Psalm 137: Verse 4 (NLT)
But how can we sing the songs of the Lord
while in a pagan land?
I couldn’t get out to church this morning because of the ice and snow making our wee estate like a skating rink so I joined an online service with friends from Cumbernauld. The praise was amazing and I happily sang along with great gusto, and even in the online service it was easy to sense the presence of God. When I read this psalm after the service, it was a reminder that the people of Israel felt they could not truly praise God when they were so far away from Jerusalem and the Temple where God’s presence had dwelt.
I was struck by the fact that when I am not walking with God the way He wants me to, and filling my time with things I know that I shouldn’t, I am less likely to want to spend time with Him, or to want to read my bible, or sing praises as wholeheartedly as I did this morning. I need to take note of that when I find myself in that situation, and get myself back into the place with God where I need to be. And I can do that by popping on a favourite worship song.
Dear Lord,
You deserve all my praise and worship and the good thing is that when I praise You with all of my heart, not only are You glorified as You should be, but I also feel uplifted too. Thank You. Keep my heart soft and ready to sing and speak of what You have done for me through Jesus. I ask in His Name. Amen.