Psalms 137

Subdivision 4. (Psalms 137:1-9; Psalms 138:1-8; Psalms 139:1-24; Psalms 140:1-13; Psalms 141:1-10; Psalms 142:1-7; Psalms 143:1-12; Psalms 144:1-15; Psalms 145:1-21.)The testing of man and things, which makes Jehovah all. After the realization of the blessing in this manner, we come in the fourth subdivision finally to the consideration once again of the vanity of the creature apart from God, as, alas, man has been, -the cause of all his sorrows. Now that he may be blessed, and abide in blessing, he must accept fully the creature-place, which is not a bad but a good and happy one, seeing that his Creator is good. And the voice that affirms this in the last psalm of this series, if it be, as it seems to be, Messiah’s (the true “David’s) praise” is indeed a conclusive -a glorious -voucher for it. But man must keep this place, then; and thus it is that so earnestly, so perseveringly, the truth, so unwelcome to his pride, must be pressed upon him. Section 1. (Psalms 137:1-9; Psalms 138:1-8; Psalms 139:1-24.)“Truth, in the inward parts.” Thus we face in the opening psalm that which branded those, hitherto the people of God, as Lo-ammi, “not my people:” the only psalm which speaks openly of Babel. There, in the place of judgment, however, the heart is turned to God, and the deliverance of the lowly -of those truly humbled before God -is found in the very next one. The third shows us now one searched out and manifested to himself in the presence of God, and his heart taught to welcome the searching. Here the holiness of God becomes to him truly a delight, and he would put the ban; not merely upon Edom or Babylon, but upon all in himself that could be found in opposition to him. The first section shows very clearly the character of the whole. It gives the fundamental thought, though there is naturally an advance in those that follow, but only as building upon this foundation. “Truth in the inward parts” is what is very clearly the subject of the section: a blessed thing to know in absolute reality. The lips of unerring truth have said, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

Psalms 137:1-9

Zion the one controlling object for the heart of the solitary (as cut off from Jehovah’s presence.)

1. In the first psalm, then; here, as already said, we are with the captives in Babylon. The plenteous streams that once enriched with unfailing fertility “the glory of the Chaldee’s excellency” are before their eyes only to remind them that they are far from Zion; and to minister to the awful home-sickness of men who realized, as Jews alone could do, what it was to be cut off from the one place of the presence of God. How unutterable the loneliness, amid crowds that might press around them; of such a condition. There then they sat down -all labor a vain labor there! -to weep as their unflagging memories called up before them the image of Zion. Estranged from joy, they hung their harps upon the willows, in resolute denial of the request of those who had carried them captive for “words of song,” -mere “words” they would be, without music now, -` saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion."
2. What could they know -these heathen -of “Jehovah’s songs,” or the reproach which they would ring with, to the people of God (alas, such no longer) gone as captives into a strange land? In Jerusalem alone could the blood of atonement -and “without shedding of blood is no remission” -be sprinkled upon the golden mercy-seat, that a holy God might dwell among the praises of His people. It was but a waste spot now; yet there with inseparable attachment their hearts lingered. Their right hand might well forget, if Jerusalem were forgotten. The tongue might cleave to the roof of the mouth that exalted not Jerusalem above every other object of joy.
3. There is no mention of their sins, however, in all this, -no confession. It is the desolation of those who are away from the place of Jehovah’s manifestation; with the prayer only for judgment upon their enemies, who have destroyed or sympathized with the destruction of the home of their affections, in language from which the Christian naturally shrinks. But Edom and Babylon are both doomed by the prophets to extinction as a people; and to this doom of the latter there is distinct reference made here. Judgment is God’s strange work: we may be sure, a necessary one; and the solemn part which God has made His people sometimes take in it, as in the case of the nations of Canaan; has doubtless its deep necessity also. Calamities involve commonly enough babes as well as parents; while, of course, they are but the short and passing evils, which leave the eternity following to make up the balance-sheet.