Psalm 137:6

Psalm 137:6

The God who never forsakes His people

Strong words these aren’t they? The author is suggesting that his tongue should become glued to the roof of his mouth if he failed to remember the Lord and the joys of Jerusalem. In other words, he would prefer to be dumb! Notice that the only comfort this man and his contemporaries had, were their memories. In their view God was 750 miles away, for that was the distance from Babylon to Jerusalem. What this shows us is that the Jews had become over-dependent on their religion, on their temple, on the Holy City and all the rites and regulations that were integral to their faith, they had no concept of a God who remained with them and who was still watching over them. As previously mentioned, Daniel understood this as did his friends, Shadrach, Meshak and Abednego. For these men God was not confined to a place or to a time, He was always present with those who worshipped and obeyed Him.

Here is a vital lesson, if we need to go to a place, a building, an altar or we need some kind of religious icon to find God, then we are deceived. He is omnipresent, as David famously asks in Psalm 139:7, “Where can I go from Your spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?” God is with us by His Spirit and He remains with us when we lie down in green pastures or by still waters and also when we walk through the valley of death or darkness. (Psalm 23). We are starting to see that the author of this Psalm 137 is slightly misguided for he had no concept of an omnipresent God, although we have sympathy with his sadness and loss. Perhaps those of us who have inherited the joys of God’s heavenly Zion are the only ones who are aware that it can never be lost. Shortly after introducing us to this prospect in Hebrews 12 the Lord makes a remarkable promise to those who have faith in Him, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) Hallelujah!