Singing The Songs Of Zion In The Midst Of Your Captivity.
Can you sing the Lord song in the midst of your trials?
During the captivity of Judah by the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, the prophet Ezekiel sat among the captives by the river Chebar where he saw a vision of God on His throne descending to earth.
No doubt Ezekiel was part of the captive Jews who was in great distress regarding their plight. According to Psalms 137, the Jews wept bitterly when they remembered their freedom in Zion.
Their masters tried to console them by asking them to sing one of their songs of Zion. However, the Jews were overwhelmed with grief and said,
How shall we sing the Lord‘s song in a strange land? (Psalms 137:4)
Instead of singing, the Jews hang their harps in the willows of the trees and lamented.
They refused to sing the Lord song in the midst of their captivity in a strange land even though the memory of their beloved Jerusalem would never be removed from their hearts.
This was a stark contrast to the response of Paul and Silas to their imprisonment in Phillipi, Macedonia.
Instead of weeping and wailing like their forefathers long ago in Babylon, they prayed and sang hymns to God all night.
Their torn stinging flesh, the iron shackles and stocks could not prevent Paul and Silas from singing the songs of Zion in a strange, damp, dark and smelly prison cell.
Their voices rang out so loud in the middle of the night that the other prisoners heard and listened.
Paul and Silas melodious praise reached the heart of God who sent an earthquake to break open the prison door and loosen their chains.

Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. (Psalms 32:7)
Paul and Silas praise to God in the midst of their persecution created a great revival in the prison that even the prison Jailor was saved that night. (See Acts 16).
This was a demonstration of the power of praise in the midst of your captivity.
In the midst of your trials, continue to sing the songs of Zion and watch as the chains of your burden falls off and you are delivered and set free.
Hallelujah! Glory to God!
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
3 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.
4 How shall we sing the Lord‘s song in a strange land?
5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
7 Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. (Psalms 137)
The sacrifice of praise, that’s how I see it. It isn’t always easy yet we can do it! God help us!
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Yes, indeed it is a sacrifice of praise. God honors this sacrifice.
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Great contrast Beverley. I had never thought of that before. Thank you for that insight. I must remember this.
Blessings,
Homer Les
http://www.uncompromisingfaith.ca
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While I was reading the Psalms I immediately thought of Paul and Silas. What a difference! Thanks for reading and sharing.
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Like the contrast between Israel’s response and Paul’s. The joy we express in the midst of our sorrows is a witness to the power of God in our life.
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Amen to that. Only Jesus in our hearts can give us joy in tribulation. Thank you for sharing.
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Beautiful!
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Thank you and God bless you.
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Very good lesson.
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Yes it is. Great lesson for us to live by.
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I really needed this message today! I felt the Holy Spirit throughout this message. I just sat at my desk and cried. Thank you for letting the Lord continue to use you for his kingdom! Many blessings to you my sister!!!
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To God be the glory my dear sister. It has also blessed me tremendously when I read the psalms and felt the agony of those people who could not praise in their rough times. But, the Lord Jesus Christ has put a praise in our hearts that no matter what we can release it in times of distress. May God continue to bless you my sister.
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My Mom taught me by example how to praise God in the midst of a storm. We all need this reminder. Very timely for me. Thank you for sharing!
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Yes indeed. In tough situation we have to learn to sing the song of Zion and don’t give up and die. Have a blessed week.
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