Psalms 126:5-6

126:5 Those who shed tears as they plant

will shout for joy when they reap the harvest. ¹ 

126:6 The one who weeps as he walks along, carrying his bag ²  of seed,

will certainly come in with a shout of joy, carrying his sheaves of grain. ³ 

Galatians 6:8

6:8 because the person who sows to his own flesh ⁴  will reap corruption ⁵  from the flesh, ⁶  but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

James 5:7-11

Patience in Suffering

5:7 So be patient, brothers and sisters, ⁷  until the Lord’s return. ⁸  Think of how the farmer waits ⁹  for the precious fruit of the ground and is patient ¹⁰  for it until it receives the early and late rains. 5:8 You also be patient and strengthen your hearts, for the Lord’s return is near. 5:9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, ¹¹  so that you may not be judged. See, the judge stands before the gates! ¹²  5:10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, ¹³  take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name. 5:11 Think of how we regard ¹⁴  as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and you have seen the Lord’s purpose, that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy. ¹⁵ 

[126:5]  ¹ sn O. Borowski says regarding this passage: “The dependence on rain for watering plants, the uncertainty of the quantity and timing of the rains, and the possibility of crop failure due to pests and diseases appear to have kept the farmer in a gloomy mood during sowing” (Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 54). Perhaps the people were experiencing a literal drought, the effects of which cause them to lament their plight as they plant their seed in hopes that the rain would come. However, most take the language as metaphorical. Like a farmer sowing his seed, the covenant community was enduring hardship as they waited for a new outpouring of divine blessing. Yet they are confident that a time of restoration will come and relieve their anxiety, just as the harvest brings relief and joy to the farmer.

[126:6]  ² tn The noun occurs only here and in Job 28:18 in the OT. See HALOT 646 s.v. I מֶשֶׁךְ which gives “leather pouch” as the meaning.

[126:6]  ³ tn The Hebrew noun אֲלֻמָּה (’alummah, “sheaf”) occurs only here and in Gen 37:7 in the OT.

[6:8]  ⁴ tn BDAG 915 s.v. σάρξ 2.c.α states: “In Paul’s thought esp., all parts of the body constitute a totality known as σ. or flesh, which is dominated by sin to such a degree that wherever flesh is, all forms of sin are likew. present, and no good thing can live in the σάρξ…Gal 5:13, 24;…Opp. τὸ πνεῦμα…Gal 3:3; 5:16, 17ab; 6:8ab.”

[6:8]  ⁵ tn Or “destruction.”

[6:8]  ⁶ tn See the note on the previous occurrence of the word “flesh” in this verse.

[5:7]  ⁷ tn Grk “brothers”; this phrase occurs again three times in the paragraph. See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

[5:7]  ⁸ tn Or “advent”; or “coming” (also in v. 8).

[5:7]  ⁹ tn Grk “Behold! The farmer waits.”

[5:7]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “being patient.”

[5:9]  ¹¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

[5:9]  ¹² sn The term gates is used metaphorically here. The physical referent would be the entrances to the city, but the author uses the term to emphasize the imminence of the judge’s approach.

[5:10]  ¹³ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

[5:11]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “Behold! We regard…”

[5:11]  ¹⁵ sn An allusion to Exod 34:6; Neh 9:17; Ps 86:15; 102:13; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2.