Psalm 137

This Psalm, in three equal stanzas, presents a discouraging picture of God’s people in Babylon but shows God’s people in all ages that hope is bound up in clinging to the promises of God.  Let us learn from this personal testimony.

·       137:1-3: How strong is Israel’s discouragement as they are on the way to Babylon?  Arriving at the border their captors torment them requesting some of their music.  They want songs about Jerusalem, the location of the temple (Ps. 76), of the Messiah’s rule (Ps. 2), the city that was a great refuge (Ps. 46), the place where praise is made to God (Ps. 65) and that brought joy as they sang the many songs of pilgrimage on their way to the city of God.  The Babylonians want to ridicule God’s people because their confidence in the LORD was not well-placed; they are just interested in mirth.  “Sing us one of the songs of Zion, the city we just burned.”

·       137:4-6: But the captives have no desire to sing of Jerusalem while they are in captivity in Babylon.  Jerusalem is the source of all blessing for Israel.  In Zion is the house of David; on the mount of the LORD (Moriah) is the house of God.  Those thoughts were meant to bring joy and to encourage pilgrimage (Ps. 122).  But now pilgrimage is out of the question.  To sing songs of joy about Jerusalem would be to join in the mirth of their captors.  Thoughts of Jerusalem bring no joy as they remember the last they saw of it.  Furthermore, the reason for all this cannot be laid at the feet of the Babylonians.  Jerusalem on fire is a reminder to Israel of her sin, her idolatry, her back-slidden hard-heartedness against her God.  Is there no hope?

·       137:7-9: These words are imprecatory.  It is a prayer against enemies.  Against Edom, Jacob’s brother (Israel’s brother), who proudly rejoiced in the destruction of Jerusalem.  As Obadiah 1 and Ezekiel 35 tell us, they could hardly wait to take the land of Israel for their own as soon the Babylonians hauled them off.  But those passages also made clear that God promised He would punish Edom.  Even as God promised He would punish Babylon after Israel’s 70 years of captivity (Jer. 25:1-14).  Yes, Israel was being punished for her sin.  But this punishment was not the end; the day would come when God’s people would return, be saved, and restored in the land.  So as the 70 years began, discouraged Israel found hope in the promises of God. 

Discouragement is not unexpected for God’s people today, partly because we and our loved ones are also sinners.  God disciplines us as a father does his children.  And as we follow Christ, bearing our cross, we also experience trouble; Jesus made us that promise (John 15:33).  But we have the promise of God: a hope that this is not the end of the story, that a place is being prepared for us (Jn. 14:1-3), and that Jesus has overcome the world!  Therefore let us sing, even in this foreign land (Jn. 15:19; 17:16).  Hope in God’s promises!