Psalm 126:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!

NIV: Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.

NASB: Those who sow in tears shall harvest with joyful shouting.

CSB: Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy.

NLT: Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.

KJV: They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

NKJV: Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.

In ancient Israel, most people understood basic agriculture. They intuitively knew that land left alone for a long time would become difficult to cultivate. The context of this psalm seems to be the return of Israelites from seventy years of exile in Babylon (Ezra 2:1). To re-establish farms and vineyards would require intense work. These "tears" of effort and toil would result in the blessings of future harvests. This concept applies both to crops and to believers who tell others about the gospel (Galatians 6:9). Those who came back from captivity were trusting God to bless their efforts (Haggai 2:19; Psalm 126:4).

Some interpreters believe this part of the psalm speaks about bringing the rest of the displaced nation of Israel back to the Promised Land. Ancient historians indicate that when Israel was allowed to return after seventy years, most of them chose to stay—Babylon was their home. The psalmist may be yearning to see many more Israelites coming from exile. The struggle to rebuild farming and city structure in Israel would, hopefully, encourage these reluctant ones.

Psalm 126:5–6 closes the song with a metaphor of sowing and reaping. It will be difficult for Israel to rebuild the nation and the city of Jerusalem. It will also be hard to bring back those Israelites who chose to remain in Babylon after being freed to go back to the Promised Land. But hard work now results in a better harvest later.

Learning that they could return to the Promised Land (2 Chronicles 36:17–21) would have been incredible news for Israel. It seemed too good to be true. Yet God's work was being seen by the entire world. The psalmist prays for the Lord to continue restoring the people. This would have included those who chose to remain in Babylon.

This is a "song of ascent," sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem for one of three annual festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16). Psalm 126 seems inspired by Israel's return from exile in Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:17–21; Ezra 2:1). A few scholars suggest a connection to the thwarted siege of Jerusalem during the reign of Hezekiah (2 Kings 19:32–36). The psalmist celebrates what God has done. Yet he also prays to bring all the people of Israel back to the Promised Land.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.