He prays, and he also prophesies. "They who sow with tears" are the pioneers of the return, to whom he belonged. Vv. 6, 7, merely expand the figure of ver. 5 with the substitution of the image of a single husbandman for the less vivid, clear-cut plural. The expression rendered "handful of seed" means literally a "draught of seed"--_i.e._, the quantity taken out of the basket or cloth at one grasp, in order to be sown. It is difficult to convey the force of the infinitives in combination with participles and the finite verb in ver. 6. But the first half of the verse seems to express repeated actions on the part of the husbandman, who often goes forth to sow, and weeps as he goes; while the second half expresses the certainty of his glad coming in with his arms full of sheaves. The meaning of the figure needs no illustration. It gives assurances fitted to animate to toil in the face of dangers without, and in spite of a heavy heart--namely, that no seed sown and watered with tears is lost; and further, that, though it often seems to be the law for earth that one soweth and another reapeth, in deepest truth "every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour," inasmuch as, hereafter, if not now, whatsoever of faith and toil and holy endeavour a man soweth, trusting to God to bless the springing thereof, that shall he also reap. In the highest sense and in the last result the prophet's great words are ever true: "They shall not plant, and another eat ... for My chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands" (Isa. lxv. 22). PSALM CXXVII. 1 If Jehovah build not a house, Vainly do its builders toil upon it; If Jehovah keeps not a city, Vainly wakes the keeper. 2 Vain is it for you, ye that make early [your] rising and your sitting down late, That eat the bread of painful toil; Even so He gives [it] to His beloved while in sleep. 3 Behold, sons are an heritage from Jehovah, The fruit of the womb is [His] reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are sons of [a father's] youth. 5 Happy the man who has filled his quiver with them, They shall not be ashamed When they speak with enemies in the gate.