A Strange Land

“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?” Psalm 137:1-4

As the Israelites’ hearts ached to return to their homeland, their Babylonian captors asked them to provide some entertainment. The Babylonians asked the Israelites to sing some of the songs of Zion. Israel’s capitol city, Jerusalem, was built on Mount Zion; and references to Zion often implied the temple of God that King Solomon had built there. The Israelite songbook was filled with songs of joy and praise that focused on the power and goodness of God. The Israelites had refused to obey God’s laws for many years and, as a result, God had allowed them to be taken into captivity. Their homes had been burned, the walls of the city had been torn down, and the temple had been destroyed. They said, “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” If they sang the songs about God’s power and might, it would bring up the question of why they were in captivity. Was it because the Babylonians were stronger than the God of Israel, or because they had disobeyed God’s commands? The former was a reproach upon God and the latter was an embarrassment to themselves. We serve a powerful God. When we obey His commands, we will enjoy His blessings, and that gives us a reason to sing His praises.