When we finally come home.

Psalm 126 is another song of ascent, a song the Jews sang when on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. In it, they sing about their joy upon their return from exile in Babylon.

But now they pray again for restoration. And they look forward to the day when their tears will once again be turned to joy.

As Christians, we too are on a pilgrimage…to a new Jerusalem. And in Revelation, John gives us a similar picture to this psalm.

In his vision, the Christians who had suffered much on this earth for Christ, are crying out in joy,

Salvation belongs to our God,
who is seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb! (Revelation 7:10)

And John is told,

…they are before the throne of God,
and they serve him day and night in his temple.

The one seated on the throne will shelter them:
They will no longer hunger;
they will no longer thirst;
the sun will no longer strike them,
nor will any scorching heat.

For the Lamb who is at the center of the throne
will shepherd them;
he will guide them to springs of the waters of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. (Revelation 7:15-17)

As the psalmist says, we do indeed sow in tears, but when we come home, we will reap with shouts of joy. And no one will ever take away our joy. (Psalm 126:5, John 16:22)