Psalm 126:6 He that goes forth and weeps, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Consider - I. WHAT HE WAS FORMERLY. That is told us in the first half of the text. 1. He was one who went forth to sow. He went forth, he was an active worker. In spiritual husbandry this is what is needed. There are many who will talk, some who will pray, but not all these really go to the work. If only the much talk and many prayers could be as they ought to be, and will be if they are sincere, translated into work, active, strenuous work, what a change would come over the Church and the world also! But would we be rejoicing reapers, we must be really workers. 2. The burden of the Lord is upon him. This is the meaning of the word "and weepeth." How perpetually in the prophetic Scriptures we meet with this expression, "the burden." It tells of some message which the Lord had given the prophet to declare concerning some place, some person, some nation. It was a burden to the prophet; he felt its solemn weight and responsibility. And he who shall be a rejoicing reaper in the Lord's harvest-field is one to whom his sacred toil has been the burden of the Lord to him. This burden is made up of a deep sense (1) of his own insufficiency for the work; (2) of the urgent need for the work to be done; (3) of the shortness of time which remains for this work to be done; and (4) of the heavy responsibility resting upon him to be faithful in the work (2 Corinthians 5:11). There may or may not be tears upon his face, but there certainly will be in his heart. Often will he weep there. These are the men who do the Lord's work, and win men in throngs for him. 3. He bears precious seed. The seed is the Word of God: that is settled for us by our Lord himself (Luke 8:5, 11; 1 Peter 1:23). And it is as seed, because it has transforming power. The corn of wheat, when sown, lays hold on the elements of the soil around it, and transmutes them into its own substance, changes them into its own image and likeness. So does the Word of God in the heart of man. And it is "precious seed" because of what it is in itself. Who can calculate its value? And because he who sows it has found its value for himself; he has had experimental knowledge of its preciousness. Now, this seed he scatters in the furrows, as he has been bidden of the Lord to do; and he does it in the confident belief that God will bless his work, and the harvest shall follow. Such is he who becomes the rejoicing reaper. II. WHAT HE NOW IS. We see him coming "again with rejoicing," etc. 1. Coming again. That is, coming back from the field homewards. So shall the faithful servant of God, as he wends his homeward way, be seen, not with downcast, disappointed look, but with rejoicing, because of the good success of his toil. Such men, ere they reach home, find their way lit up with the sunset glow, the eventide light, which the harvest joy brings to them. 2. "With rejoicing." How many are the springs of that joy!-that he has been himself saved; that he has been allowed to engage in the work; that he has been kept faithful and persevering in the work; that he has been made successful in the work; that he is now going home to his Lord to enter into his joy for ever. Oh, joy unspeakable and full of glory! 3. "Bringing his sheaves with him." (Cf Revelation 14:13, "Their works do follow them.") Some of the corn has got home before the reaper, but there is much he brings with him, and yet more that will follow. III. THE SURE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO. "Doubtless." There is no contingency, no mere "perhaps;" his "labor is not in vain in the Lord." Faithful toil shall not fail of reward. God will see to this; he ever has, he ever will. - S.C. Parallel Verses KJV: He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. |
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