Ezra spoke of this time in real-time in 3.12-13— “12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.”
Weeping must not hinder sowing! It’s tough and it’s hard, but life isn’t easy and we should stop trying to level it. It is what it is… sin cursed! This gives us the opportunity to give hope to those who don’t have any. Galatians 6.7-9 speaks of the principle of sowing and reaping, and the implications in the spiritual life of a believer. The toil of the farmer sowing seed is a work of labor. It is not meant to be easy or quick. Remember the difference in technology and farming style of those days and today. A plow by hand and an animal, comparatively to the multi-horse power machines we use today.
The word “precious” sticks out to me. The translators chose this word in particular. It’s from the imagery of the bag the seed came from, and the furrows they go in as they are cast. So why is it called precious? First, It’s taking bread out of their children’s mouths. This was a time of scarcity and rebuilding. There wasn’t much food and the seed was the makings of their food supply. Secondly, the extreme difficulty of working the fallow ground. The soil had been unkept while in captivity and therefore rocky, overgrown, thorny, and fallow. The frustration must have been at an all-time high. Third, grain for seed of any kind was expensive and scarce. Haggai 1.10 tells us that when they returned to rebuild they had several bad seasons and seed became more valuable than goal. Forth, the dangers that fell on farmers. The best grain fields were 2-4 miles away from the safety of the encampment, down the ‘Ard Huleh’. This is the most practical answer because the Hebrew renders “he that goeth forth” is poetic like: ‘he goes, he comes, he comes again.’ The distance and lack of modern day semis to haul the grain, would require multiple trips back and forth with the seed bag. This elevates their exposure to robbery, especially of the expensive product they are carrying.
Now we are in 6b— “…shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” It takes time to wait on the harvest. Fruit is not immediate. Ezra 6.16,22 describes this event in real-time as well— “And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy; 22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the Lord had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.” Patience is definitely required in this endeavor. You will never get the reward immediately. In fact, it seems you may never get it at all. Reality— you may never get it in this life at all. Hope is key here. Hope is defined as: “confident expectation”. It is the very reason people quit today; they lose hope and therefore quit too early. Hope, hope that the seed will germinate and that there will be a harvest. verse 6 says— “with joy”. They (and us) return with shouts of joy. Joy is the same word for “singing” in Psalm 126.2. There is here, a promise that our tears will be turned into rejoicing, and that there will be fruit for all this labor, but…
When? Answer— I have no idea. I know that we reap: 1) Later than we sow. 2) More than we sow. It takes a single seed to make an apple tree; from one apple tree comes many apples; in each apple there are multiple seeds. Multiplication is God’s business and it takes time. I know this also— It wouldn’t be trust if we got it immediately.
Hope requires waiting. It wouldn’t be hope if we got it immediately. We are to expect it. I have a hint in the text for the question ‘when?’ The verse says— “…bringing his sheaves with him.” According to the time of the text, the farmer would bring their sheaves home with them. The ‘when’ very well could be when we go home. Home to Heaven. You’ve been told— ‘you can’t take it with you!’ Not necessarily. There are some things you can. We will have shouts of joy and bring those rewards of souls with us.
Is it worth it? Yes!