Psalm 137:1-9 “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows in that land, we hung up our harps. For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs. Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy: ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’ How can we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land? If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill. Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you, if I don’t prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy. Remember, LORD, against the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem, who said, ‘Raze it! Raze it even to its foundation!’ Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, he will be happy who repays you, as you have done to us. Happy shall he be, who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock.”

It sounds horrible to our modern ears, but some of that is due to our misunderstanding. “Little ones” refers to relationship rather than age. While it can refer to the very young, it can also refer to grown children. Here the Israelites are being forced to recount their homeland to their captors, and the younger generation of their captors is turning out to be just as cruel as their parents. They don’t want to do it, but they don’t want to forget either. They ask for God to avenge them against all their enemies. The ones enacting vengeance are “blessed” or “happy,” depending on how you translate the word. If “blessed” is the appropriate translation, then they are blessed because they are doing God’s work by punishing the nation that put His people into captivity. If they are “happy” then that’s more a description that reveals their character than a declaration of how we should be. This is an “imprecatory” psalm, because God’s people are crying out to God for His judgment on their enemies. It’s a reminder that it’s okay to want evil to be punished, but we also need to be careful not to turn into the very thing we despise.

For additional worship: O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Psalm 136: 23-26 “who remembered us in our low estate, for his loving kindness endures forever; and has delivered us from our adversaries, for his loving kindness endures forever; who gives food to every creature, for his loving kindness endures forever. Oh give thanks to the God of heaven, for his loving kindness endures forever.”

Just as with Israel, God remembers us in our lowly sinful estate, delivers us from the adversaries of sin, Satan, and death, and provides for us in this life. Oh give thanks to the God of heaven, for his loving kindness endures forever!

I Corinthians 15:53-56 “But when this perishable body will have become imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

For additional worship: Love Came Down at Christmas

Psalm 136:10-22 “to him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn, for his loving kindness endures forever; and brought out Israel from amongst them, for his loving kindness endures forever; with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, for his loving kindness endures forever; to him who divided the Red Sea apart, for his loving kindness endures forever; and made Israel to pass through the middle of it, for his loving kindness endures forever; but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for his loving kindness endures forever; to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his loving kindness endures forever; to him who struck great kings, for his loving kindness endures forever; and killed mighty kings, for his loving kindness endures forever; Sihon king of the Amorites, for his loving kindness endures forever; Og king of Bashan, for his loving kindness endures forever; and gave their land as an inheritance, for his loving kindness endures forever; even a heritage to Israel his servant, for his loving kindness endures forever”

The whole point of this section is to recount how God, through His loving kindness, brought His people out of slavery and led them to the land He promised to give them. And not only that, He watched over them, protected them, and ensured that they would enter into their inheritance. Just like He does with us!

John 10:27-29 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”

For additional worship: Great and Precious Promises (Susan Ashton)

Psalm 136:1-9 “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his loving kindness endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his loving kindness endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his loving kindness endures forever; to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his loving kindness endures forever; to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his loving kindness endures forever; to him who made the great lights, for his loving kindness endures forever; the sun to rule by day, for his loving kindness endures forever; the moon and stars to rule by night, for his loving kindness endures forever…”

The point of this Psalm is to praise God for His loving kindness (which endures forever!) and the Psalmist gives us various examples of His mercy and grace. The first example is God’s loving kindness expressed through the making of creation. Note that He made creation by His “understanding.” Who knows more than God? Which is why we should trust and adore Him!

Romans 11:33 “Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past tracing out!”

For additional worship: Indescribable

Psalm 135:15-21 “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they can’t speak. They have eyes, but they can’t see. They have ears, but they can’t hear, neither is there any breath in their mouths. Those who make them will be like them, yes, everyone who trusts in them. House of Israel, praise the LORD! House of Aaron, praise the LORD! House of Levi, praise the LORD! You who fear the LORD, praise the LORD! Blessed be the LORD from Zion, who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!”

You may think that you’re too sophisticated to trust in idols. But do you realize that anything you put before God in your life is an idol?

Colossians 3:5 “Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

Staying away from idolatry can be difficult, but praise can help. When we give God the praise He deserves, and recognize His place in our lives, and put our trust in Him, we’ll be well on our way to getting any idols off the throne of our hearts!

For additional worship: Christ be Magnified

Psalm 135:8-14 “He struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and animal. He sent signs and wonders into the middle of you, Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his servants. He struck many nations, and killed mighty kings— Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan— and gave their land for a heritage, a heritage to Israel, his people. Your name, LORD, endures forever; your renown, LORD, throughout all generations. For the LORD will judge his people and have compassion on his servants.”

God’s sovereignty and work of protection continue to be praised. He vindicates (“judges”) and has compassion on His people. His name continues to be exalted from one generation to another for what He has done for them!

Just as Israel was dependent on God for its position and blessing, so are we. All that we have; all that we are; all that we can do; all that we can be; it’s all because of God. We experience both his vindication and compassion because of our eternal inheritance through Jesus. The Holy Spirit is our down payment, and through the Spirit we experience the gifting, filling, and fruits that lead to abundant life!

Titus 3:4-7 “But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love towards mankind appeared, not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior; that being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

For additional worship: Compassion Hymn

Psalm 135:1-7 “Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD’s name! Praise him, you servants of the LORD, you who stand in the LORD’s house, in the courts of our God’s house. Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good. Sing praises to his name, for that is pleasant. For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel for his own possession. For I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the LORD pleased, that he has done, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps. He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings with the rain. He brings the wind out of his treasuries.”

The Lord is good. The Lord chooses. The Lord protects. The Lord is great. The Lord is God alone. The Lord is omnipotent. The Lord creates. The Lord sustains. Of course we should praise Him! And it should bring us joy when we do.

Ephesians 1:3-6 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love, having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved.”

Ephesians 5:18-20 “Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always concerning all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father”

For additional worship: God of Wonders

Psalm 134:1-3 “A Song of Ascents. Look! Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the LORD’s house! Lift up your hands in the sanctuary. Praise the LORD! May the LORD bless you from Zion, even he who made heaven and earth.”

As they head towards Jerusalem to worship, their thoughts go toward those who are standing guard in the temple precincts. “How much greater will your service be if you worship and praise while you’re there? How much more will you be blessed by the God of Zion!?!”

It’s a reminder to us to use idle moments in our lives and find a way to get closer to God during them. Singing in the car. Listening to Scripture while we walk. Praying in the doctor’s office! Insert your own!

For additional worship: Psalm 134 (Poor Bishop Hooper)