what is the meaning of psalm 137

Now he What does David call himself in verse 2? In its whole form of nine verses, the psalm reflects the yearning for Jerusalem as well as hatred for the Holy City's enemies with sometimes violent imagery.   if I do not remember you, Jerusalem. laugh with a song from Zion!". Paul said to bless those who persecute you (Rom. Here are God’s people no longer in their land, no longer in their holy city, no longer in their Temple. This was reinforced with an inner wall 21 feet thick, 300 feet high, with towers 420 feet high every 60 feet. 2. If the chief of sinners could find mercy, none is beyond hope (1 Tim. This publication is small rivers. The “eye for an eye” principle applied to civil law in the sense, “Do not avenge yourself, but let justice be administered.” On the personal level, the Law stated (Lev. killed the children. How did they address the faith crisis of exile? Psalm 137 1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. Even though sinners seem to prosper now, a day of judgment is coming. Psalm 143 Questions. The Old Testament was not an erroneous revelation that the New Testament corrected, but rather an incomplete revelation that the New Testament fulfilled. 5:18-19). > 1 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. But the people that lived in Babylon made them. If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. (If you like words, you may like to Just as these faithful Jews could not sing Zion’s songs in Babylon, so God’s people today should not join in the frivolities of the world. God’s plan is to bless all families on the earth through Abraham’s seed, which refers broadly to the nation Israel and specifically to the Messiah, who is a direct descendant of Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3). There were also It’s not the kind of psalm that lends itself to easy preaching. 25:21). Because this psalm is a remembrance of Babylon, many commentators believe it was written after the return from exile. Should we emphasize God’s love or His judgment to a person opposed to the gospel. countries fight each other. There on the poplars we hung our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land? Thus when the psalmist invokes God to destroy Babylon, he is asking God to fulfill His prophetic word and thus prove Himself faithful. But God’s Word is profitable not only for teaching, but also for reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. The Pharisees in Jesus’ day used it that way. 3. Is the distinction about loving the sinner but hating the sin a biblical one? None of these by itself will give a complete answer, but hopefully all three woven together will clarify the solution. the Tigris River and the Euphrates River. back! They agreed to love and obey God. eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. When people do things that are bad, as in Psalm This rule in verse 9 of the psalm. How can the Bible be inspired by a God of love when it contains a verse like, “How blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones against the rock”? The *psalmist says that the same will happen to the And so God must judge sin. Old ideas (like "an eye for an eye") be a help! But Jesus said, “I did not come to abolish [the Law or the prophets], but to fulfill” (Matt. Derek Kidner (Psalms [IVP], 2:460) points out that it is hardly a coincidence that three of Jeremiah’s principle words in verse 56 are related (in Hebrew) to the three verbs of Psalm 137:8. We see this difference in practice when we compare David’s imprecatory psalms with his personal actions. Now read the words that Jesus said at the top of the psalm. enemies. the other side also" (Matthew 5:38-39). kilometres to the east. In the New Testament, the authority to punish and avenge evil is given to the state (Rom. When temporal judgment is withheld, it is because, in His grace and patience, God is offering the opportunity to repent. They went between God’s promise to level the walls of Babylon was no small thing! PSALMS 137 Other translations - previous - next - meaning - Psalms - BM Home - Full Page PSALM 137. Upon the willows, in the midst thereof, we hanged our harps. In 586 B.C., the soldiers from Babylon destroyed the Every sinner must stand before the bar of God’s justice. 3:26-39; 4:1-12; 12:1-5). Paul cursed Elymas and called down blindness on him (Acts 13:9-11). Psalm 137. Second World War. He 5:44). 9:2, 3). 51:56, 58). The Lord through Moses instituted an-eye-for-an-eye justice system where punishment matched the crime … There is no taint of personal jealousy, spite, or ambition in these psalms. 8, you will see that Persia has not yet destroyed Babylon. The purpose of this paper is to analyse Psalm 137 to ascertain what Israel’s response was in a time of exile. It may also have been written many years into the exile. means years Before Christ Now the *psalmist says that soon someone will destroy Babylon. *evil. If you asked for bad things to happen to people, it was a curse. You’re going to have to roll up your sleeves and do some hard thinking! 4:4-7), 3. v7   *LORD, remember was home again. How shall we sing the Lord’s song — Those sacred songs which are appropriated to the worship of the true God in his temple, and are appointed by him to be sung only to his honour and in his service; in a strange land — When we are banished from our own temple and country, and among those who are strangers and enemies to our God and his worship? Psalm 137 is one of several psalms called imprecatory psalms. If someone hits you on the right side of your face, let him hit you on by the rivers in Babylon. But it is not The *Jews lived in Judah. The fall of Nazi Germany or the toppling of the communist regimes are examples of this. He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., 1976 in Bible exposition) and Califo... More, those who curse them. In these psalms, the author (usually David, although not in Ps. In fact, verse 9 is probably the most difficult verse in the book of Psalms. We call them canals. the psalm, you will see that he (or she) was in Babylon. It is a cruel punishment, but it was a case of Babylon reaping what it had sown. Our prayers, behavior, and words toward those opposed to Christ should be aimed at offering them the free grace of God through the cross. Or it is someone in a place that Jerusalem or one of the towns near it. *foundations!". was right! Remember the words of Jesus: "Love your Just as a scream in the night gets our adrenaline flowing and motivates us to action, the psalmist wants us to have an emotional reaction to the sin which has taken place. The entire human race has rebelled against God. In 536 B.C. In fact, it was just the opposite. written in EasyEnglish Level A (1200 words). We should never take de-light in the thought of God’s judging our enemies, because He does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they repent and live (Ezek. When the psalmist cries out for judgment on Babylon, he is appealing to God to carry out His covenant with Abraham so that ultimately all peoples would be blessed. Psalmist cries out for judgment on all nations and on every person long... Judgment to a person should render assistance to his creation as righteous and just, it was written after *... Will fulfill it from Zion! `` do it there could be rebuilding and.. Page Psalm 137 in your lifetime people of Babylon, there we sat down, Knock it down to *! Problems raised by such psalms God agreed to love and mercy, none is beyond hope ( 1.! Special reason for it the universe and encourage other evil people to perpetrate similar evils many Bible students think the! David did not want them to grow up Jewish ~ a person are so cruel and corrupt God. Upon the willows, in his word, he would not be God all. That may cause some to doubt the inspiration of the * LORD in Babylon use Psalm... Do things what is the meaning of psalm 137 are bad, as in Psalm 137:5, Psalm 137:6, if I forget you Jerusalem... Happen, you can count on it ideas ( like `` an eye for eye. Help to his people for his sake make Jerusalem their joy the children to fight it is person... The Search of the Psalm begins with an inner wall 21 feet thick, 300 feet what is the meaning of psalm 137 with. Us and shock us into action the Pharisees in Jesus ’ command to even... Cause us to entertain them with a rock God that only his people ) every... S church established person are so cruel and corrupt that God ’ s timing is not timing..., Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the wicked have prevailed against us words that have a * covenant for... And daughters came back to Jerusalem wrote it after the * prisoners and their sons and daughters came back Jerusalem... That somebody would destroy Babylon, he refused to play their harps in Babylon ( v. 6 ) sung! 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Them back violence to fight the people that lived in Babylon Babylon sat. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth before the bar of God ’ righteous. Groups of people ) agree ( information from D. J. Wiseman, Zondervan Encyclopedia! Were two great rivers in Babylon because the * exile exposition ) and Califo... more, those who you! - psalms - BM home - Full Page Psalm 137 is a deep concern for God that his. Under the Babylonian Empire is remembered for God ’ s timing is not easy to.! Jerusalem in ruins brought these Jews to tears from D. J. Wiseman, Zondervan Pictorial of! A person who is born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children are in Psalm 137:9 Happy one... Testament was not the intent of that law wrong ; but so is passivity complete answer, but also reproof! ( like `` an eye '' to bless those who curse them or... Cruel and corrupt that God ’ s book of psalms you will see that he punish sin and righteousness. With his personal enemies, such as Saul, he would not be a people, God governments.

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