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Psalm 137 is based on a true story. Not the
kind of “based on true story” accounts that needs to be rewritten by
Hollywood. Psalm 137 has all the elements of a good plot-
suffering, antagonists, shock-and-awe, and a central theme meant to impact the
readers in the present, and empower them for the future. What makes it even better is that this Psalm, like all of them, are set to music.
In Psalm 137 we find the people of God in exile. Long had the prophets- Isaiah, Jeremiah and the like- warned of the outcome of Israel’s sin. In their rebellion they hardened their hearts and as punishment they had been attacked and taken out of the land by Babylon. As the Psalmist (and presumably the people of God as a whole) set down and reflected on the land God had promised, that they had seem to lose, verse 1 says they wept. God gave them exactly want they wanted, and as sin always does, it leaves run and misery in its path (Romans 3:16).
“On the willows there we hung up our lyres.” (137:2). The people had put up their instruments. This was not a time to sing and celebrate, nor for entertainment, as instruments were often used for. This was a time for mourning. Not only were they in a foreign land, but they captors, called “tormentors” were openly mocking the people of God. They would profane the sacred songs of the Lord! With mirth (laughter), they would ask them to sing songs about the Promised Land they were taken from (v.3-4). Mockery of God’s people is not a new invention. Enemies of God have done it for ages.
This leads the Psalmist to ask a very simple question, “How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?” (v. 4). They were taken out of the land of promise. They were being pressured to allow men to defame and mock their God. These songs were Holy and not meant to be sang in this foreign land by rebellious people. People were forcing these men to disobey their conscience and what they knew to be right. No doubt the mockers said, “It is just a song! It won’t hurt anyone.” “It’s the law, you must obey.” “You can hold to your convictions in your houses, but not in the public square.” For the Psalmist, to sing songs in mockery to the Lord was to “forget” the city. To forget His promise. The Psalmist is clear in verses 5-6, it would be better not to play any music at all than too do it in a way that doesn't acknowledge God and His Word. For the Psalmist, obedience to conscience is worth suffering for.
Notice the end of verse 6, “Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth…if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!” To sing these songs would blaspheme God and thus show Him to be small. To sing these songs in this context was disobedience to God. If they cave to the pressure and obey the commands of their captors, they are showing what they value more: the safety and security that men provide more than God and His promises. Jesus would speak of sin in a similar way, it is better to faithfully suffer and enter into the presence of God than to succumb to the world’s pressure to sin. “And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell” - Mark 9:47. The kingdom is greater than the fleeting promises of sin. Jesus would say in the beatitudes, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8) Future grace of perfection empower purity in the present. The people of God in persecution have always set their hopes on the promises of God.
The Psalmist continues with his hope set on the future promises of God as he finishes the Psalm. Just as he set his hope on the perfect joy of Jerusalem, he sets his hope on God’s justice. When God purifies, part of that means He destroys impurity. The Psalmist cries out for God to remember against His enemies, the Edomites who had laid bare the foundations of Jerusalem and that the one who repays Babylon for what they had done would be blessed (v. 7-8). Notice the Psalmist’s hope, even as it seems His enemies are winning, Babylon remains “doomed to be destroyed.” God is a redeemer and rids His people of all enemies. Notice the severity of the judgement God would give to the enemies of God: “Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!” (v. 9). At first glance that verse should take us a back. Why would God consider the man blessed who dashed babies against rocks? That sounds cruel. What was ever done to deserve that?
In Psalm 137 we find the people of God in exile. Long had the prophets- Isaiah, Jeremiah and the like- warned of the outcome of Israel’s sin. In their rebellion they hardened their hearts and as punishment they had been attacked and taken out of the land by Babylon. As the Psalmist (and presumably the people of God as a whole) set down and reflected on the land God had promised, that they had seem to lose, verse 1 says they wept. God gave them exactly want they wanted, and as sin always does, it leaves run and misery in its path (Romans 3:16).
“On the willows there we hung up our lyres.” (137:2). The people had put up their instruments. This was not a time to sing and celebrate, nor for entertainment, as instruments were often used for. This was a time for mourning. Not only were they in a foreign land, but they captors, called “tormentors” were openly mocking the people of God. They would profane the sacred songs of the Lord! With mirth (laughter), they would ask them to sing songs about the Promised Land they were taken from (v.3-4). Mockery of God’s people is not a new invention. Enemies of God have done it for ages.
This leads the Psalmist to ask a very simple question, “How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?” (v. 4). They were taken out of the land of promise. They were being pressured to allow men to defame and mock their God. These songs were Holy and not meant to be sang in this foreign land by rebellious people. People were forcing these men to disobey their conscience and what they knew to be right. No doubt the mockers said, “It is just a song! It won’t hurt anyone.” “It’s the law, you must obey.” “You can hold to your convictions in your houses, but not in the public square.” For the Psalmist, to sing songs in mockery to the Lord was to “forget” the city. To forget His promise. The Psalmist is clear in verses 5-6, it would be better not to play any music at all than too do it in a way that doesn't acknowledge God and His Word. For the Psalmist, obedience to conscience is worth suffering for.
Notice the end of verse 6, “Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth…if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!” To sing these songs would blaspheme God and thus show Him to be small. To sing these songs in this context was disobedience to God. If they cave to the pressure and obey the commands of their captors, they are showing what they value more: the safety and security that men provide more than God and His promises. Jesus would speak of sin in a similar way, it is better to faithfully suffer and enter into the presence of God than to succumb to the world’s pressure to sin. “And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell” - Mark 9:47. The kingdom is greater than the fleeting promises of sin. Jesus would say in the beatitudes, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8) Future grace of perfection empower purity in the present. The people of God in persecution have always set their hopes on the promises of God.
The Psalmist continues with his hope set on the future promises of God as he finishes the Psalm. Just as he set his hope on the perfect joy of Jerusalem, he sets his hope on God’s justice. When God purifies, part of that means He destroys impurity. The Psalmist cries out for God to remember against His enemies, the Edomites who had laid bare the foundations of Jerusalem and that the one who repays Babylon for what they had done would be blessed (v. 7-8). Notice the Psalmist’s hope, even as it seems His enemies are winning, Babylon remains “doomed to be destroyed.” God is a redeemer and rids His people of all enemies. Notice the severity of the judgement God would give to the enemies of God: “Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!” (v. 9). At first glance that verse should take us a back. Why would God consider the man blessed who dashed babies against rocks? That sounds cruel. What was ever done to deserve that?
We recognize that Babylon had dashed the Israelite babies to pieces (Isaiah 13:16). Babylon was an instrument of judgement against Israel for their sin, but they had gone too far. They have done what was wicked in God's sight. What the Psalmist desires is that, as verse 8 says, they be repaid according to what has been done to them. In other words, He desires that standard Jesus teaches- that measure that they use shall be used back against them (Matthew 7:1-2). God promises to judge in accordance with the deeds done- how He does it is up to Him. That was the Psalmist’s confidence
Christians- we face a similar pressure to those of the people of God in Psalm 137. Not from an enemy nation, but from our own nation. We facing pressure to cave on God and His Word. The culture trivializes it, just as I’m sure the Babylonians did- “It’s just a cake. It’s just a marriage license.” I’m sure the Israelites were being pressured under the “rule of law.” But we must stand as they did. We must place the God and His Word above our highest joys. We must trust that a new and better country awaits us. We must not cave on our convictions, but work hard to obey God, even when it is unpopular.
We must trust in God’s justice. The 21st century church seems to emphasis “mercy” while minimizing “justice”, but in the shadow of the cross those two are intrinsically wed. We trust and know that Judgement Day is a reality. 2 Thessalonians 1 describes that day as a day of relief because God will destroy those who have sought to destroy us (v. 7-8). The long awaited promise land is ushered in, and along with it are God’s enemies tossed out. But, as New Testament people we know God is pleased to judge sin in the death of Another. We were all once enemies, but God has sought out His enemies in love and mercy. Christ has come, He has died to reconcile us to Himself, by satisfying God’s wrath, and rising again to stand as our Advocate. By faith, we die when He died, and we rise as He rose. The only hope for us has never been in obedience to Babylon, for one day all will look and see her judgement (Revelation 18:15-18). Godless culture cannot keep its promises. Our hope is in a new and better city, which no unclean will enter (Revelation 21:27). We must endure in the present, for the promise of the future is greater than the present promises of sin- we will see His face (Rev. 22:4).
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