Psalm 126-7.2.21
Scripture- Psalm 126:5-6 Those who sow with tears, will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.
Observation- Psalm 126 is most likely associated with the return from exile to Babylon and the hardships that followed. Verses 1-3 express the joy experienced through God’s blessing, while verses 4-6 might be an expression of the need for restoration of the whole nation of Israel. Exile is one of many recurring themes we find throughout the Bible. Exile is the separation, or banishment, from one’s home or native country. At the very beginning, we see Adam and Eve experiencing exile from the garden. The prophets foretold the exile to Babylon. Then, Jesus addressed our true exile, which is our separation from God because of our sin.
We are born into a world of sin and are incapable of finding fulfillment in it. When we accept Christ as our savior, we become adopted into God’s family. Therefore, we are no longer citizens of the world and it’s sin, but we are citizens of heaven and the kingdom of Israel (Philippians 3:20-21). Consequently, we now live as exiles in the world, separated from our true kingdom. As we live in this exile, we are taught to share with others the goodness of the kingdom of heaven, so that others may experience the same joy of redemption. We sow in tears, but at the resurrection we will reap with joy.
For more on the Biblical theme of exile: https://bibleproject.com/learn/exile/
Understanding- I was 23 years old when I went through the police academy. It was a complete life changing experience. I can imagine, it is much like going through military basic training. It was a five month intensive learning experience, where absolutely all of my time and energy went into becoming a police officer. Because of the trust put in police for the protection of constitutional rights, police officers must live to a much higher standard of living than other professions. In areas in my life where I thought I was “good enough”, I learned that I needed to be better and make greater sacrifices. In learning how to accept my new role in society, I had to let go of parts of who I was. To be honest, I cried a lot over those five months. I constantly felt as though I would not make it through and that I didn’t have the strength.
There are times still that I cry and feel like I don’t have the strength to make it to the end. I fear that I will disqualify myself from God’s grace and his love. I feel separated from my home and from Him. I try to share God's love, but somehow don’t feel like I am living in it. I know it’s because I am living in a world where I don’t belong, but sometimes it is hard to see past that. This life, much like my academy experience, is being used by God to mold me and complete me into who He intends me to be. As Paul told the Corinthians, “For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known” (1 Cor 13:9-12).
Life Application- Jesus help me to know the joy of your salvation. Help me to hope in the things to come, and the hope of my completion in your presence. Help me to not grow weary in doing good to those around me. Even though we see in part, we know the fullness is coming. And even though we are separated from you now, we know we will not live in exile forever. For we sow while weeping, but we will have joy at the harvest.