Psalms 137
If you know much about OT literature/writings, you will know that a lot of times, especially in Psalms, that the stories were written as poetic expressions of personal feelings/emotions, due to the circumstances, good or bad, that was taking place in the writers life. One of the primest examples of this is here in Ps. 137.
In studying the Bible, you discover that God had set a standard of conduct for the Israelite people. He said here’s the law, and you need to abide by it. He gave them the 10 commandments, and other rules concerning their daily life. And he vowed that if they would obey, he would bless them, watch over them, provide for them, and put a hedge of protection around them. But he also said that if they choose to disobey, then he would punish them by pushing back the hedge, and allowing their enemies to pursue and claim victory over them. Well, we know that this became a harsh reality in their lives. God wasn’t playing games, when he said in Is. 1:19-20 "If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land. But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword". Sure enough, about 687 BC, here came the armies of Babylon to conquer them. Israel felt like Jerusalem was the capital city of God. As a matter of fact, the name Jerusalem even means "city of peace". They were inthrawled at the marvel of the temple, and all the other glorious things that were there. But, God told them he would not pull no punches when it came to the act of disobedience. All of the sudden, the Babylonians began setting buildings on fire, tearing down houses, ripping up the land, killing some of the people, and taking others, in particular the high elect of the nation captive. So now they set there, by the Rivers of Babylon, (a place that literally is interpreted ’place of confusion’) totally distraught at the fact they had just lost everything they had. V.1 "We sat down by the Rivers of Babylon and wept when we remembered Zion. As a matter of fact, we hung our harps on the willow trees, and have not intention of singing the Lord’s song again."
The Israelites were known for their singing/playing. At one point they went all around singing songs of praise to/about the Lord. But since they had reached a point here of thinking God could only move in Jerusalem, they decided they had nothing else to give praise about. The Babylonians asked them to sing a song. But they said we can’t sing the Lord’s song in a strange land. In other words, we can’t sing a song of praise in this place of bondage. If things were going good, and we had perfect peace/tranquility, we would have no problem singing praises. But as it stands right now, we have nothing to praise God about.
Now, I know there ain’t nobody in this place that’s ever felt like that, but let me tell you I can bear witness to what the writer’s saying. I mean, when blessings are just overflowing all around you, you’ve got plenty of money, lots to eat, everybody’s healthy, there’s widespread revival in the church, souls are getting saved/filled, miracles are all around us, etc. we just can’t help but shout the victory for the great goodness of the Lord. But all of the sudden, one day the bottom falls out. Suddenly sickness has attacked you, you went to the checking acct. and there’s nothing there, no food in the cabinets, church has a split/many leave, no one’s getting saved, etc. and we think to ourselves, how can we praise God in the midst of all this? But I will tell you, that in the moments of deepest despair, that’s the time to lift up a praise offering to the king. When the gates of hell have bombarded your life, just begin to lift Jesus up. THERE IS GREAT POWER IN YOUR PRAISE!
We have got it all backwards. We think for some reason we have to wait until everything is smoothed out, and peaceful before we started blessing the Lord. But, if we’ll take a look at what all he’s done, (saved, raised, filled, healed, delivered, sanctified, etc) then we could realize we do have something to shout about! Hey, you could face your battles lost, but you’re redeemed so lift him up!
James 1:2 "Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations"
Matt. 5:10 "Blessed are they which are persecuted..."
Paul said it was an honor to suffer persecution for the Lord
Job- "I know that my redeemer liveth..."
Ps. 42:5 "Why art thou cast down O my soul? and why art thou disquited within me: hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance"
Paul & Silas
3 REASONS THEY WOULD NOT WANT TO PRAISE GOD:
(1)All was not well
With all the turmoil going on in my spirit, there is no possible way I can praise God. But, I promise you, if you want to experience true breakthrough in your circumstance, just start praising. Truth is, Satan knows the power of your praise. And with all he’s doing to you, that’s all he wants is to keep you quiet/somber. But if you are going to overcome him, start praising anyway.
(2)The people were not as they were
These Babylonians were cruel, evil, hateful folks. They showed little remorse for human life. READ V.8-9 The vividness of this final verse is justifed if you’ll remember this one fact: these little baby Babylonians will one day grow into big, adult Babylonians which will inevitably become like their predecessors. So the writer says "these people are so bad, someone needs to get rid of their young while they can.
These folks were by no means followers of God. But if anyone needed to hear a song of Zion, they did. *What are you saying?* The whole world around is watching the people of God sing their songs of "gloom, despair, agony on me". And their saying "I don’t want anything to do with that". But they need to hear a song of praise from the people of God. They need to hear that we are not going down just because we’re in a trial.
(3)They knew the hope of their gain was lost, and figured they never would find it again.
The glory days were over, and they figured they would die where they were. "What’s the use of praising God? We aren’t in his presence/can’t feel him anymore?" Because you don’t know what all God can do if we will just begin to lift him up! REMEMBER: He said he inhabits the praises of Israel. In other words, he shows up/makes his abode there. And 2 Cor. 3:17 "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty"
**I may die today, and never experience my miracle of healing over my back problem. I may never feel Pentecostal wind blow again. I may never dance in the spirit again, may never be in another great revival, but I’ll still lift up the blood-stained banner.
