Psalms 126:6
6. He that goeth forth—literally, better, "He goes—he comes, he comes," &c. The repetition implies there is no end of weeping here, as there shall be no end of joy hereafter (Isa 35:10).
precious seed—rather, seed to be drawn from the seed box for sowing; literally, "seed-draught." Compare on this Psalm, Jer 31:9, &c. Proverbs 11:18
18. a deceitful work—or, "wages," which fail to satisfy, or flee away (Pr 10:2; 23:5).
sure reward—or, "gain," as from trading (Ho 10:12; Ga 6:8, 9). Proverbs 22:8
8. (Compare Pr 11:18; Ps 109:16-20; Ga 6:7, 8).
the rod . . . fail—His power to do evil will be destroyed. Hosea 8:7
7. sown . . . reap— (Pr 22:8; Ga 6:7). "Sow . . . wind," that is, to make the vain show of worship, while faith and obedience are wanting [CALVIN]. Rather, to offer senseless supplications to the calves for good harvests (compare Ho 2:8); the result being that God will make them "reap no stalk," that is, "standing corn." Also, the phraseology proverbially means that all their undertakings shall be profitless (Pr 11:29; Ec 5:16).
the bud—or, "growth." strangers—foreigners (Ho 7:9). Hosea 10:12
12. Continuation of the image in Ho 10:11 (Pr 11:18). Act righteously and ye shall reap the reward; a reward not of debt, but of grace.
in mercy—according to the measure of the divine "mercy," which over and above repays the goodness or "mercy" which we show to our fellow man (Lu 6:38). break . . . fallow ground—Remove your superstitions and vices, and be renewed. seek . . . Lord, fill he come—Though not answered immediately, persevere unceasingly "till He come." rain—send down as a copious shower. righteousness—the reward of righteousness, that is, salvation, temporal and spiritual (1Sa 26:23; compare Joe 2:23 ). Luke 16:25
25, 26. Son—stinging acknowledgment of the claimed relationship.
thou . . . Lazarus, &c.—As it is a great law of God's kingdom, that the nature of our present desires shall rule that of our future bliss, so by that law, he whose "good things," craved and enjoyed, were all bounded by time, could look for none after his connection with time had come to an end (Lu 6:24). But by this law, he whose "evil things," all crowded into the present life, drove him to seek, and find, consolation in a life beyond the grave, is by death released from all evil and ushered into unmixed and uninterrupted good (Lu 6:21). (2) It is impossible. Romans 8:11
11. But—"And."
if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you—that is, "If He dwell in you as the Spirit of the Christ-raising One," or, "in all the resurrection-power which He put forth in raising Jesus." he that raised up Christ from the dead—Observe the change of name from Jesus, as the historical Individual whom God raised from the dead, to CHRIST, the same Individual, considered as the Lord and Head of all His members, or of redeemed Humanity [ALFORD]. shall also quicken—rather, "shall quicken even" your mortal bodies by—the true reading appears to be "by reason of." his Spirit that dwelleth in you—"Your bodies indeed are not exempt from the death which sin brought in; but your spirits even now have in them an undying life, and if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, even these bodies of yours, though they yield to the last enemy and the dust of them return to the dust as it was, shall yet experience the same resurrection as that of their living Head, in virtue of the indwelling of same Spirit in you that quickened Him." James 5:7
7. Be patient therefore—as judgment is so near (Jas 5:1, 3), ye may well afford to be "patient" after the example of the unresisting Just one (Jas 5:6).
brethren—contrasted with the "rich" oppressors, Jas 5:1-6. unto the coming of the Lord—Christ, when the trial of your patience shall cease. husbandman waiteth for—that is, patiently bears toils and delays through hope of the harvest at last. Its "preciousness" (compare Ps 126:6, "precious seed") will more than compensate for all the past. Compare the same image, Ga 6:3, 9. hath long patience for it—"over it," in respect to it. until he receive—"until it receive" [ALFORD]. Even if English Version be retained, the receiving of the early and latter rains is not to be understood as the object of his hope, but the harvest for which those rains are the necessary preliminary. The early rain fell at sowing time, about November or December; the latter rain, about March or April, to mature the grain for harvest. The latter rain that shall precede the coming spiritual harvest, will probably be another Pentecost-like effusion of the Holy Ghost.