Psalm 126 5

Psalm 126:5 kjv

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

Psalm 126:5 nkjv

Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.

Psalm 126:5 niv

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

Psalm 126:5 esv

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

Psalm 126:5 nlt

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

Psalm 126 verses

Psalm 126 5 Meaning

Psalm 126:5 proclaims a divine assurance that present suffering, toil, or sorrow will be transformed into future joy and abundance through God's faithfulness. It promises that those who labor with significant effort and distress, symbolized by "sowing in tears," will undoubtedly experience great gladness and exultation, represented by "reaping with shouts of joy." This verse offers a profound message of hope and divine recompense, asserting that enduring hardship leads to guaranteed blessing and a joyous harvest.

Psalm 126 5 Context

Psalm 126 is part of the "Songs of Ascents" (Psalms 120-134), psalms likely sung by pilgrims journeying to Jerusalem for festivals. This particular psalm recounts the profound experience of the Jewish exiles returning from Babylonian captivity, as vividly captured in verses 1-3. These verses express an almost unbelievable joy at the Lord's miraculous intervention, a restoration so wonderful it felt like a dream. However, verses 4-6 pivot to a prayer for future, ongoing, and complete restoration, symbolized by "streams in the Negeb," referencing desert wadis that are dry much of the year but overflow with water during rare flash floods. Verse 5, with its agricultural imagery of sowing and reaping, serves as an encouraging proverb or promise within this prayer. It addresses the reality of the post-exilic community's ongoing struggles and arduous labor to rebuild the land, temple, and society. The "sowing in tears" reflects the hardship, scarcity, and physical exertion endured, often with lamentation and struggle. It anticipates that despite these present difficulties, God will bring a future of abundant blessings, a joyous "reaping" that fulfills their hope and sustained effort.

Psalm 126 5 Word analysis

• הַזֹּרְעִים (HaZor'im): "Those who sow."

  • Ha- is the definite article, "the." Zor'im is an active participle in the plural form.
  • It points to a specific group of people currently engaged in the action of sowing.
  • Significance: Identifies the active agents of the effort and connects their present work directly to a future reward, emphasizing their deliberate participation in a process.

• בְּדִמְעָה (b'dim'ah): "in tears" or "with tears."

  • B'- is the preposition "in" or "with." Dim'ah (דִּמְעָה) means "tears" or "weeping."
  • It characterizes the condition or manner of the sowing.
  • Significance: Highlights the extreme difficulty, sorrow, hardship, or emotional distress accompanying the laborious effort, indicating suffering as a core component of the present action.

• בְּרִנָּה (b'rinnah): "with shouts of joy" or "joyfully."

  • B'- is the preposition "with." Rinnah (רִנָּה) means a "shout of joy," "exultation," "triumph," or "singing."
  • It describes the state accompanying the reaping.
  • Significance: Expresses an overwhelming, audible, and communal joy, often associated with a successful harvest or divine deliverance, standing in direct contrast to "tears."

• יִקְצֹרוּ (yik'tzoru): "they will reap."

  • This verb is in the imperfect tense, third person plural, indicating a future, certain action. Qatzar (קָצַר) means "to reap" or "to harvest."
  • It is the guaranteed consequence of the initial action.
  • Significance: Emphasizes the inevitability and assurance of the promised outcome. The harvest is not merely hoped for, but absolutely certain for those who have sown in tears, signifying God's faithful recompense.

• Words-group analysis

  • "HaZor'im b'dim'ah" (Those who sow in tears): This phrase paints a picture of arduous and sorrowful labor. It speaks to an investment made amidst great distress, sacrifice, or difficulty. It evokes the image of weary individuals working tirelessly through adverse circumstances, enduring hardship as they plant the seeds of their future.
  • "b'rinnah yik'tzoru" (they will reap with shouts of joy): This powerfully contrasting phrase depicts the guaranteed outcome: a plentiful harvest met with unbridled exultation. The shouts of joy signify not just personal happiness, but collective celebration, a public expression of relief, abundance, and divine favor that completely overturns the former sorrow.
  • The juxtaposition of "tears" and "shouts of joy," "sowing" and "reaping": This stark contrast is central to the verse's power. It highlights God's ability to completely transform one's condition from pain to gladness. The very acts that involve sorrow (sowing with tears) become the foundation for exuberant celebration (reaping with shouts of joy). It confirms a divine principle: the measure of current struggle often corresponds to the greatness of future reward.

Psalm 126 5 Bonus section

• Christocentric Fulfillment: The principle of sowing in tears and reaping with joy finds its profoundest fulfillment in Jesus Christ. His life was characterized by suffering, grief, and tears (Isa 53:3, John 11:35, Heb 5:7). He "sowed" His life in anguish, culminating in His sacrificial death. Yet, from His resurrection and ascension emerged the greatest "reaping": the salvation of humanity, the establishment of His eternal Kingdom, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, bringing ultimate joy to those who believe in Him. His cross, the ultimate "sowing in tears," yielded the triumphant shout of eternal victory.
• The Delay Between Sowing and Reaping: The verse inherently acknowledges a period of waiting, often marked by uncertainty and continued effort. This teaches the virtue of patience and perseverance in the Christian walk, as blessings often follow a period of unrewarded labor and testing of faith. The harvest is certain, but its timing belongs to God.
• Corporate and Individual Application: While originating in the communal experience of post-exilic Israel, the principle applies universally to individual believers. Whether it's the difficult work of evangelism (sowing the seed of the Gospel amidst rejection), persistent prayer for breakthroughs, personal sanctification, or suffering for righteousness, this verse provides comfort and motivation. Every tear shed for the Kingdom, every painful effort for godliness, is an investment with a guaranteed joyous return.

Psalm 126 5 Commentary

Psalm 126:5 offers a profound assurance of God's transformative power, presenting a foundational truth that echoes throughout the Scriptures: perseverance through hardship leads to ultimate triumph and joy. The imagery of a farmer sowing in tears vividly portrays the reality of laboring under duress, investing effort, sacrifice, and perhaps even weeping over barrenness or past losses. Yet, this painful endeavor is directly linked to an inevitable "reaping with shouts of joy," a glorious harvest of blessing, relief, and abundant happiness. This verse instills active hope, encouraging believers to continue in their faithful service, endure trials, and patiently await God's guaranteed season of recompense and restoration. It is a promise that no suffering endured in service to God, or through faithful living, will be in vain, as He is faithful to turn every tear into a seed of future joy.