Psalm 126:6 Komentář

It was with reference to some great and surprising deliverance of the people of God out of bondage and distress that this psalm was penned, most likely their return out of Babylon in Ezra's time. Though Babylon be not mentioned here (as it is, Psa 137:1-9) yet their captivity there was the most remarkable captivity both in itself and as their return out of it was typical of our redemption by Christ. Probably this psalm was penned by Ezra, or some of the prophets that came up with the first. We read of singers of the children of Asaph, that famous psalmist, who returned then, Ezr 2:41. It being a song of ascents, in which the same things are twice repeated with advancement (Psa 126:2, Psa 126:3, and Psa 126:4, Psa 126:5), it is put here among the rest of the psalms that bear that title. I. Those that had returned out of captivity are here called upon to be thankful (Psa 126:1-3). II. Those that were yet remaining in captivity are here prayed for (Psa 126:4) and encouraged (Psa 126:5, Psa 126:6). It will be easy, in singing this psalm, to apply it either to any particular deliverance wrought for the church or our own land or to the great work of our salvation by Christ. A song of degrees.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 126 A Song of degrees. This psalm is generally thought to have been written by Ezra, or some good man returned from the Babylonish captivity, and on account of it: the inscription in the Syriac version of it, besides observing it to be a song of degrees or ascents, and without a name, is, "it is said of Haggai and Zechariah, who came up out of Babylon with the captives; but spiritually; and it is an expectation of good things to come.'' It may have respect to redemption by the Messiah; and the conversion of the Jews in the latter day.

How, my brethren? When the farmer goes forth with the plough, carrying seed, is not the wind sometimes keen, and does not the shower sometimes deter him? He looks to the sky, sees it lowering, shivers with cold, nevertheless goes forth, and sows. For he fears lest while he is observing the foul weather, and awaiting sunshine, the time may pass away, and he may not find anything to reap. Put not off, my brethren; sow in wintry weather, sow good works, even while you weep; for, "They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy." They sow their seed, good will, and good works. "They went on their way and wept, casting their seed" [Psalm 126:6]. Why did they weep? Because they were among the miserable, and were themselves miserable. It is better, my brethren, that no man should be miserable, than that you should do alms....Nevertheless, as long as there are objects for its exercise, let us not fail amid those troubles to sow our seed. Although we sow in tears, yet shall we reap in joy. For in that resurrection of the dead, each man shall receive his own sheaves, that is, the produce of his seed, the crown of joys and of delight. Then will there be a joyous triumph, when we shall laugh at death, wherein we groaned before: then shall they say to death, "O death, where is your strife? O death, where is your sting?" [1 Corinthians 15:55] But why do they now rejoice? Because "they bring their sheaves with them."

So it is only proper, brothers and sisters, that you should be told these things. Attend to the poor, whether they are lying there or whether they are walking about; attend to the poor, do good works. If you are in the habit of doing so, do so; if you are not in the habit of doing so, do so. Let there be an increase in the number of do-gooders, because there is an increase, certainly, in the number of the faithful. When you do something, you cannot yet see the quantity of the good you do; just as when the countryman sows he cannot yet see the crop, but he trusts the earth. You then, why don’t you trust God? Our harvest is coming. Imagine that we are now toiling away in what we do, toiling away as we work, only to reap the benefit in due course, as it is written: “Going they were going and weeping, casting their seed; but coming they shall come with rejoicing, carrying their sheaves.”

This psalm [126], being sung to the Lord, seems to fit the holy martyrs; but if we are members of Christ, as we ought to be, we can take these words as referring to all of us: “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. Going they shall go and weep, casting their seed. But coming they shall come with merrymaking, carrying their sheaves.” Where are they going, and where are they coming from? What are they sowing in tears? What is the seed, what are the sheaves? Going into death, coming from death; going by being born, coming by rising again. Sowing is whatever good we have done; our sheaves, what we shall receive at the end. So if the seed is good, the works are good, why “in tears,” seeing that God loves a cheerful giver?27The first thing to notice, dearly beloved, is how these words above all suit the blessed martyrs. Nobody, after all, has spent as much as those who have spent their very selves, as the apostle Paul says: “And I myself will be spent for your souls.” They spent themselves by confessing Christ and by carrying out with his help the saying “You have sat at a great table; know that you must prepare similar things yourself.” What is the meaning of “know that you must prepare similar things yourself,” if not what the blessed John explains: “Just as Christ laid down his life for us, so we too ought to lay down our lives for the brethren”? There you are, that is how much they spent.

I say this so that we should not nurse hopes of receiving the fruits of our sowing during this time in which we have done the sowing. Here we sow with toil a harvest of good works, but it is in the time to come that we shall garner its fruits with joy, according to what is written: “Going they sent and wept, scattering their seed; but coming they will come with rejoicing, carrying their sheaves.”

I beseech you with fatherly solicitude, equally admonishing and exhorting you, as was already said, to endeavor continually to read the sacred lessons yourselves or willingly to listen to others read them. By thus always thinking over in the treasury of your heart what is just and holy, you may prepare for your souls an eternal spiritual food that will bring you endless bliss. Christ does not lie when he says in the person of his apostle, “What a person sows, that he will also reap.” With God’s help let us endeavor to continually plant in the field of our heart by reading, praying and performing good works those deeds whereof we may reap a harvest of justice and mercy on the future day of retribution. Then will be fulfilled in us what is written: “Going, they went and wept, casting their seeds. But coming, they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves.” To this happiness may the good Lord lead you, who, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns world without end.

The temporal blessings of true piety. The eighth chapter of Zecariah is a virtual commentary on this Psalm. Compare Psa 128:3 with Zac 8:5; and Psa 128:2 with Lev 26:16; Deu 28:33; Zac 8:10; and Psa 128:6 with Zac 8:4. (Psa 128:1-6) (Compare Psa 1:1).

He that goeth forth--literally, better, "He goes--he comes, he comes," &c. The repetition implies there is no end of weeping here, as there shall be no end of joy hereafter (Isa 35:10). precious seed--rather, seed to be drawn from the seed box for sowing; literally, "seed-draught." Compare on this Psalm, Jer 31:9, &c. Next: Psalms Chapter 127