Pray Thru the Bible

God Speaks

137 ¹ Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept
    as we thought of Jerusalem.
² We put away our harps,
    hanging them on the branches of poplar trees.
³ For our captors demanded a song from us.
    Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn:
    “Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!”
⁴ But how can we sing the songs of the Lord
    while in a pagan land?

⁵ If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
    let my right hand forget how to play the harp.
⁶ May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
    if I fail to remember you,
    if I don’t make Jerusalem my greatest joy.

⁷ O Lord, remember what the Edomites did
    on the day the armies of Babylon captured Jerusalem.
“Destroy it!” they yelled.
    “Level it to the ground!”
⁸ O Babylon, you will be destroyed.
    Happy is the one who pays you back
    for what you have done to us.
⁹ Happy is the one who takes your babies
    and smashes them against the rocks!

138 A psalm of David.

¹ I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart;
    I will sing your praises before the gods.
² I bow before your holy Temple as I worship.
    I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness;
for your promises are backed
    by all the honor of your name.
³ As soon as I pray, you answer me;
    you encourage me by giving me strength.

⁴ Every king in all the earth will thank you, Lord,
    for all of them will hear your words.
⁵ Yes, they will sing about the Lord’s ways,
    for the glory of the Lord is very great.
⁶ Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble,
    but he keeps his distance from the proud.

⁷ Though I am surrounded by troubles,
    you will protect me from the anger of my enemies.
You reach out your hand,
    and the power of your right hand saves me.
⁸ The Lord will work out his plans for my life—
    for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.
    Don’t abandon me, for you made me.

Source: New Living Translation: BibleGateway.com

We Respond

Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding Psalms 137 and 138: 

1. What does this psalm tell me about God?

2. What does this psalm tell me about the human beings He created?

Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.  

Psalm 137

1. Although He may not approve, God knows and understands the emotions of abused people. 

2. People can bring all of their thoughts and feelings to God, even the negative ones. He knows them anyway.

Psalm 138

1. God created everything and everyone, and He cares for, protects, comforts, and encourages those who draw near to Him in worship, praise, and thanksgiving.  

2. People can and should thank, praise, worship, honor, listen to, submit to, and sing to the LORD.

Prayer:

3. How might I pray regarding Psalms 137 and 138?  

O Great God and Creator of the universe and everything in it, thank You for being with me in the most trying of circumstances. Thank You for knowing and understanding my feelings even when You may not approve. I am most grateful for Your presence and comfort. I know that You will deal appropriately with my oppressors either in this life or in eternity. I leave judgment and vengeance to You. Because of what Jesus accomplished through His death on the cross, I know that I will experience being in Your presence, either in the earthly Jerusalem or the heavenly one or both. LORD God, I give You thanks with all my heart. There are no other gods to compare with You. Your unfailing love and faithfulness merits my highest praise and worship. You quickly and faithfully answer my prayers with strength and encouragement. Even kings and other dignitaries who hear of Your words and Your ways give You glory. You care for the humble but reject the proud, those who rely own themselves and their own merit. You protect me from the anger of my enemies, and Your powerful right arm saves me from my foes. Your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever, and You promise to never abandon me. I can and will trust You forever. AMEN    

Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)

4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Psalms 137 and 138?

• I will bring my troubles as well as my joys to the LORD.
• I will honestly express my frustrations and other negative emotions to the LORD and trust Him to deal with them as He sees fit.
• I will thank the LORD in the presence of others for all Christ has done on my behalf.
• I will not seek vengeance against those who have hurt me in some way but trust the LORD to deal appropriately with them now or in eternity.

Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.