By the Rivers of Babylon 01 Psalms 137:1-9 (KJV)

By The Rivers of Babylon 01

Psalms 137:1-9 (KJV) By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. 2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. 3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us [required of us] mirth, [saying], Sing us [one] of the songs of Zion. 4 How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land? 5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget [her cunning]. 6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. 7 Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase [it], rase [it, even] to the foundation thereof. 8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy [shall he be], that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. 9 Happy [shall he be], that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

1. Psalm 137 is one of my favorite Psalms. 2. It reminds me of some important issues of the Christian life, but in order to really appreciate the Psalm it is important to know something about its historical background. 3. Israel was established as a Theocracy; that is governed directly by God, but the other nations had a king; so Israel demanded a king like the other nations. 4. God gave in to their demands after warning them of what it would mean to have a king. 5. Saul became the first king and was followed successively by David and then David’s son Solomon. 6. During the reign of Saul, David and Solomon Israel was one united kingdom, but at the death of Solomon the kingdom was divided between two kings, namely Jeroboam, and Rehoboam. 7. Ten of the tribes, the Northern Tribes under Jeroboam kept the name Israel. 2

8. This part of the kingdom had its Capital successively at Sheckem, Tirzah, and finally Samaria. 9. Israel fail in 722 B.C. to the Assyrians and were dispersed into different provinces of Assyria, absorbed into Gentile society, and now considered lost. 10. However, take note! God knows where they are. 11. Two Tribes, the Southern Tribes took the name Judah and consisted of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. 12. Rehoboam was king of Judah and its capital was Jerusalem. 13. The two tribes struggled on approximately 150 years after the fall of Samaria with various degrees of spiritual decline. 14. Jerusalem fail in 586 B.C. 15. There was a series of 3 deportations and with the fall of Jerusalem the beginning of the captivity was complete. 16. What followed is called the Babylonian captivity. 17. This 70 years of captivity closed with the fall of the Babylonian Empire to the Medo-Persian Empire under Cyrus. 18. Judah under Cyrus was an important time for Judah. 19. Cyrus allowed freedom of worship, and allowed the Jews to return home. 20. The First return began 536 B.C. under Zerubbabel. 21. The Second return was in 458 B.C. under Ezra. 22. The Third Return was under Nehemiah 13 years later in 445 B.C. 23. Nehemiah went to Jerusalem rebuilding the city walls.

TRANSITION: With this background we will begin our consideration of Psalm 137.

I. First observe the destination of the captivity, Psalm 137:1.

Psalms 137:1 (KJV) By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

A. We are not told the name of the rivers, but we see that the captives of Judah sat down by the rivers of Babylon. B. This event marked the end...

1. It was the end of a long journey 2. It was the end of freedom for the captives 3. It was the end of hope.

C. There they sat down tired, captive, and hopeless. D. They were not sitting just to rest but to resign and reside. E. This was home now, of sorts and for a time. F. The question might arise as to why this gathering?

1. Was this merely the end of a long march? 2. Did they gather for social purposes? 3. Did they gather for worship and prayer?

G. Possibly it was a Sabbath and they gathered to worship and if they were not so hopeless they would sing, but instead we read, “Yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.” H. We see their tears, hear their sobs and feel their pain. I. It is bad enough to be away form home, but to be away against ones will, to be away form the place of worship is even worse. J. The captures also saw the tears. K. They were tears of nostalgia, of longing for Zion, or Jerusalem’s place of worship.

CONSIDER THESE THOUGHTS:

1. The river is not where they wanted to go. It was where sin took them. Sin will take us to places we do not want to be, and keep us longer than we want to stay, then taint us and say “sing.” 2. We all have our personal rivers of Babylon. It is not always sin that gets us there.

• This is the places in life that causes us pause. • We sit down, rub our chins, and wander what we are going to do. • You may not have been in this position recently. • Be thankful, but not presumptive, nor worried. • It could be just around the corner.

3. Beyond that, if the good things of God are lost we might as well sit down by a river and morn, at least for a moment, but hopefully we will get a glimpse of what is going on, and Who the answer is. Notice, I said Who the answer is and not what the answer is. For what ever the answer it is either Christ or in Christ. Otherwise it is not a real answer it is just a bandaid. 4. May we as individuals and as a nation turn our eyes and remember “Zion” the good things of God, and treasure them and never lose them. 5. May we remember and reside in the presence of God and His Christ rather than ending up captives by a distant river in tears of regret.

TRANSITION: So we see the destination of the captivity.

II. Second observe the resignation of the captives, Psalm 137:2.

Psalms 137:2 (KJV) We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.

A. In this verse is a strong hint that the captives have given up, resigned to their fate, their condition. B. It is in the words, “ we sat down,” and “we hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.” C. We are told in Ephesians and Colossians how we are to live.

Ephesians 5:19 (KJV) Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Colossians 3:16 (KJV) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

D. However, the people of Judah have hung up the musical instruments. E. For them there is no singing. F. For them there seems be no reason to make music. G. For them, they just resigned to the captures. H. They are truly in captivity. I. They are defeated, big time! J. Why should they not find themselves a big old willow and just hang up the harps? K. When it comes to life why not just hang it up? L. We can’t, just hang it up for Christ is on the throne of our hearts. M. May we continue to make music in our hearts when things are bad, when we are down and out, and when all seems lost. N. We have a great God and our Lord Jesus Christ that is worthy of glory and worship. O. Take down the harps. P. Tune up the instruments. Q. Break out the band. R. Rehearse the joyful song and sing. S. Let us make music fit for heaven. T. Let’s sing like angels are listening. U. Let’s sing like God is listening. V. For them, in the graciousness of God the music will return again, but for now there is no song, just harps hung on the willows. W. The music did return for a season according to Nehemiah.

Nehemiah 12:27 (KJV) And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, [with] cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.

X. Yes, the music returned for a season, but it should have never been lost. Y. God’s people should always have a song.

CONSIDER THESE THOUGHTS:

1. We are not captives because we come to the rivers of Babylon. We are only captives if we sit down and resign to the situations of life, its problems, its cares. 2. The rivers of Babylon are lonely streams. 3. God’s people should make beautiful music in all seasons of life, even in times of crisis. 4. As New Testament Christians we should never loss the song. 5. Do not resign to your adverse situation, worship, pray, sing and move on with Christ. 6. What ever you are doing for God before you arrived at the river, step it up. 7. Step up the worship. 8. Step up the singing. 9. Step up the praise life. 10. Step up the prayer life. 11. Step up the trust in God, His presence, His person, and His power. 12. Step up leaning on the Word. 13. Step up the “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.” 14. Get a new vision for what it is like to be in the blessed city of God, the valley of worship and praise.

Appeal:

1. Do you have a song today or have you lost the song? 2. Maybe you feel like you are about to loss the song? 3. I want to pray with you today. 4. Will you come????

(JWR)