"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him" (vs. 5-6).
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves! That comes from an old song I remember singing in the church (and Grange) of my childhood. But that hymn itself comes from Psalm 126. It is a case study in how the Lord can turn mourning and grief into happiness and joy.
The context is the return of the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem. The Psalmist reveals how incredible it was to witness something that many thought was impossible. "When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. 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'" (vs. 1-2).
Sending conquered nations into exile had been a favorite tactic of foreign empires for generations. In fact, it had happened to the ten northern tribes in the kingdom of Israel to the Assyrian Empire (that's where the "ten lost tribes" went!) But a return of the captives from exile? That had never happened.
The lesson gleaned by the Psalmist which he now passes on to others is that weeping can turn to laughter. Grief can turn to joy. Nothing is impossible for the Lord. Trust in God that He can turn your mourning into rejoicing. Even if you go out sowing with tears, you can return with your sheaves and a song of joy. "The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy" (vs. 3).
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