Weeping. Tears. Psalm 137 begins with tears. “Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem. We put away our harps, hanging them on the branches of poplar trees. For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn: ‘Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!’” Psalm 137:1-3.
The Relevant Question
This verse asks a question relevant for all Christans in today’s world: How are we supposed to praise You here in this situation, God? How do we sing of Your wonders and praise in this?
Have you ever asked yourself that question? Have you ever felt that tension? Especially in a situation where someone has done you wrong.
Like the reality of Psalm 137, we also live in realities that compete against each other. We have the new, the redemption, the grace and mercy Jesus has purchased for us, but we also have this daily life that has struggle and pain. We have amazing, life-changing promises from God that lead to instant praise and thanks. But we have situations so horrific and bleak and sad that we can barely keep walking forward.
How do we sing your praises, Lord in this situation? Where terrorists murder 152 children? Where racism divides, where governments commit brutality, and those against God get more and more? How do we sing Your song here, Lord?
From the Depths
“How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!” Psalm 137:4-6.
“Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, ‘Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!’ O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us! Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!”Psalm 137:7-9.
How honest do you allow yourself to be before God? Do you bring ugly emotions to God? What about dark thoughts or sad feelings? What about white hot anger? Anger that we shouldn’t have?
I think many of us don’t process our emotions, and especially our wrong emotions with God. We hold on to those feelings or we simply don’t pray at all when we sense God would not be pleased with what we are feeling.
Psalm 137 reflects on the horrific experience of invasion, brutality that the Psalmist went through. He saw children killed, homes burned, people brutalized all around him as the Babylonian armies attacked, defeated, and looted Jerusalem. The Psalmist is expressing his rage at what was done and his anger and hatred toward the invaders.
Just to make sure we’re clear: The presence of these verses here don’t give permission or say it’s OK to enact this kind of violence.
What is key here is that he is expressing his rage to God, in His presence and processing an anger that controls him. The psalmist isn’t vowing to take justice into his own hands. He’s bringing his request for justice to God–he knows God is the only one who can and should be the ultimate judge.
Final Thoughts
What should we do with our anger when we have been wronged? Let us come to God and ask Him to teach us as we learn to come to Him with the whole picture of who we are and all that is not the way it should be.
