May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my greatest joy! May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouthThis phrase is a vivid expression of self-imprecation, a solemn vow that underscores the seriousness of the psalmist's commitment. In Hebrew, the word for "tongue" is "לָשׁוֹן" (lashon), which often symbolizes speech and communication. The imagery of the tongue clinging to the roof of the mouth suggests a state of silence or inability to speak, which in ancient Near Eastern culture, would be a severe consequence for someone who fails to fulfill a vow. This reflects the deep emotional and spiritual connection the psalmist has with Jerusalem, emphasizing the importance of remembering and honoring the holy city. if I do not remember you
The act of remembering in Hebrew, "זָכַר" (zakar), goes beyond mere mental recall; it involves a conscious, deliberate act of bringing something to mind with the intention of acting upon it. In the context of the psalm, "you" refers to Jerusalem, the spiritual and cultural heart of the Jewish people. The psalmist's vow to remember Jerusalem highlights the centrality of the city in Jewish identity and faith, especially during the Babylonian exile when the physical connection to the city was severed. This remembrance is not passive but active, calling for a continual acknowledgment of Jerusalem's significance. if I do not exalt Jerusalem
To "exalt" in Hebrew is "עָלָה" (alah), which means to lift up or elevate. This phrase indicates the psalmist's intention to place Jerusalem above all else in terms of importance and reverence. Jerusalem, as the city of God, holds a unique place in the hearts of the Israelites. It is not just a physical location but a symbol of God's presence, promises, and the center of worship. The psalmist's commitment to exalt Jerusalem reflects a deep-seated devotion and prioritization of spiritual values over worldly concerns. as my greatest joy
The Hebrew word for "joy" is "שִׂמְחָה" (simchah), which conveys a sense of gladness and delight. By declaring Jerusalem as his greatest joy, the psalmist is expressing an intense emotional attachment and a profound sense of fulfillment derived from the city. This joy is not merely personal but communal, as Jerusalem represents the collective hope and future of the Jewish people. In a conservative Christian perspective, this joy can be seen as a foreshadowing of the ultimate joy found in the heavenly Jerusalem, the eternal city of God, where believers will experience the fullness of God's presence and glory. Persons / Places / Events 1. BabylonThe place of exile for the Israelites, representing a time of sorrow and longing for their homeland. 2. JerusalemThe holy city, central to Jewish identity and worship, symbolizing spiritual and cultural heritage. 3. The ExileThe period when the Israelites were taken captive to Babylon, a significant event in Jewish history that led to deep reflection and longing for return. 4. The PsalmistThe author of the psalm, expressing deep emotional and spiritual longing for Jerusalem. 5. ZionAnother name for Jerusalem, often used to denote the spiritual and eternal city of God. Teaching Points The Importance of RemembranceRemembering God's past works and promises is crucial for maintaining faith and hope during difficult times. The Centrality of JerusalemFor the Israelites, Jerusalem was not just a physical city but a symbol of God's presence and promises. In our lives, we should identify and cherish what represents God's presence to us. The Power of WorshipExalting God and His purposes should be our greatest joy, even amidst trials and exile-like experiences. Guarding Our SpeechThe psalmist's vow about his tongue highlights the importance of aligning our words with our faith and values. Longing for RestorationJust as the Israelites longed for Jerusalem, we should cultivate a longing for spiritual renewal and the fulfillment of God's promises. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the historical context of the Babylonian exile enhance our understanding of the psalmist's longing for Jerusalem? 2. In what ways can we "remember" and "exalt" our spiritual heritage in our daily lives? 3. How does the concept of Jerusalem as a symbol of God's presence apply to the modern Christian experience? 4. What practical steps can we take to ensure that our speech reflects our commitment to God, as seen in the psalmist's vow? 5. How can the hope of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 inspire us to live faithfully in our current circumstances? Connections to Other Scriptures Lamentations 1This chapter describes the desolation of Jerusalem, echoing the sorrow and longing expressed in Psalm 137. Nehemiah 1Nehemiah's prayer and mourning for Jerusalem reflect the same deep connection and desire for the city's restoration. Isaiah 62This passage speaks of the future glory of Jerusalem, providing hope and a vision for the city's exaltation. Revelation 21The New Jerusalem is depicted as the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise, connecting the longing for Jerusalem to the hope of eternal restoration. People David, Edomites, PsalmistPlaces BabylonTopics Chief, Chiefest, Cleave, Cling, Consider, Exalt, Fixed, Greatest, Highest, Jerusalem, Joy, Mouth, Palate, Prefer, Remember, Roof, Stick, Thoughts, TongueDictionary of Bible Themes Psalm 137:6 5193 tongue
5781 affection Psalm 137:1-6 5339 home Psalm 137:1-9 4215 Babylon
5945 self-pity Psalm 137:5-6 8300 love, and the world Library Letter xxii (Circa A. D. 1129) to Simon, Abbot of S. Nicholas
To Simon, Abbot of S. Nicholas Bernard consoles him under the persecution of which he is the object. The most pious endeavours do not always have the desired success. What line of conduct ought to be followed towards his inferiors by a prelate who is desirous of stricter discipline. 1. I have learned with much pain by your letter the persecution that you are enduring for the sake of righteousness, and although the consolation given you by Christ in the promise of His kingdom may suffice amply for …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of ClairvauxThe Captivity.
"Is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth?"--Larn. ii. 15. Manasseh's son, Amon, undid all the reformation of his latter years, and brought back idolatry; and indeed, the whole Jewish people had become so corrupt, that even when Amon was murdered in 642, after only reigning two years, and better days came back with the good Josiah, it was with almost all of them only a change of the outside, and not of the heart. Josiah was but eight years old when he …
Charlotte Mary Yonge—The Chosen People Third Sunday after Easter
Text: First Peter 2, 11-20. 11 Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 having your behavior seemly among the Gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13 Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme; 14 or unto governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II Thou Shalt not Commit Adultery.
In this Commandment too a good work is commanded, which includes much and drives away much vice; it is called purity, or chastity, of which much is written and preached, and it is well known to every one, only that it is not as carefully observed and practised as other works which are not commanded. So ready are we to do what is not commanded and to leave undone what is commanded. We see that the world is full of shameful works of unchastity, indecent words, tales and ditties, temptation to which …
Dr. Martin Luther—A Treatise on Good Works In Judaea
If Galilee could boast of the beauty of its scenery and the fruitfulness of its soil; of being the mart of a busy life, and the highway of intercourse with the great world outside Palestine, Judaea would neither covet nor envy such advantages. Hers was quite another and a peculiar claim. Galilee might be the outer court, but Judaea was like the inner sanctuary of Israel. True, its landscapes were comparatively barren, its hills bare and rocky, its wilderness lonely; but around those grey limestone …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life Concerning the Sacrament of Penance
In this third part I shall speak of the sacrament of penance. By the tracts and disputations which I have published on this subject I have given offence to very many, and have amply expressed my own opinions. I must now briefly repeat these statements, in order to unveil the tyranny which attacks us on this point as unsparingly as in the sacrament of the bread. In these two sacraments gain and lucre find a place, and therefore the avarice of the shepherds has raged to an incredible extent against …
Martin Luther—First Principles of the Reformation The Iranian Conquest
Drawn by Boudier, from the engraving in Coste and Flandin. The vignette, drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a statuette in terra-cotta, found in Southern Russia, represents a young Scythian. The Iranian religions--Cyrus in Lydia and at Babylon: Cambyses in Egypt --Darius and the organisation of the empire. The Median empire is the least known of all those which held sway for a time over the destinies of a portion of Western Asia. The reason of this is not to be ascribed to the shortness of its duration: …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 9 The History of the Psalter
[Sidenote: Nature of the Psalter] Corresponding to the book of Proverbs, itself a select library containing Israel's best gnomic literature, is the Psalter, the compendium of the nation's lyrical songs and hymns and prayers. It is the record of the soul experiences of the race. Its language is that of the heart, and its thoughts of common interest to worshipful humanity. It reflects almost every phase of religious feeling: penitence, doubt, remorse, confession, fear, faith, hope, adoration, and …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament Letters of St. Bernard
I To Malachy. 1141.[924] (Epistle 341.) To the venerable lord and most blessed father, Malachy, by the grace of God archbishop of the Irish, legate of the Apostolic See, Brother Bernard called to be abbot of Clairvaux, [desiring] to find grace with the Lord. 1. Amid the manifold anxieties and cares of my heart,[925] by the multitude of which my soul is sore vexed,[926] the brothers coming from a far country[927] that they may serve the Lord,[928] thy letter, and thy staff, they comfort …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh Questions.
LESSON I. 1. In what state was the Earth when first created? 2. To what trial was man subjected? 3. What punishment did the Fall bring on man? 4. How alone could his guilt be atoned for? A. By his punishment being borne by one who was innocent. 5. What was the first promise that there should be such an atonement?--Gen. iii. 15. 6. What were the sacrifices to foreshow? 7. Why was Abel's offering the more acceptable? 8. From which son of Adam was the Seed of the woman to spring? 9. How did Seth's …
Charlotte Mary Yonge—The Chosen People Introduction. Chapter i. --The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of Poitiers.
St. Hilary of Poitiers is one of the greatest, yet least studied, of the Fathers of the Western Church. He has suffered thus, partly from a certain obscurity in his style of writing, partly from the difficulty of the thoughts which he attempted to convey. But there are other reasons for the comparative neglect into which he has fallen. He learnt his theology, as we shall see, from Eastern authorities, and was not content to carry on and develop the traditional teaching of the West; and the disciple …
St. Hilary of Poitiers—The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of Poitiers Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Psalm 137:6 NIVPsalm 137:6 NLTPsalm 137:6 ESVPsalm 137:6 NASBPsalm 137:6 KJV
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