Harps In The Willows



Harps In The Willows

Psalm 137:1 – 4

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The Harp Dates back to days of Jubal, a descendant of Noah

Genesis 4:21

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The Israelites Hung Their Harps In The Willows

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1. The Singer

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2. The Song

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3. The Setting

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We Must Sing The Lord’s Song!

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Harps In The Willows

Psalm 137:1 – 4

Psalm 137:1-4

1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion.

2 We hung our harps Upon the willows in the midst of it.

3 For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, And those who plundered us requested mirth, Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

4 How shall we sing the Lord’S song In a foreign land?

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Introduction:

1) The Harp

- Large and Small (in arms)

- plucked instrument

- group of harps most soothing sound known to human ear of all stringed instruments

2) Dates back to days of Jubal, a descendant of Noah

Genesis 4:21 His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute.

3) Widely used in Jerusalem for worship, entertainment, and soothing

the nerves and emotions

4) Mainly, An instrument of praise.

5) David was known to be a proficient player of the harp.

- David was a warrior,

- one who could rip a lion and bear apart with his bear hands

- but he could play the harp.

- David was called by Saul to play the harp.

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6) In the text we see a group of people hurting, crushed, depressed, and

exiled away from the comforts of Jerusalem to a strange land where

the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers meet.

- People who were accustomed to praising and playing their harps.

- Now the Israelites have hung their harps in the branches of willow trees.

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--- Couple of things here....

1) They took time to hang their harps in the willow trees.

- They deliberately stopped.

- They intentionally quit playing their harps and singing.

2) They hung their Harps in the willows.

- Willows grow where there is water

- It was not a desert place

- It was a place they could survive

- They could have been content

...It just wasn't what they were used to

...It was a strange place…a different place…a new place

A. When asked to sing the Lord's song they reply, "How can we

sing in a strange land?”

B. The desire, the want to, the craving to praise the Lord had

been relegated to the branches of the willow trees.

- We don't like where we are.

- We don't like what has happened to us.

- We have lost our song and we refuse to sing.

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Some of you listening to me right now for a great part of your life you have been a worshipper, a praiser, one who glorified God with your hands, your feet, your mouth - but you have stopped. You have hung your harp in the willow trees.....

- Maybe you've lost your job,

- Maybe something has gone wrong at home,

- Maybe your health has declined,

- Maybe you just don't feel at ease - you feel like you are in a strange place.

You've let the enemy rob you of your song. And the harps of praise are hung in the willow trees of this world.

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1. The Singers

- These were God's chosen people.

- They were known for their praise.

- They were comfortable in their jubilation and celebration.

A. Even with all their murmuring, complaining, grumbling, and griping

there was one thing that always remained - their desire and ability to

praise God.

B. We see it when they cross the Red Sea. After Moses led them across

on dry ground they looked back across to see Pharaoh and his army

destroyed. The Bible says that Miriam (Moses' sister) grabbed her

tambourine and the other ladies and men joined her in jubilant praise

as they began to sing and dance before the Lord.

C. We see the Children of Israel praising God when David brings the

Ark of the Covenant (a representation of God’s presence) back to

Jerusalem.

- In front of the Ark is David the sovereign King stripped down to a loin cloth dancing and praising God.

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D. We see Israel praising God at the dedication of the temple that Solomon built.

- The glory of God filled the temple so that the priest could not minister and the people began to praise God with all their might.

No wonder the captors asked the Children of Israel to "sing us the Lord's song." - They knew they were singers and praisers.....

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When people come into Victorious Life they expect to here us "sing the Lord's song and praise and glorify Him."

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----- When we don’t - it's just like our text today.

----- We talk about praising and worshipping God when we don't feel

like it, when we are having a difficult time, or when times are bad - BUT we don't do it!

----- We as Pentecostals are famous for our worship and praise.

----- People want to hear us and see us praise Him.

----- Yet many have hung our harps in the willows of cares and

difficulties and stopped singing!!!

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2. The Song

A. Not just any song............"Sing us the Lord's Song"

- We've heard the melodies that come from Babylon and we

don't like it.

- We've heard the songs from Egypt and they don't satisfy.

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- They are shallow. They're meaningless. They don't stir us.

- We're hungry to hear a song of Zion.

B. It's not my song

▪ It's not your song

▪ It's not just some good melody

▪ It's not just a music chart with a good rhythm or beat:

IT'S THE LORD'S SONG.....

- If it were my song I could choose whether I would sing or not. I could hang my harp on the willow if I choose to.

- But it's HIS Song - We MUST sing it.

o Whether we want to or not.

o Whether we like it or not.

o Whether I feel like it or not!

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1) There are all kinds of songs being sung today. The world has every

kind of melody from classical to rap but they don't satisfy.

2) The world needs to hear what a song from the Lord sounds like.

3) This World doesn't have it…

...Politics doesn't have it …Pleasure…

...Sports ... ...Social clubs...

...Hollywood... ...Religion...

...Nashville...

3) We – the True Church - are the only ones who have the Lord’s Song

…if we don't sing it – it won't get sung.

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3. The Setting

A. These Children of Israel indicated that in Jerusalem they would have no problem playing and singing.

B. We can't sing in this strange place, they declared.

C. You may be in a strange place today....

• Your situation may tell you - don't sing...

• Pressures may seem more than you can bear...

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1) Paul & Silas in the Philippi prison had no encouragement to

sing...

- Everything they saw said don't sing...

- ………………...felt................

- ………………...knew...........

- ……………....had went through…………...

o But the Bible says that about midnight Paul and Silas began to sing praises to God. They took their harps out of the jail house willow tree - off of the shackles on their hands and feet - off their bleeding backs from the beatings they had received - and began to play and sing.

[No wonder Paul declared in his letters to the Ephesians and Colossians to sing spiritual songs and make melody in your heart....]

2) Everything you are going through may be saying "Don't sing."

3) You may be going through discouragement....

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The Disciples were discouraged!

- They had seen Jesus accused falsely, crucified, and placed in a tomb.

BUT on the Day of Ascension

- They took their harps off the willow tree of discouragement and began declaring the song of the Lord.

- They didn't care if they were beaten, stoned, hanged, crucified, or beheaded...

- They didn’t get comfortable here

- They were looking for a city whose builder and maker was God like Abraham.

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Conclusion:

The setting today is not much better…

1) In the midst of difficult times what you need to do is take your spiritual harps off the willow trees of this world and begin to sing the Lord’s Song.

- Whether it is in the jail house with your son or daughter

- Whether it is in the unemployment line

- Whether it’s under the hood or your worn out car

- Whether it’s in the hospital or doctors office

- Even if it’s a day of somber sorrow

- Even if it’s in a place where you’re all alone

- Whether your friends do or not

- Whether others around you are praising God or not:

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SING THE LORD’S SONG ANYWAY…..

If you’ve got money, Praise Him – If you don’t have money, Praise Him

…………got friends…………...-…………don’t have friends

…………are well………………-…………are sick

If everybody knows you……….- If nobody knows who you are……

……drive a Mercedes………….-…..drive a worn out pick-up truck……

……eat T-Bone steak………….- ….eat Spam…..

……wear Tommy Hilfigere……- ….wear Value World specials…….

…....live in Hollywood Hills….. - ….single wide acres….

If you’ve been a Christian 60 years….- … Christian 6 days………

………………… 75 years old……… - …… 17 years old………

If you’re Anglo Praise Him

...Hispanic....African American...Asian…Peruvian...Haitian…have breath

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Don’t hang your harp in the willows of this world…

- Get up

- Take them down

- Start Singing The Lord’s Song

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3 Things: 1) The Singers

2) The Song

3) The Setting

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