In this week’s study from Tehillim / Psalms 137:1-9, the psalm opens saying א עַל-נַהֲרוֹת | בָּבֶל שָׁם יָשַׁבְנוּ גַּם-בָּכִינוּ בְּזָכְרֵנוּ אֶת-צִיּוֹן: 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept, When we remembered Zion. (NASB) Sin always comes back to bite us in the back even after having repented, we must bear the consequences of our sins. The Psalmist states, ב עַל-עֲרָבִים בְּתוֹכָהּ תָּלִינוּ כִּנֹּרוֹתֵינוּ: ג כִּי שָׁם שְׁאֵלוּנוּ שׁוֹבֵינוּ דִּבְרֵי-שִׁיר וְתוֹלָלֵינוּ שִֹמְחָה שִׁירוּ לָנוּ מִשִּׁיר צִיּוֹן: 137:2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps. 137:3 For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion.’(NASB) Why do you think the Babylonian captors requested songs from Zion? Their captors probably saw their sorrow, were they asking to help them to remember the promises of God for encouragement? Or, were they asking so to grind in the idea they are their captors and are to do as they request? Read more here: Tehillim 137-Part1
