Psalm 125 [MT 126]

"When the Lord turned back the captivity of Sion, we became as those that are comforted" [Psalm 126:1]. He meant by this to say, we became joyful. When? "When the Lord turned back the captivity of Sion." What is Sion? Jerusalem, the same is also the eternal Sion. How is Sion eternal, how is Sion captive? In angels eternal, in men captive. For not all the citizens of that city are captives, but those who are away from thence, they are captives. Man was a citizen of Jerusalem, but sold under sin he became a pilgrim. Of his progeny was born the human race, and the captivity of Sion filled all lands. And how is this captivity of Sion a shadow of that Jerusalem? The shadow of that Sion, which was granted to the Jews, in an image, in a figure, was in captivity in Babylonia, and after seventy years that people turned back to its own city.. ..But when all time is past, then we return to our country, as after seventy years that people returned from the Babylonish captivity, for Babylon is this world; since Babylon is interpreted "confusion."...So then this whole life of human affairs is confusion, which belongs not unto God. In this confusion, in this Babylonish land, Sion is held captive. But "the Lord has turned back the captivity of Sion." "And we became," he says, "as those that are comforted." That is, we rejoiced as receiving consolation. Consolation is not save for the unhappy, consolation is not save for them that groan, that mourn. Wherefore, "as those that are comforted," except because we are still mourning? We mourn for our present lot, we are comforted in hope: when the present is passed by, of our mourning will come everlasting joy, when there will be no need of consolation, because we shall be wounded with no distress. But wherefore says he "as" those that are comforted, and says not comforted? This word "as," is not always put for likeness: when we say "As," it sometimes refers to the actual case, sometimes to likeness: here it is with reference to the actual case....Walk therefore in Christ, and sing rejoicing, sing as one that is comforted; because He went before you who has commanded you to follow Him.

"Then was our mouth filled with joy, and our tongue with exultation" (ver. 2). That mouth, brethren, which we have in our body, how is it "filled with joy"? It useth not to be "filled," save with meat, or drink, or some such thing put into the mouth. Sometimes our mouth is filled; and it is more that we say to your holiness, when we have our mouth full, we cannot speak. But we have a mouth within, that is, in the heart, whence whatsoever proceedeth, if it is evil, defileth us, if it is good, cleanseth us. For concerning this very mouth ye heard when the Gospel was read. For the Jews reproached the Lord, because His disciples ate with unwashen hands. They reproached who had cleanness without; and within were full of stains. They reproached, whose righteousness was only in the eyes of men. But the Lord sought our inward cleanness, which if we have, the outside must needs be clean also. "Cleanse," He saith, "the inside," and "the outside shall be clean also." ...Guard the mouth of thy heart from evil, and thou wilt be innocent: the tongue of thy body will be innocent, thy hands will be innocent; even thy feet will be innocent, thy eyes, thy ears, will be innocent; all thy members will serve under righteousness, because a righteous commander hath thy heart.

The Lord our God has granted, to whom we give thanks together, that we might see you and be seen by you. And if this is why our mouth is filled with joy and our tongue with exultation because we have seen each other in mortal flesh, what will our joy be like when we see each other where we fear nothing of each other? The Apostle says: Rejoicing in hope. Therefore, our joy, which is now in hope, is not yet in reality. But hope that is seen is not hope, he says: for what a man sees, why does he hope? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. If, however, companions rejoicing together while journeying, what joy will they have in the homeland?

"Yea, the Lord has done great things for us already, whereof we rejoice" [Psalm 126:3]. Consider, my brethren, if Sion does not at present say this among the heathen, throughout the whole world; consider if men are not running unto the Church. In the whole world our redemption is received; Amen is answered. The dwellers in Jerusalem, therefore, captive, destined to return, pilgrims, sighing for their country, speak thus among the heathen. What do they say? "The Lord has done great things for us, whereof we rejoice." Have they done anything for themselves? They have done ill with themselves, for they have sold themselves under sin. The Redeemer came, and did the good things for them.

"Turn our captivity, O Lord, as the torrents in the south" (ver. 4). Consider, my brethren, what this meaneth. ...As torrents are turned in the south, so turn our captivity. In a certain passage Scripture saith, in admonishing us concerning good works, "Thy sins also shall melt away, even as the ice in fair warm weather." Our sins therefore bound us. How? As the cold bindeth the water that it run not. Bound with the frost of our sins, we have frozen. But the south wind is a warm wind: when the south wind blows, the ice melts, and the torrents are filled. Now winter streams are called torrents; for filled with sudden rains they run with great force. We had therefore become frozen in captivity; our sins bound us: the south wind the Holy Spirit hath blown: our sins are forgiven us, we are released from the frost of iniquity; as the ice in fair weather, our sins are melted. Let us run unto our country, as the torrents in the south. ...

Therefore, the devil and his angels, by turning from the light and warmth of charity and going over to pride and envy, were made numb as by an icy hardness. Therefore they are figuratively located in the north. Thus, while the devil weighed down the human race, the future grace of the Savior was spoken of in the Canticle of Canticles thus: "Arise, O north wind, and come, O south wind, blow through my garden and let the aromatical spices thereof flow." Arise, you who did rush in, who does weigh on the conquered, who does oppress those whom you own, arise, that those whose souls you have pressed on and bowed down may be relieved of your weight and may lift up their heads. "And come, O south wind," he says, calling on the spirit of grace, breathing from the south, as from a warm and luminous quarter, "that the aromatical spices may flow." Hence the apostle says, "We are the good odor of Christ in every place." Hence, also, it says in another psalm, "Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as a stream in the south"; doubtless, the captivity in which they were held under the devil, as under the north wind, where they were chilled by abounding iniquity, and were, so to speak, frozen. Hence, also, the Gospel says, "And because iniquity has abounded, the charity of many shall grow cold." But, truly, when the south wind blows, the ice is melted and the streams flow; that is, when their sins are forgiven the people flock to Christ by charity. Hence, also, it is written elsewhere, "And your sins are melted away as the ice in the fair, warm weather."

For the next words are, "They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy" [Psalm 126:5]. In this life, which is full of tears, let us sow. What shall we sow? Good works. Works of mercy are our seeds: of which seeds the Apostle says, "Let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not." [Galatians 6:9] Speaking therefore of almsgiving itself, what says he? "This I say; he that sows sparingly, shall reap also sparingly." [2 Corinthians 9:6] He therefore who sows plentifully, shall reap plentifully: he who sows sparingly, shall reap also sparingly: and he that sows nothing, shall reap nothing. Why do ye long for ample estates, where ye may sow plentifully? There is not a wider field on which you can sow than Christ, who has willed that we should sow in Himself. Your soil is the Church; sow as much as you can. But you have not enough to do this. Have you the will? As what you had would be nothing, if you had not a good will; so do not despond, because you have not, if you have a good will. For what do you sow? Mercy. And what will you reap? Peace. Said the Angels, Peace on earth unto rich men? No, but, "Peace on earth unto men of a good will." [Luke 2:14] Zacchæus had a strong will, Zacchæus had great charity. [Luke 19:8] ...Did then that widow who cast her two farthings into the treasury, sow little? Nay, as much as Zacchæus. For she had narrower means, but an equal will. She gave her two mites [Luke 21:1-4] with as good a will as Zacchæus gave the half of his patrimony. If you consider what they gave, you will find their gifts different; if you look to the source, you will find them equal; she gave whatever she had, and he gave what he had....But if they are beggars whose profession is asking alms, in trouble they also have what to bestow upon one another. God has not so forsaken them, but that they have wherein they may be tried by their bestowing of alms. This man cannot walk; he who can walk, lends his feet to the lame; he who sees, lends his eyes to the blind; and he who is young and sound, lends his strength to the old or the infirm, carries him: the one is poor, the other is rich.

I sympathize with you, because the Lord our God also sympathized with us, suffered with us. You see, he revealed himself in you, and you in himself, when he said, "My soul is sad to the point of death." He suffered for us, let us suffer for him; he died for us, let us die for him, in order to live forever with him. But perhaps you are hesitant to die, O mortal creature, though you are bound to die sometime or other, precisely because you are mortal. Would you like not to fear death? Die for God. But perhaps the reason you are afraid to die is that death is such a sad business. Consider the harvest; the time for sowing is cold; but if the farmer declines to be made miserable by sowing in the cold in winter, he won't rejoice in the summer. Take a look at yourself, and see whether the reason you are reluctant to sow is that there is the sadness and misery of the cold at seed time.Look at the psalm: "Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. Going, they were going and weeping, casting their seed;" That is what we were singing just now; let us do what we have sung. Let us sow our souls in this time, like corn in winter, so that we may reap them in eternal time, like corn in summer time. That is the way the holy martyrs, the way all the just, toiling away on earth, weeping cast their seed; this life, after all, is full of tears. And what follows? "But coming, they will come with exultation, carrying their lapfuls." Your seed is the shedding of your blood; your lapful the reception of your crown.

Who labored? Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Read their labors! In all their labors [there was] prophecy of Christ; and thus [they were] the sowers. Moses and the rest of the patriarchs and all the prophets, how much did they endure in that cold when they were sowing! Therefore in Judea the harvest was now ready. Rightly there the crop was, so to speak, ripe, when so many thousands of people were bringing the price of their possessions and laying it at the feet of the apostles; their shoulders freed of worldly baggage, they were following Christ, the Lord. Truly a ripe harvest. What came of it? From that harvest a few grains were cast out, and they sowed the world, and there arises another harvest that is to be reaped at the end of the world. About this harvest it is said, "They who sow in tears shall reap in joy." To this harvest, therefore, not apostles but angels will be sent; he says, "The reapers are the angels."

So [Christ] transposed the weak members of his body [the church] into himself. And perhaps it was of them that it is said, "Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy," that is to say, of the weaker ones. After all, that great herald of Christ was not sowing in tears when he said, "For I indeed am already being sacrificed, and the time of my casting off is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have completed the course, I have kept the faith. For the rest, there is being kept for me the crown of justice—a crown made of sheaves. There is being kept for me," he says, "the crown of justice, which the Lord, the just judge, will render to me on that day." As though to say, "He will render me the harvest, for whom I am spending myself in sowing." These words, brothers, as I understand them, are the words of someone merrymaking, not of someone crying. You don't suppose he was in tears, do you, when he said this? Wasn't he exactly like the cheerful giver, whom God loves? So let us refer these words [Jesus' words] to the weak, in order that not even those who have sown in tears need despair, because even if they have sown in tears, the pain and the sighing will pass away. Sadness passes at the end, and gladness comes without end.And yet for all that, dearly beloved, this finally is how it seems to me that these words refer to everyone, "Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. Going they were going and weeping, casting their seed. But coming they shall come with merrymaking, carrying their sheaves." Listen, if with the Lord's assistance I am able to explain it, how "going they were going and weeping" belongs to everyone. From the moment we are born, we are going. Is there anyone, after all, who stands still? Is there anyone who, from the moment he enters life, is not forced to get moving? An infant is born; it gets moving by growing. Death is the end. We have still got to come to the end—but with merrymaking.

"Blessed are they who weep, for they shall laugh." They, therefore, who spend the days of their life, which is already at its consummation and declining toward its setting, in weeping for their sins, these will be glad in that true morning that is approaching. "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy," of course, in the future.

But this discourse of the Lord is also appropriate to all believers who are striving to arrive at eternal joys through the tears and distress of the present [life]; who rightly lament and weep and are sorrowful during the present [time], since they are not yet capable of seeing him whom they love. As long as they are in their body they recognize that they are on a journey and [absent] from their fatherland and kingdom. They have no doubt that they must reach their crown by labors and contests. Their sorrow will be changed to joy when, after the struggle of this present life is over, they receive the prize of everlasting life, about which it is said in the psalm, "Those who sow in tears will reap in joy."

Whoever among you therefore, after those bitter and tearful beginnings of his conversion, rejoices that he has breathed again into hope and, lifted up on the wings of grace, has flown forth into a certain serenity of heavenly consolation; he indeed already reaps, receiving the temporal fruit of his tears; and he himself has seen God and has heard the voice of him who says: Give to her from the fruits of her hands. For how has he not seen God, who has tasted and seen that the Lord is sweet? How sweet and gentle you were felt to be, Lord Jesus, by him to whom not only were his sins forgiven by you, but also the gift of holiness was granted; and not that alone, but moreover the promise of eternal life was added to the heap of good things! Happy is he who has already reaped so much, having in the meantime indeed his fruit in sanctification, but the end eternal life! Rightly he who wept upon finding himself rejoiced upon seeing the Lord; at whose merciful regard he has already lifted up such great sheaves: remission, sanctification, hope of life. O how true is the word that is read in the Prophet: They that sow in tears shall reap in exultation. Where both kinds of knowledge are briefly comprehended: the knowledge of ourselves indeed sowing in tears; but the knowledge of God reaping in joy.

Let no one believe that he possesses any happiness or true joy in this world. Happiness can be prepared for, but it cannot be possessed here. Two times succeed each other in their own order, "a time to weep, and a time to laugh." Let no one deceive himself, brethren; there is no time to laugh in this world. I know, indeed, that everyone wants to rejoice, but people do not all look for joy in the place where it should be sought. True joy never did exist in this world, it does not do so now, and it never will. For thus the Lord warned his disciples in the Gospel when he said, "You will suffer in the world," and again, "While the world rejoices, you will grieve for a time, but your grief will be turned into joy." For this reason, with the Lord's help let us do good in this life through labor and sorrow, so that in the future life we may be able to gather the fruits of our good deeds with joy and exultation according to that sentence: "Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing."

Concerning food. Let the body have its victuals, that it may live and render its services unimpeded, but not so as to be given to daintiness. Let these be your rules regarding food, since many trip up over meat. There are those who eat things sacrificed to idols without taking any notice. There are others who practice abstinence and then pass judgment on those who eat. And so the soul of this person or that is soiled in different ways, all in connection with the question of meats, through their not knowing the sensible reasons for eating or not eating. For we fast by abstaining from wine and from meat, not as though these things were abominations that we must hate but as expecting a reward for doing so, namely, that in spurning sensuous things, we may enjoy a spiritual and heavenly feast, "that sowing now in tears, we may reap in joy," in the world to come. But do not, in fasting, despise those who are eating such food, and eating it because of bodily infirmity. Do not blame those "who use a little wine for their stomach's sake, and their frequent infirmities," and certainly do not adjudge them to be sinners. Do not abhor flesh meats as if they were taboo, for the apostle evidently knew people like that, since he says that there are [those] "who forbid to marry, and command to abstain from meats, which God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe." If therefore you are abstaining from these things, let it not be as from things abhorred, or your reward is lost, but as good things let them be transcended, in the quest of the fairer spiritual rewards that are set before you.

How, my brethren? When the farmer goeth forth with the plough, carrying seed, is not the wind sometimes keen, and doth not the shower sometimes deter him? He looketh to the sky, seeth it lowering, shivers with cold, nevertheless goeth forth, and soweth. For he feareth lest while he is observing the foul weather, and awaiting sunshine, the time may pass away, and he may not find anything to reap. Put not off, my brethren; sow in wintry weather, sow good works, even while ye weep; for, "They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy." They sow their seed, good will, and good works. "They went on their way and wept, casting their seed" (ver. 6). Why did they weep? Because they were among the miserable, and were themselves miserable. It is better, my brethren, that no man should be miserable, than that thou shouldest do alms. ...Nevertheless, as long as there are objects for its exercise, let us not fail amid those troubles to sow our seed. Although we sow in tears, yet shall we reap in joy. For in that resurrection of the dead, each man shall receive his own sheaves, that is, the produce of his seed, the crown of joys and of delight. Then will there be a joyous triumph, when we shall laugh at death, wherein we groaned before: then shall they say to death, "O death, where is thy strife? O death, where is thy sting?" But why do they now rejoice? Because "they bring their sheaves with them."

It is therefore fitting, brothers, that these things be said to you. Pay attention to the poor, whether lying down or walking: pay attention to the poor, do good works. Those who are accustomed to do so, do so: and those who are not accustomed to do so, do so. Let the number of those doing good increase: for the number of the faithful also increases. What you do, how good it is you do not yet see: for the farmer too, when he sows, does not see the crop, but trusts the soil. Why do you not trust God? Our harvest will come. Think that we are now laboring, laboring to receive, as it is written: They went forth and wept, casting their seeds; but they will come with exultation, bringing their sheaves.

The psalm that is sung to the Lord seems fitting for the holy martyrs, but if we are members of Christ, as we ought to be, let us understand that it pertains to all of us: Those who sow in tears will reap in joy. They went forth and wept, casting their seeds. But coming, they shall come in exultation, bearing their sheaves. Where are they going forth from and where are they coming to? What are they sowing in tears? What are the seeds? What are the sheaves? They go forth to death, they come from death. They go forth by being born, they come by rising again. Sowing good deeds, they reap an eternal reward. Therefore, the seeds are ours, whatever good we have done; our sheaves are what we will receive at the end. If, therefore, the seeds are good, good deeds, why with tears, when God loves a cheerful giver? First, see here, beloved, how these words most pertain to the blessed martyrs. For none have expended themselves as much as those who have given themselves, as the Apostle Paul says: "And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls." For they have given themselves, confessing Christ, and fulfilling with His help what is said: "When you sit at a great table, know that such things are necessary for you to prepare." What is the great table if not where we receive the body and blood of Christ? What does it mean: "Know that such things are necessary for you to prepare," if not what the blessed John explains: "As Christ laid down His life for us, so we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren"? See how greatly they expended themselves. But did they perish when they received security from the Lord even regarding a hair? Does a hand perish, where a hair does not perish? Does a head perish, where a hair does not perish? Where an eyelash does not perish, does an eye perish? Therefore, with this great received security, they gave themselves. Therefore, let us sow good works while it is time, as the Apostle says: "He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly." Tirelessly, he says, let us do good to all as we have the opportunity, especially to those who are of the household of faith. And again: "Let us not grow weary in doing good; for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." He who fails in sowing will not rejoice at the harvest.

Therefore, I said this so that we do not expect the reward of our sowing in this time when we have sown. Here indeed we sow the harvest of good works with labor, but in the future, we will gather its fruits with joy, according to what is written: "Going, they went and wept, casting their seeds; but coming, they will come with exultation, bearing their sheaves."

Good works are the seeds, good pursuits are the seeds; tears are the seeds. They went, he says, and wept, casting their seeds. But what? Shall they weep forever? Far from it! But they shall come with exultation, carrying their sheaves. Rightly with exultation, when they carry back the sheaves of glory. This, you say, will be at the resurrection on the last day, and the waiting is too long. Do not be broken in spirit, do not fail from faintheartedness of spirit; you have in the meantime from the first fruits of the Spirit what you may reap in exultation for the present. Sow, he says, for yourselves unto justice, reap the hope of life. He does not send you now to the last day, when the thing will already be in reality and not in hope; but he speaks of the present. Truly great is the joy and much and exceedingly great the exultation, when life shall have come.

I beseech you with fatherly solicitude, equally admonishing and exhorting you, as was already said, to endeavor continually to read the sacred lessons yourselves or willingly to listen to others read them. By thus always thinking over in the treasury of your heart what is just and holy, you may prepare for your souls an eternal spiritual food that will bring you endless bliss. Christ does not lie when he says in the person of his apostle, "What a person sows, that he will also reap." With God's help let us endeavor to continually plant in the field of our heart by reading, praying and performing good works those deeds whereof we may reap a harvest of justice and mercy on the future day of retribution. Then will be fulfilled in us what is written: "Going, they went and wept, casting their seeds. But coming, they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves." To this happiness may the good Lord lead you, who, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns world without end.