Sunday 7 August 2016

Psalm 137 By the rivers of Babylon

Psalm 137

If you think there is a pop song from 1978 in the title, there is.
The song by Bony M was based on this Psalm.

Things in Israel and Judah have gone very badly wrong and the people have been deported forcibly, this Psalm expresses the sadness and anger of the deported refugees.

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.
There on the poplars we hung our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded songs of Joy.

How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land?

This Psalm is really quite bitter lamenting the end of Jerusalem, going so far as to declare that infanticide against Babylon would be a good thing, as they did it to Jerusalem.

Let me make a few things very clear here - these are my thoughts
The Bible is very clear that we should treat all people with dignity and respect, regardless of race, colour, religion, sexual orientation. Too many people are bitter from ill treatment (real or imagined) and lash out in acts of violence and terrorism.

Revenge is one of the motives given by terrorists "the west is killing Muslims in Iraq and Syria, so we attack the west in revenge" God claims vengeance for himself, and in my opinion he is far better qualified than I am!

The Bible is also very clear "Do not murder" 

When I am in a bad place - this Psalm shows me that you can present things to God with absolutely no holes barred, you can complain to God.


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