He That Goeth Forth and Weepeth…
I have read Psalm 126 yearly for the last 15 years, but it was only this morning that I realized that the order of events are actually reversed.
Psalms 126:1-6 A Song of degrees. When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. 2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, 3 The LORD hath done great things for them. The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. 4 Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. 5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
In Ps. 126:5-6 the psalmist is saying that while they were in captivity, they sowed in tears. Now that the Lord turned again thee captivity of Zion (126:1) they were reaping joy.
There’s several applications for people today:
1. The Lost:
And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. 2 Timothy 2:26
And it is only through a humble heart filled with repentance and faith that they can be set free.
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 20:21
2. Christians:
A) Everyday life: Just like the children of Israel were in physical captivity, Christians can be in captivity spiritually. The only way to have our captivity turned is through a humble heart and repentance towards the Lord.
Ps. 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
B) Soulwinners: Likewise, for the soulwinner, the only way to reach the lost is to show them that we really do care. We MUST go forward with a weaping heart, and sometimes with tears!
If the child of God does not go soulwinning with a heart full of concern for souls, how will the lost world even consider what we are saying. The words will be as “sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”1Cor. 13:1We MUST go forward with a weaping heart, and sometimes with tears!
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1
In other words, it will just be a lot of confusing noise that has no application to the heart.
Do people see we care?
How can we reach a world we never touch?
How Can We Reach a World We Never Touch?
The John Marshall Family