Psalm 126:6 kjv
He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
Psalm 126:6 nkjv
He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.
Psalm 126:6 niv
Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.
Psalm 126:6 esv
He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
Psalm 126:6 nlt
They weep as they go to plant their seed,
but they sing as they return with the harvest.
Psalm 126 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 126:5 | Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy. | Direct precursor, emphasizing the tearful beginning and joyful end. |
| Ps 30:5 | Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. | God turns temporary sorrow into eventual joy and gladness. |
| Isa 30:19 | For a people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; you shall weep no more... | God's promise to cease the weeping of His people and provide comfort. |
| Jer 31:13 | ...I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort instead of sorrow. | Divine reversal of sorrow to comfort and joy for His chosen. |
| Mt 5:4 | Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. | Christ's teaching that spiritual sorrow will be met with divine comfort. |
| Jn 16:20 | ...you will weep and mourn... But your sorrow will turn into joy. | Jesus' promise of temporary sorrow followed by enduring joy for His disciples. |
| Rev 21:4 | He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more... | The ultimate removal of all suffering and tears in God's eternal presence. |
| Hos 10:12 | Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love... | The spiritual principle of sowing righteous actions leading to divine favor. |
| Prov 11:18 | The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a true reward. | Righteous living as a spiritual investment yielding true and sure rewards. |
| Gal 6:7 | ...whatever one sows, that will he also reap. | Universal spiritual law: actions have corresponding consequences or returns. |
| Gal 6:9 | And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap... | Encouragement to persevere in good deeds, awaiting God's timed harvest. |
| 2 Cor 9:6 | The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. | The correlation between the generosity of sowing and the abundance of reaping. |
| Heb 12:11 | For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. | Present hardship or discipline leads to future spiritual fruit and peace. |
| Jas 1:2-4 | Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds... perseverance produces character... | Trials, though difficult, build spiritual endurance and maturity, leading to completeness. |
| Jas 5:7 | Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits... | Call for patient endurance, using the farmer's long wait for harvest as analogy. |
| Rom 8:18 | For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. | Current sufferings are momentary and overshadowed by future, greater glory. |
| 2 Cor 4:17 | For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison... | Present light troubles produce a vast, immeasurable future glory. |
| 1 Pet 1:6-7 | ...in this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith... | Trials grieve us for a time, but they refine faith and lead to praise, honor, and glory. |
| Ps 37:7 | Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him... | Encouragement to trust and wait patiently for God's divine timing and provision. |
| Mt 9:37-38 | Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few..." | Applying the harvest principle to spiritual ministry and the need for workers. |
| Jn 4:35-38 | "...I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest... One sows and another reaps." | Jesus encourages disciples to see spiritual harvest and the collective effort in God's kingdom. |
Psalm 126 verses
Psalm 126 6 Meaning
Psalm 126:6 articulates a powerful principle of spiritual and physical harvest: enduring hardship, sacrifice, and sorrow with perseverance in faith will inevitably lead to an abundant and joyful recompense. It describes a journey where one sets out in tears, laboring with a costly investment (the seed), yet confidently anticipates returning with overflowing joy and the fruits of their toil. This verse provides hope that the trials and efforts of today, though painful, are the necessary "sowing" for a guaranteed future harvest of blessing and joy from God.
Psalm 126 6 Context
Psalm 126 is one of the "Songs of Ascents" (Psalms 120-134), traditionally sung by pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem for annual feasts, or perhaps returning from exile. The preceding verses (1-3) speak of the overwhelming joy of the exiles who had recently returned from Babylon, likening their experience to a dream when the Lord restored Zion's fortunes. Verses 4-6 shift from praise to a plea and then a promise concerning complete restoration. Verse 4 prays for God to "restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb," a dry region dependent on seasonal rains for rejuvenation, signifying a need for abundant and miraculous renewal. Verses 5 and 6, therefore, serve as a proverb or an assured prophecy of God's character and the outcome for those who persevere through hardship, specifically relating to the arduous task of rebuilding and repopulating the land after the return from exile. The "weeping" likely reflects the toil, disappointment, danger, and slow progress faced by the returned exiles, while the "shouts of joy" promise the bountiful harvest from their sustained effort and God's faithfulness.
Psalm 126 6 Word analysis
- He who goes out: Hebrew הָלוֹךְ יֵלֵךְ (halokh yelekh). This employs the infinitive absolute halokh followed by the finite verb yelekh (he will go/goes), a common Hebrew idiom emphasizing certainty, intensity, and continuity of the action. It highlights a deliberate, ongoing, and inevitable going forth, underscoring the steadfastness of the person involved despite the hardship.
- weeping: Hebrew וּבָכֹה (u-vakhoh). This adds emphasis to the emotional state of profound sorrow, grief, or perhaps even painful labor. It implies tears are an intrinsic part of the journey, reflecting deep personal sacrifice or suffering associated with the "sowing."
- bearing the seed for sowing: Hebrew נֹשֵׂא מֶשֶׁךְ־הַזָּרַע (nose meshk-ha-zara). Nose means "carrying" or "bearing." Meshek here means "bag," "basket," or "supply" of seed. It suggests the precious and often limited nature of the seed being expended, symbolizing effort, resources, or even spiritual gifts being deployed in difficult circumstances, for a future, uncertain yield.
- shall come home: Hebrew בֹּא־יָבֹא (bo-yavo). Again, the infinitive absolute bo followed by the finite verb yavo (he will come), strongly emphasizes the certainty and assuredness of the return. It's not a possibility but a divine guarantee of coming home.
- with shouts of joy: Hebrew בְרִנָּה (b'rinnah). This signifies an outburst of gladness, often communal and celebratory, characterized by joyful singing or shouting. It directly contrasts the previous "weeping," highlighting a complete reversal of emotional state due to God's favor and the fruitful harvest.
- bringing his sheaves with him: Hebrew נֹשֵׂא אֲלֻמֹּתָיו (nose alummotav). Nose again "carrying" or "bearing." Alummotav means "his sheaves" (bundles of grain gathered after harvest). The "his" denotes personal ownership and reward. This vividly depicts a bountiful, tangible outcome from the earlier arduous sowing, symbolizing a full, satisfying, and personal return on the investment made in tears.
- Words-group analysis:
- "He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing": This phrase captures the initial phase of effort marked by hardship and emotional pain. It's a proactive investment despite adverse conditions, relying on faith and perseverance. The going forth is voluntary, the weeping is real, and the seed is a costly, hopeful expenditure.
- "shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him": This contrasts the first phrase, promising a sure and glorious outcome. It signifies the completed cycle of divine blessing where sorrow turns to abundant joy, and diligent labor yields a plentiful and undeniable reward. The future joy is not merely emotional but tangible, demonstrated by the gathered harvest.
Psalm 126 6 Bonus section
The agricultural imagery used in Psalm 126:6 is potent because it speaks to universal experiences: the effort and uncertainty of planting, and the visible, joyful outcome of a successful harvest. This principle can be applied to various facets of the Christian life:
- Evangelism: Sharing the Gospel, often met with resistance or indifference, can be a "sowing in tears," yet seeing even one soul come to Christ is a "shout of joy."
- Prayer: Persistent, often tearful, intercession for difficult situations or people is a sowing that, when answered, results in a spiritual harvest of praise.
- Discipleship: Investing time, effort, and vulnerable transparency into others’ spiritual growth may feel like "weeping" at times, but witnessing their maturity is the "sheaves" brought home.
- Perseverance through suffering: Enduring trials with faith, perhaps with tears, becomes the ground for God to produce character and a deeper relationship with Him, which are ultimately joyous returns.
Psalm 126 6 Commentary
Psalm 126:6 encapsulates a divine principle that pain precedes promise, and investment in faith yields rich dividends. It's a comfort to those laboring through difficulty, assuring them that God remembers their tears and toil. The verse isn't merely a general maxim; it’s a promise from the Lord of the Harvest. The tears of sowing signify dedication, sacrifice, intercession, evangelism in difficult fields, or patiently enduring trials. The assured return "with shouts of joy" and "his sheaves" signifies God's faithfulness in bringing a visible, abundant harvest—be it spiritual fruit, restored fortunes, answered prayers, or ultimate glory. This outcome is certain because God guarantees it. It calls believers to embrace the path of tears, knowing it leads to ultimate triumph in Christ.