In The Word
Read: Psalm 137, 138
137 By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down and wept,
When we remembered Zion.
2 Upon the willows in the midst of it
We hung our harps.
3 For there our captors demanded of us songs,
And our tormentors, jubilation, saying,
“Sing for us one of the songs of Zion!”
4 How can we sing the Lord’s song
In a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, Jerusalem,
May my right hand forget its skill.
6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
If I do not remember you,
If I do not exalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.
7 Remember, Lord, against the sons of Edom
The day of Jerusalem,
Those who said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare
To its foundation!”
8 Daughter of Babylon, you devastated one,
Blessed will be one who repays you
With the retribution with which you have repaid us.
9 Blessed will be one who seizes and dashes your children
Against the rock.
138 I will give You thanks with all my heart;
I will sing Your praises before the gods.
2 I will bow down toward Your holy temple
And give thanks to Your name for Your mercy and Your truth;
For You have made Your word great according to all Your name.
3 On the day I called, You answered me;
You made me bold with strength in my soul.
4 All the kings of the earth will give thanks to You, Lord,
When they have heard the words of Your mouth.
5 And they will sing of the ways of the Lord,
For great is the glory of the Lord.
6 For the Lord is exalted,
Yet He looks after the lowly,
But He knows the haughty from afar.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will reach out with Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
8 The Lord will accomplish what concerns me;
Your faithfulness, Lord, is everlasting;
Do not abandon the works of Your hands.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
What a contrast of two psalms: one written in the time of Babylonian captivity, and the second by David when he was threatened by his enemies but was delivered by God. Sometimes, I try to imagine our country overthrown as Israel was by Babylon. For the past few months, we have read in Jeremiah; now, we have read Ezekiel and how devastating it can be for a country to be annihilated by another nation. We who live America could never imagine such a thing; neither could Israel, a nation chosen by God. The second psalm is written to express thanksgiving for the continued protection from David’s enemies. David was fully aware of God’s protective hand upon him and gave thanks.
One thing we have learned in our reading of David’s psalms is his continued dependence on God. His continued prayer and relationship with God (Psalm 138:1-2), his thankfulness for past deliverance, and his prayer for future troubles all demonstrate his dependence on God. Many of us forget this when we are going through troubles. We get so wrapped up in the problem that we forget to ask for assistance from God. Sometimes, we know we’re there because of our own doing and are embarrassed to ask for help. That never stopped David; his whole life was a life of prayer. Even after his failure with Bathsheba, the confrontation with Nathan and God’s verdict, he continued to seek God’s face for repentance. Ask God to give you a heart like David’s, a heart after God. God is never troubled by our continued requests and problems. He is waiting to assist you in whatever situation you are in. Know this: that you are continually on God’s mind. Now, begin to thank Him for loving you!