Sowing the Seed

DEVOTION

PSALMS

SOWING THE SEED

PS 126

126 1 A song of ascents.

When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed.  2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." 3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. 4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negev. 5 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. 6 He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.

NIV

Sixth psalm of ascent for the sixth of fifteen steps up to the temple. Certainly this is descriptive of the time after their captivity by some foreign king was over and they were able to return to Israel and Jerusalem. There was joy in their hearts and thankfulness to the Lord for his deliverance. But they wanted more than just being delivered, they wanted their fortunes restored. We cannot be sure that was right for them to request such a thing, but that is what it was. They were wanting to be able to once again have a great harvest. What can we glean for our lives from this psalm? Surely we have been delivered from the captivity of the evil one and we have returned to the Lord our creator. There were many years we had been carried off from what we were created for and where we were supposed to live. But now since we have been delivered and have enjoyed our life back where we should have been from our birth in the house of the Lord. But there are still other captives that belong back where we are. Yet here we are rejoicing because we are home. It is good to be home and our heart is filled with gratitude and joy and we do reap with songs of joy. We reap the benefit of eternal life. We reap the benefit of the fruit and gifts of the Spirit. But we must carry the seed out to sow, which may well make reference to Jesus, for he has been referred to as the seed of Abraham and David. He is the seed which we sow in the world and he will return with songs of joy carrying the sheaves with him. This is personal evangelism at its finest. Sowing the word of God among those who are captive to sin. The word never returns void, but it does its work. We cannot save people, but the word of God can. But we must sow it in order for it to produce a great crop. Let us sow the seed.