Charles H. Spurgeon on Psalms 126:5

They that sow in tears, etc. Observe two things here.

1. That the afflictions of God's people are as sowing in tears.

(a) In sowing ye know there is great pains. The land must be first tilled and dressed; and there is pains in casting the seed into it; and then it takes a great dressing all the year, before it be set in the barnyard.

(b) It requires great charges, too, and therefore it is called "precious seed." For ye know that seed corn is aye dearest.

(c) There is also great hazard; for corn, after it is sown, is subject to many dangers. And so it is with the children of God in a good cause.

2. Then after the seed time follows the harvest, and that comes with joy. There be three degrees of the happiness of God's children, in reaping of fruits.

(a) In the first fruits. Even when they are enduring anything for the Gospel of Christ, it carries contentment and fruit with it.

(b) After the first fruits, then come sheaves to refresh the husbandman, and to assure him that the full harvest is coming. The Lord now and then gives testimony of a full deliverance to his own people, especially of the deliverance of Sion, and lets them taste of the sheaves which they have reaped.

(c) And lastly, they get the full harvest; and that is gotten at the great and last day. Then we get peace without trouble, joy without grief, profit without loss, pleasure without pain; and then we have a full sight of the face of God. —Alexander Henderson.