Psalm 137
By the rivers of Babylon—
there we sat down and there we wept
when we remembered Zion.
On the willows there
we hung up our harps.
For there our captors
asked us for songs,
and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying,
‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’
there we sat down and there we wept
when we remembered Zion.
On the willows there
we hung up our harps.
For there our captors
asked us for songs,
and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying,
‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’
How could we sing the Lord’s song
in a foreign land?
If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
let my right hand wither!
Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth,
if I do not remember you,
if I do not set Jerusalem
above my highest joy.
This Psalm was written when the people of Israel were in exile in Babylon. They knew that Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians and they did not know whether they would ever be able to go home.
The promise of the prophets to them was that God would lead them home eventually.
Isaiah's well known words famously set by Handel in "The Messiah" announces to them that the time has come. His words are echoed in the prophecy of John the Baptist, who announces that Jesus is a new way to God, and that the home God wants to create for all people can be found in him.
"Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God." Isaiah 40.1-4
Isaiah's well known words famously set by Handel in "The Messiah" announces to them that the time has come. His words are echoed in the prophecy of John the Baptist, who announces that Jesus is a new way to God, and that the home God wants to create for all people can be found in him.
- Do you think that anything can really change in the world, or in yourself?
- What encouragement would you need to believe that things could be different?
What a lovely surprise to find today's thoughts include a super recording of "Comfort ye my people" from Handel's 'Messiah'. For over 20 years my dad read this passage in the Nine Lessons Carol Service - and he absolutely loved it. Thanks Anne for this series - it's certainly set me thinking - and the choice of music and poetry etc has been first class.
ReplyDeleteVery glad you are enjoying it. I always think that this aria from "Messiah" does exactly what it says on the tin, so to speak. It is somehow a very comforting and encouraging pairing of words and music in itself.
ReplyDelete