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RAMBLING: What Song Are You Singing?

By tBy he rivers of Babylon, we sat down and cried

as we remembered Zion.

Psalms 137:1 (GW)

Boney M. - Rivers of Babylon -

How could a people, chosen by God for His own become so embroiled in the affairs of this world. I want to say "sinful world" but its not the World that's sinful but mankind whom God placed on this earth to care for it. When God's people, now as then, disobeyed Him there were (and are) consequences. In ancient Israel they were taken into captivity, placed in a strange land away from their homes now in ruins, from loved ones who were left behind some even having suffered greatly. All that was dear and near to them was no more. As they sat on the banks of this foreign river their captors sneeringly taunted them to sing one of their Hebrew songs.
But how could they sing when they were filled with despair, loneliness, shame and guilt? Their hearts were broken their spirits were crushed. Sing? Sing what?

2 We hung our lyres on willow trees.

3 It was there that those who had captured us demanded that we sing.

Those who guarded us wanted us to entertain them.

{They said,} “Sing a song from Zion for us!”

Psalms 137:2-3 (GW)

4 How could we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, Jerusalem,

let my right hand forget {how to play the lyre}.

6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth

if I don't remember you,

if I don't consider Jerusalem my highest joy.

Psalms 137:4-6 (GW)

They thought not only of their homes, loved ones, the land that had been their inheritance but their centre of worship, the place where God Himself dwealt, their holy city, the City of David - and they wept more bitterly, clinging to oneanother seeking some comfort - searching for a re-newal of their hope and faith.

7 O Lord, remember the people of Edom.

Remember what they did the day Jerusalem {was captured}.

They said, “Tear it down! Tear it down to its foundation.”

8 You destructive people of Babylon,

blessed is the one who pays you back

with the same treatment you gave us.

9 Blessed is the one who grabs your little children

and smashes them against a rock.

Psalms 137:7-9 (GW)
Realizing their sins and accepting their judgement they sought forgiveness and judgement upon those who mocked God, holding Him in contempt. Their judgement they seek upon their enemies was harsh and bitter, they see now how they had let ungodliness influence their lives. The ones they once were a part of now they see their errors and for some it would be too late to acknowledge their sins and to repent, turning back to God.

We need to learn a lesson from the past, heed the warnings should we choose to follow the broad beaten road that leads us away from God. Should we allow ourselves to be led into captivity? What song would we sing?

RAMBLING: What Song Are You Singing?

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