Psalm 137 - Praying...crying...singing...dreaming Lesson 8 Series

A. LIFE’S GREATEST EMOTIONS

“My people sat by the rivers of Babylon and wept when they remembered Zion. They refused to sing joyfully, hanging their harps on willow trees. Their captors demanded that they sing; those who imprisoned them wanted entertainment, asking, ‘Sing us a song of Zion.’ My people couldn’t sing while being held captive in a strange land. My people said they couldn’t forget Jerusalem just as their right hand couldn’t forget its movement. My people said their tongue would stick in their mouth if they did not remember Me, their Lord” (Psalm 137:1-6).

B. INTRODUCTION

1. We have many emotions, which include fear, anger, excitement, loneliness, despair, and satisfaction. What emotions motivate you the most? -__________________________________________.

2. What are three of the greatest emotions? Today’s lesson surround these three great emotions:

a. What makes you cry? Failure and disappointment.

b. What makes you sing? Happiness.

c. What makes you dream? Plans for the future.

3. Why are these listed among the greatest emotions? Because you cry over failure and ask, “What might have been?” This deals with your loss. Then, you sing to reflect your happiness. Your songs tell everyone of your joy. Finally, you dream of the future and hope for what might be.

C. WHAT MAKES YOU CRY: THE PAST – v. 1

1. You cry because you remember your time with God. “My people sat by the rivers of Babylon and wept when they remembered Zion” (v. 1). They wept because they could no longer worship in the temple, and no longer live in the land, they no longer had freedom.

2. You cry because you have failures. Alexander the Great sat down and wept because there were no more kingdoms to conquer. He lived his life for war and conquers. He wept when there were not more to conquer. Athletes weep when they can no longer complete, parents weep when they no longer can influence their children. Businessmen weep when they can no longer go to work. Ministers weep because they can no longer preach. You weep when your dreams die.

3. Do you weep because others sin? “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Why did Jesus weep?

a. Because of Mary’s unbelief. “If You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21).

b. Because of the multitudes failure to recognize Jesus’ power. “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” (John 11:37).

c. Because He loved Lazarus. “Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus” (John 11:5).

4. You weep because of loss. You weep at funerals because you have lost a loved one. Parents weep at a wedding because they are losing their little girl. You weep because of loss that cannot be replaced.

5. You weep when you can’t do what you did in the past. The Jews in Babylon wept because, “Hanging their harps on willow trees . . .” (v. 2). The harp made the Jews happy, and they could no longer use their musical instruments.

D. WHAT MAKES YOU SING? – vv. 2-3

1. The Jews in Babylon could no longer rejoice. “Their captors demanded that they sing; those who imprisoned them wanted entertainment, asking, ‘Sing us a song of Zion’” (v. 3).

2. When you are happy, it shapes your outlook on life. You usually sing because you are happy. The word “blessed” means happy. The Beatitudes begin with the word, “blessed” (Matthew 5:3-11). The first word in the most spiritual book in the Bible (Psalm) is “blessed,” which means we must be happy to be spiritual. If you are a happy Christian, you will sing the songs of Zion. The Jews in captivity could not sing because they were not happy. “How shall we sing the Lord’s song as prisoners?” (v. 4, ELT).

3. Don’t seek happiness, just to have a good time. The world seeks fun just to have a good time. A truly happy person has a purpose in life and is working toward a purpose. “Happiness is found on the road to duty.” ~Elmer Towns

E. WHAT MAKES YOU DREAM? – vv. 4-6

1. What you plan in life is what you dream. “My people said their tongue would stick in their mouth if they did not remember Me, their Lord” (v. 6). Our dreams of the future are based on what we remember of the past.

a. You raise your children how your parents raised you.

b. Your track record in business is based on how you prepared in school.

c. How you treat people in the future, is based on how you were treated in the past.

2. You are known by your dreams. Joseph was called a dreamer because of his dreams. “Look this dreamer is coming” (Gen. 37:19, NKJV). Jerry Falwell was known by his dream of Liberty University. What dreams are you known by?