The Lord’s Song

There we hung up our lyres on the poplar trees, for our captors there asked us for songs, and our tormentors, for rejoicing: “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” —Psalm 137:2–3

The Jews were a singing people but in Psalm 137 they had lost their song. Between the memory of Zion, their captivity in Babylon, and the reminder that this was a result of their sin, they didn’t feel like singing anymore.

It’s hard to sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land, but it’s not impossible. Even in a foreign land, God can give us a song to sing. And when we choose to sing it, our faith is strengthened.

When we sing, something else happens as well. Not only is our faith bolstered but we make the gospel believable to those who are citizens of that land.

Only those who belong to Christ can truly sing the Lord’s song—especially when things are hard! Someone may be able to mouth the words to hymns, choruses, and praise songs, but you can’t really sing the Lord’s song if He isn’t first in your heart.