your congregation belonging to Christ, you might ask, what in the world would have given reason to have a sermon now on Psalm 137? And that on Thanksgiving Day weekend of all things. I mean, it seems like just such a sad psalm. And even you could say a dark psalm. A vindictive psalm hardly with, it sounds like any gospel encouraging note. And indeed it is one of the most clear examples of the so-called imprecatory psalms. There are 12 of them in the Bible where the psalmist also calls for the curse of God upon the wicked and the unbelieving. I mean, how can it be a building for us to reflect on this seemingly harsh psalm, this beautiful autumn day in our peaceful and pleasant land of Canada, living here in sunny Calgary, Alberta, this October 13, 2024? Well, the question is fair, and I hope to answer it in this sermon. From the start, we have to say, we must recognize, Psalm 137 is part of God's Holy Spirit-inspired Word. And so, as Paul tells Timothy and the New Testament Church in 2 Timothy 3.16 and 17, it is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God Yes, also in the way of Thanksgiving, may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. And we know Jesus, he tells us in the gospel accounts about the Bible referring also very much to the Old Testament, all scripture testifies of me. And Jesus expounded to his followers in all the scriptures concerning himself, the things concerning himself. What is very striking to note also about this Psalm 137 in the Book of Psalms is that it is in the praise section of the Book of Psalms, and that between 136 and 138. And something else so moving and actually quite surprising about this psalm is that while in it we hear this agonizing question, how shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land? And it seemed impossible to do so, yet that very lament has become one of the Holy Spirit inspired songs of Zion. Speaking of the true people of God throughout all ages. Why the laments? of the believing and repentant people of God brought before the Lord in spirit and truth. Even when the harps, those instruments of joy, are left unplayed and hanging in the weeping willow trees, those songs yet are viewed amazingly by God as songs to His praise and honor. We don't only praise the Lord when we come with all our thanksgivings, but also when we come with laments and sorrows. How amazing is our triune God of salvation in and through Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners. I hope you leave here today after this service just loving also this psalm too, this psalm so often forgotten, neglected, and even rejected as part of scripture. I first had as theme for this sermon on Psalm 137, a God honoring Christian psalm, question mark? Oh yes, exclamation mark. But then in my further readings on this psalm, I came across one commentary giving this beautiful phrase which seemed to summarize the whole psalm even so much better and clearer. No harp, but for Jesus. So that is our sermon theme now on Psalm 137. As you have it also in the bulletin, a God-honoring psalm all about no harp but for Jesus. Follow along with me as we go through the psalm in support of this theme, observing it in at least four ways. We see it, first of all, this theme, no harp but for Jesus, in the melancholy experienced. The melancholy experience. Children and young people, you know or do you know what the word melancholy means? It refers to being sad and lamenting in distress. Especially also when reflecting and remembering better times once enjoyed. Sometimes people go through trauma and real knocks in their life and they become melancholy. the Bible or the dictionary describes melancholy in line with this as soberly musing and being gloomy, depressed and even discouraged, and it refers to experiencing even the gall of bitterness and grief deep in our minds and hearts. Well, do we not see such melancholy experienced in this psalm? Psalm 137. And here it's necessary for us to explain the context of this psalm. Psalm 137 gives us the context without any question. Though the human author's name is left unknown and anonymous, and I'll explain that's probably for a real pastoral reason, it is absolutely clear this psalm was composed in the time when the people of Judah were exiled in Babylon, around the 6th century BC. God had foretold for so many years before already, because of their ongoing sin and disobedience and rebellion and idolatry, Judah and Jerusalem would be overrun and destroyed by the Babylonians. And many of them would be killed, and many of them also would be brought into Babylon as a captive people, banished from their homestead for at least 70 years. Not only that, but the temple and the city of Jerusalem would be destroyed and left in dismal ruins by the Babylonians. Even so now, in this psalm, we hear of some of these captives from Judah and Jerusalem there in Babylon. And we learn of their melancholy state of mind and heart before God and their neighbors. We read it. The text says they were by the rivers of Babylon, referring to both the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in that area, and the many water canals in that ancient, heathen, prosperous city of old. Maybe the Jewish captives had some time to themselves. a little break while serving the country that held them in bondage, in the slavery, you might say, and a group of them sat down by the rivers. The sound of running waters can often be a very soothing thing by itself, the sound of waves on the sea. I heard that in Great Britain and probably Canada too. If someone's really down, they can call a number, and that number, all it will do is, when you call them, they'll play running water. And that's a soothing ministry by itself somehow. The sound of running waters can be soothing balm in certain respects. Or maybe, we don't know, maybe the people here were working by the rivers and were just having a lunch break, if that was permitted even. Those exact details, we don't know. But we do know, as they sat down, they just wept. They wept. Why? Well, they wept, we are told, remembering Zion from where they came from. And Zion as the city of God and all it meant as the central place with its temple where the Lord especially and very dearly made himself known to them in his mercy and grace and love and care and help with the whole temple services and sacrifices and priesthood, etc. Well, as the rivers of waters flowed by them, these peoples, these captives, their hearts flowed with tears, remembering how they time and again had sinned against God, and they refused to listen to his word, and how they were now captives in a foreign land for all their sins and sinfulness of the past. Not only that, but as can be well imagined and really so understandable, As they sat down, they wept, remembering the awful, terrible atrocities of war that they endured. Many of us haven't experienced something like that, but these people did, with many loved ones killed, even brutally so, and possessions lost, and once prized and beautiful places now in ruins, including especially the temple of the Lord. Well, it's good for us to picture these captives, Jews in Babylon, sitting by the riverside, weeping, remembering with melancholy what they once had, but now lost and forfeited. They realize now what they once had that they had too often not valued as they should have and even had wickedly despised rather than heartily embraced and they are sad there. So sad they don't feel like and they can't take up their instruments of joy, those harps that some of the captive Levites may have somehow taken with them into Babylon. And what do they do? Well, They hang the harps on branches of the willow trees, if not literally, metaphorically, for sure, and they sit there weeping and not singing. Who were these Jews by the river but the godly remnant, we can say, of God's people in Babylon? These were those who likely would later be among the minority faithful that would go back to Jerusalem When Babylon was later overthrown by King Cyrus of the Medes and Persians, and he allowed that King Cyrus, he allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and Judah. These people here by the river weeping, they were the true people of God, you could say, who couldn't make heathen Babylon their new home, who only with with regret thought of everything that happened and who remembered what the prophets had foretold and who thought about the temple and its priesthood and sacrifices there and about how only with the Lord can we find true salvation and deliverance from sin and evil from Satan and death and hell. These people by the riverside weeping in their melancholy They were experiencing, they were reflecting in their experience. Yes, truly, even way back then. No harp, but for Jesus. No harp, but for Jesus. Can we not say, dear congregation belonging to Christ, in their melancholy experienced there by the rivers of Babylon, we find what all true Christians experience in various degrees as pilgrims and strangers in this world. God's true people are those who look with Abraham in faith for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. We know when we are true Christians, living as godly exiles in this ungodly world, and we confess our sin and look to the Lord for mercy, then we know here have we no continuing city, but we seek the one to come, Hebrews 13, 14. Well, does this all make sense to you, each one here this afternoon? Do you see with me how Psalm 137 is really actually relevant for us in this light? That's why I think this psalm is anonymous, because it's the experience of God's people throughout the ages. And God forbid we, any one of us here, be among those who just can't understand this at all. and who just won't and don't identify with these captives there in Babylon. No, because, well, we're so comfortable in this world of Babylon, could that be? And you have no conviction of sin and misery before God and no heart realization of your need of the Savior. If that should be you, should you not be alarmed and seek the Lord, turn from your sin, and call upon Him today, even now. The Bible repeatedly forewarns us, especially and climatically, also in the book of Revelations, doesn't it, how this ungodly world of Babylon, this idolatrous, wicked, immoral city of mankind in rebellion and proud arrogance against the Lord God, the only true God, it'll all be completely destroyed under consuming fire from the Lord, under His righteous wrath. And the Bible says, woe be to anyone in that day left unsaved and outside of Christ's saving embrace and redeeming grace. Well, to learn more about what it means truly to be among God's redeemed and renewed people, let's move to the second way we can see that in this God-honoring Psalm 137 and how it reflects surely no harp but for Jesus. It's reflected not only in the melancholy experienced as we observed in these captives, as described for us, sitting and weeping by the rivers of Babylon, but notice, too, in the misery endured there by them. What was their misery? What was their misery? Well, the psalm goes on to tell us in the verses 3 to 4. We are told there the Babylonians, their captives, those who had carried them away to their foreign land, they would tauntingly, teasingly, meanly ask those Jewish captives and those Old Testament covenant people of God to go ahead and sing some of their songs of old. Sing us one of the songs of Zion, they would say. And it was to torment them, to laugh at them. The text says those who tormented us or you could translate those who wasted and belittled and ridiculed us and plundered us They requested mirth. They requested a fun time, in other words. A time to laugh at those captives. Sing us one of the songs of Zion. They wanted songs to be sung so that they could be despised, and they and their God, for look where they were now, a miserable captive people in great and glorious Babylon. And what really had their God done to save and help them anyway? It's like, you know the story of Samson? When he was a prisoner, his eyes gouged out, and they had a big feast in the heathen temple of Dagon. And then they said, let's call Samson out of prison. And they take Samson bound out of prison to make fun of him and his God. Literally, it says in the Old King James, to sport with him. And that's what these Babylonians were doing with the captive Jews. And this represents, doesn't it, what all true Christians in all ages experience in different ways. Namely, the ungodly and idolatrous wicked world and even carnal church laughing at Christians. Real Christians, and if not openly persecuting them, then still scorning them and seeing them as just so strange and ridiculous, so old school in their beliefs and ways, rather than with it and wise and good. True believers living consistently godly lives are never really accepted by the ungodly world, though they may be tolerated for a while and even respected somewhat for a time. as Christians we are to live in this world we know not giving needless offense and sometimes we do that but we must not give needless offense but we must be faithfully reflecting the offense of the gospel and we must do that in word and deed the gospel of Jesus Christ God helping us in our lives we must hold that high be true gospel lights in this dark and doomed world of sin and evil well I want to say to those of you who are so seeking to live, don't feel bad, dear child of God, when you meet with opposition and ridicule from this evil world, and even from ungodly family members. Some of you go through that, also among us. No, but seek ever to live in humble integrity and testimony, in God's sovereign grace and ask him to bless you and your testimony in and through Jesus Christ also to others. You know, it's not till we get to the promised land above in heaven that all resistance and ridicule of the Christian faith will forever be removed. When the last trump sounds, oh yes, and Christ returns for a second and final coming on the clouds of heaven, then all the world will know the gospel of the Bible is the absolute truth. All the world will know that Jesus Christ is the only savior of sinners and that he is King of kings and Lord of lords. Well, we need to live and die with this Christian perspective, even though here and now, We may often sigh, saying as stated in verse 4, how shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land? When people are mocking and scoffing it, thinking it's so bizarre. The question as given in this whole song brings out the challenges, doesn't it, in the Christian life here and now. We are God's true people. But congregation, let's persevere in faith regardless, ever looking to the Savior of sinners, Jesus Christ the Lord. It is in this way These pilgrim, weeping, struggling, persecuted believers in Babylon, though they hung up their harps on the willow trees, they didn't, did you notice that? They didn't throw them in the rivers of Babylon and give up altogether. No, praise God, but they persevered in the faith. And even so, we are called to do so in our day, even in our 21st secular anti-Christian, anti-Christ age. No harp but for Jesus. That was their ongoing testimony way back then. And it needs to be ours in our dark and perilous times in which we live now. May it be so. And the next verses, five and six of Psalm 137, also show us what it looks like when you and I persevere in the Christian faith, regardless of challenges and consequences. And here we come to our third point, supporting our theme, no harp but for Jesus. From Psalm 137, notice the mindset expressed by these captive believers exiled in Babylon. What do they say and pray as told us in verse 5 and 6, even in the face of their plunderers and tormentors? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill. If I do not remember you, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth. If I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy." What is the psalmist saying here, really? What is he saying but, Lord God of my salvation, God of our fathers, please by all means be everything to me, my all in all, be my all in all and don't let me ever, ever not have you as my all in all, whatever I suffer, whatever I endure in this life. Is that not a fair paraphrase of what the believing psalmist is saying, of what his mindset is here? Don't these verses thereby reflect? No harp, but for Jesus. And notice too, this is very striking, how the text changes in verse five and six from speaking in the first person plural in the first four verses to now the first person singular. Did you catch that? Don't anyone miss that change in the text as inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit? And that little change is telling us loud and clear, it's a very personal matter. True faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, even when it's a corporate testimony by God's grace of God's people throughout the ages. The Christian faith is something personal. And no one is saved just being among God's covenant people and being part of His visible church. As great, as wonderful as that is, surely. Each one of us must personally come to know and believe in Jesus Christ and call upon him to be our Savior and Lord, shall we be saved and rescued from the wrath to come. And these pilgrims sitting and weeping there in Babylon, by the Babylon riverside, they knew something of this and they demonstrated the same, even the way this psalm is composed. And let's observe here, by the way, how passionate the psalmist is. Why even notice, did you notice his self-imprecation? His calling a curse upon himself. If he should forget putting God and his church and kingdom first and foremost in his life. It's like he's saying sincerely from his heart, Lord, let me be accursed if I forget Jerusalem. And if I do not exalt her above my chief joy. Do you see with me how the psalmist is testifying here? Nothing can be so important and urgent and worthwhile, but trusting and following Jesus Christ and his gospel ministry, both as it was revealed in the Old Testament and centered in Jerusalem for quite some time, and from there goes throughout the world. That's his godly Christian mindset here. You see it with me, it's clear. And it's from more than half a millennium before the New Testament gospel age, before Jesus came. And for sure with this mindset expressed here, do you agree with me? Actually what the psalmist and what the psalmist testifying over and over with heart and lips sincere is no heart but for Jesus. And again let me ask you, is this same your and my Christian and godly mindset? before God and our neighbor, living in our 21st century Babylon world today. Do you each, younger and older, testify as we sang earlier from Psalter 379, based on God-inspired, Christ-exalting Psalm 137? O Zion fair, God's holy hill, wherein our God delights to dwell. Let my right hand forget her skill, if I forget to love thee. If I do not remember thee, let not my tongue from utterance cease, if any earthly joy to me be dear as Zion's joy and peace." Well, here it's important that we pause for a moment to consider what it means rightly to interpret this psalm, Psalm 137. This psalm is falsely and wickedly interpreted by unbelievers today when said by them just to be some venomous, foolish words from Jewish zealots promoting bitterness and anger and hatred against other nations, specifically the Arab nations. Others who claim to be more religious say, how can this psalm be Christian? especially in view of the last two verses, and they say it should actually be removed from the Bible altogether because it's not Christian. That's so wrong too. Likewise, the psalm is very wrongly interpreted in a badly and sadly mistaken way when taken, yes, as a true psalm, in God's word, surely, but then explained just in righteous promotion of the Jews and of Judaism and Jerusalem there in the Middle East. Tragically, Psalm 137 is blindly viewed by all too many in the so-called Christian world today, especially among the dispensationalists, And along with the Jewish people, Psalm 137 is viewed as really a holy scripture word for supporting and defending the land of Israel with their capital city, Jerusalem, still today. And the psalm, they say, shows us scriptural support even for holy war for the land of Israel and for Jerusalem. And some say even it supports the rebuilding of the temple sooner or later. But all that we have to say is such dangerously incorrect understanding of this psalm, especially in the light of all scripture. All scripture is not about the defense of Judaism. All scripture is about Jesus. And the Bible nowhere highlights any people, also not the Jews, as somehow an especially worthy people in and of themselves. Yes, the Bible does say we need to especially think of the Jews as God's covenant people of old, and we need to pray for them, that they come to salvation in Jesus Christ, but there's no special plan of salvation for them, except the plan of salvation for all sinners, through Jesus. Nor is there a place or a city on earth in the Bible that the Bible calls us to put our hope in, by all means, to expect salvation from? No. Rather, what Psalm 137 is all about is the salvation cause of God in and through Jesus Christ, the long-promised Messiah, the one and only Savior of sinners, the one told of even the day Adam and Eve fell into sin in the Garden of Eden. That's Savior Jesus Christ, yes. He came from the line of the Jews as God ordained. And He made Himself known indeed for a time among the Old Testament covenant people of God and in the city of David and in the temple of God built there. But the hope of salvation for lost sinners is not ever found in a city or a temple as such, but only always in the great Son of David, Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners. And in the eternal kingdom, He, as the long promised Messiah, is establishing by His Word and Spirit all over the world. For whoever repents and believes on Him from every tribe and tongue and nation, they become the true children of Israel, the true children of Abraham, the New Testament Israel of God. The Savior God is gathering a church and kingdom throughout the ages to himself, made up of countless multitudes from every tribe and tongue and nation, all redeemed by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. And Psalm 137, rightly understood, gives the testimony of God's redeemed people here on earth throughout the ages, also back then, and still today. It's a God-honoring psalm, a Christ-exalting psalm, no harp but for Jesus. And it's crucial that we, one and all, understand and receive and believe it. It's a message in this way, that we understand the message in this way. Yes, also, when we come to the last verses of the psalm. the verses 7 to 9. These verses sound, yes they sound vicious and vindictive and some have said literally they don't belong in a Christian liturgy. But saying that is failing to understand what is being said, and how it's being said, and why it's being said. What is being said is not spoken in personal hatred to others, but only in holy passion for God and His gospel cause, and in prayer to God to remember His cause, His Zion, His people. Verse 7 begins with asking the Lord to remember the sons of Edom. and how they had dealt so wickedly and meanly when the Babylonians had come, yes, to overcome and destroy Judah and Jerusalem. And those sons of Edom, who were they? Well, they're the family line of Esau, the offspring of Esau, Jacob's brother from long before. And yet, as the Old Testament book of Obadiah, you can read that to understand it more, it expands on dramatically and emphatically how these distant family relatives of the sons of Jacob, they had participated in the defeat and capture of the people of Judah and Jerusalem when the Babylonians came. They, these sons, these offspring of Esau and of Edom, they had expressed glee. They clapped their hands over the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. Let it be completely destroyed. Raise it, raise it. Let it be burned to the ground, even to its very foundations. They shouted and promoted without any love and care for God's people of old. And here the psalmist prays then, Lord, let justice be done to the sons of Edom in regard to the evil done by them and shown to us from them. And from there the psalmist moves to speak of the Babylonians and their awful and brutal and terrible evil doings toward the people of Judah. When bringing the land down to most agonizing defeat and destruction. You know, they were instruments in God's hands to punish the Israelites for their sinful and idolatrous ways. long foretold also by the faithful prophets of God to come, but the Babylonians of their own doing, they were inexcusably and excessively cruel in their ways with the captive city and people of Judah. They were like the Hamas, October 7, a year ago, terrible, brutal destruction of Jews. And like the Holocaust in Germany, and what about after in AD 70 with the Romans, so much brutality, awful killing, needless, terrible suffering was engaged upon, on purpose. And remembering that all, The psalmist of Psalm 137 cries, Lord, let justice prevail and don't allow those so wickedly and persistently and meanly opposed to you and your church and your kingdom just to continue in their evil ways. And in this light, we are to understand the last two verses of the psalm with its cries, with its prayer to God. regarding the daughter of Babylon and the future of Babylon, happy the one, the one who repays you as you have served us, happy the one who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock. Yes, even as the people of Judah and Jerusalem literally experienced from the Babylonians towards themselves. Listen to what reformer John Calvin says here so rightly about these seemingly harsh and improper wishes. He writes, and I quote, it may seem to savor of cruelty that he should wish even the tender and apparently innocent infants to be dashed and mangled upon the stones. But he does not speak, says Calvin, under the impulse of personal feeling and revengeful attack, no. He only employs words, actually, which God had Himself authorized. So that is but the declaration of a just judgment, really. As our Lord Jesus says in Matthew 7, verse 12, with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And in Isaiah 13 verse 16, if you check that passage, this very future terrible destruction of Babylon by the Medes and Persians was already foretold to happen one day as what they would justly deserve. You know, when we honestly reflect on this all in the light of all the Bible teaches us, what is clear from these last verses also is this cry for ultimate justice to be fulfilled against all the wicked and unbelieving. It's actually a cry also for God's mercy to remember his people in the midst of a world that's hating God and hating what is right and true. And that light, can we not see? Can we not see also in this psalm, especially in the last verses, as I put in as our fourth and last observation on this God-honoring psalm, all about no harp but for Jesus. Can we not see here, actually, a cry in these last verses for that promised Messiah to come, who should make all things right one day. They knew He was coming. They were looking for His coming. And He would make all things right. They knew He would. That's what He promised. And that promised Messiah is Jesus Christ and Him crucified and risen again. And doesn't He give us the ultimate answer to all the injustices in the world? And don't we find in and with Him, especially on the cross of Calvary, perfect justice displayed and endless mercy demonstrated at one and the same time? Oh, this is truly amazing, really. When you think it through, that to set things right, and once for all in his proper place, and to stop all this endless cycle of murderous and warring sinful ways and idolatrous worship of lost sinners before God and before each other. What did God do? In the fullness of time, God sent his own son, his own beloved son, and gave him up, and Jesus gave himself up to take that awful curse of God that we all deserve for all our sins and sinfulness, and to pay that full punishment for sin as the just for the unjust, as only Redeemer and Lord. He took the imprecation upon himself that sinners like us might be spared, and that reconciliation between sinners might be found. All enmity and evil may be put to rest, looking to Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, who has paid a ransom for sin that's sufficient to save even the most wicked who comes to Him. He, the Lord Jesus, was left accursed on the cross of Calvary as he shed his blood that sinners like us might truly be reconciled to God and brought to union with each other. Oh, yes, through the God-sent, God-anointed, God-approved, God-promised, God-blessed Savior of sinners. Well, even when Jesus was on the cross, you know, he was ridiculed and despised. Come down from the cross. If you're the son of God, let's see. Come, why don't you help yourself? If he's going to help you even. And they laughed at him and they scorned him. And Jesus suffered it all that he might make peace, reconciliation through his taking the curse upon himself as directed by God his father. and bearing it faithfully till his last breath. You know it's true when we know Jesus, we realize we never have reason to say of any particular person in a vindictive way that we wish them to be accursed of God and to go to hell. No. But we may and we can and we should say of all who do persist in wicked ways, and we should say in loving warning and in earnest prayer and care for them, to live apart from God our Savior is death, but it is good His face to seek. And today is yet the day of grace and full and free salvation for all who call upon Jesus, asking God, be merciful to me, a sinner. You know, in this way, In this way, the New Testament advances surely from what is expressed in the last verses of Psalm 137, but it never contradicts what is expressed there. It never contradicts it. But Jesus in the middle, he took that curse upon himself. So that's the witness we must give. That's the care we must show, even to the most wicked and ungodly and terrible foes, as long as there's life pointing them to Jesus. It's not our place to ever curse anyone to hell. It's our place to pray for all that they may come to Jesus. Yes, with the psalmist of Psalm 137 ever testifying, in word and deed, no harp but for Jesus. We don't, let's make sure to understand this, we don't honestly promote the gospel message of Jesus Christ when we deny or discount only in and through him can full and righteous justice happen and true reconciliation and mercy and restoration be shown to any one of us, whether Jew or Gentile. And here let me share with you what actually led me to study and preach on this psalm today. It was a recent attendance at a truth and reconciliation chapel at a Christian school, led by some native leaders of the day, of our day. And in that chapel service, throughout the presentation, the presenters also confessed to be Christians. And to speak Christianly, yet sadly, there was no mention of the gospel fact that only in and through Jesus Christ and repentance and faith in him can anyone find real truth and reconciliation before God and with one another. Only in and through Christ, the Savior, can wrongs of the past, however bad they were, be really forgiven. and overcome even for good by Almighty God for us in His mercy and love. And only through Jesus Christ can people who have deeply divided be brought together in true union and communion. That all was completely missing. in the presentation, and tragically, it seemed like the school staff just applauded what was said, and it was really then all just a sad, empty presentation with no real hope of actual truth and reconciliation at all. And that's so sad because, you know, history proves truth and reconciliation can never be found with us. History proves that, no matter how much we crave it or cry about it or work on it. Salvation, truth and reconciliation before God and each other as individuals and as nations and tribes is of the Lord as revealed in Jesus Christ and His Gospel Word. The crucified and risen Savior, one mediator between God and man who brings reconciliation with God. closeness of relationship between one another. So quoting further God's word, as we come to a conclusion, let us with Paul maintain, as he says in Galatians 1, 8 and 9, however old school it may sound, but even if we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. New Testament. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed." Now that sounds harsh. Sounds harsh and negative. Old school, surely. But really, it's like the psalmist of Psalm 137 testifying. No harp, but for Jesus. So likewise, when we read the same apostle Paul saying in 1 Corinthians 16.22, if anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. Anathema, O Lord come, Maranatha. Again, that sounds so wrong in our ears, especially in our sinsick, woke, tolerant, anti-gospel, Pluralistic age today, but really, congregation, there's nothing more absolutely and graciously loving than promoting the one only true gospel message over against all the many anti-Christ, false religions, and devilishly wrong, compromising gospel messages spread far and wide throughout the world today. And to verify, nothing could be more loving than be passionate for God and His precious and all-powerful gospel ministry. Listen to what Paul says right after he says what he does in 1 Corinthians 16, 22. He says in verse 23 and 24, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Even so, as we reflect on Psalm 137, as it is placed also between Psalm 136 and 138, let us view it as the gospel-promoting psalm that it really is, the Christ-exalting psalm. All Scripture testifies of me, said Jesus, including Psalm 137. And think of it, dear congregation. Oh, I had to worship God as I thought of this. In the day of days when all Babylon is destroyed in the Last Judgment, and we, whoever among us are Christians, with the Apostle John in Revelation 21, see a new heaven and a new earth, and the holy city, the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride for her husband, what will be the final story? then all the sage will go to glory to be with Christ in the city of God. And what will they be doing, among other things? And tying in also with what Elder Leung read before the service. Well, what will forevermore be heard there? And then, as told us in Revelation 14, too, why the voice of harpers harping with their harps, the voice of harpers harping with their harps and praising the Lamb of God that was slain, that sinners like us might be saved. Those harps then will never again be on the willow trees. It'll be awesome and wonderful beyond measure for all the redeemed there ever looking to Jesus Christ as the Lamb that was slain and the Lion of the tribe of Judah. And what about the wicked and unbelieving in that day? Will they just disappear or be annihilated as some want to promote? No. Their portion in God's perfect justice against all sin and evil and in the face of their rejecting his only son, Jesus Christ, as the God provided, promised Messiah, Savior of sinners, their portion will be forever in conscious, righteous, merciless, torment in hell. That's New Testament. where there will be endless weeping and gnashing of teeth. If we reject him who was cursed on our behalf, we'll take the curse ourself, rightly so, forever. How awful that will be, though, and wretched beyond measure, without escape ever. But it's what God's Word teaches us, His Gospel Word so infallibly right and true. It's from the eternal God of love who delights in mercy and not in the death of the wicked, and who calls us all to trust and follow Jesus. So yes, Church of the Lord, living in these last days as we do, let us trumpet the only Gospel message loud and clear while it's yet the day of grace. Indeed, also from this God-honoring, Christ-exalting Psalm 137. all about God's faithful people testifying, even back then. No harp, but for Jesus. Oh earth, earth, earth, Jew and Gentile, hear the word of the Lord, even from Psalm 137, in Jesus' name. Hallelujah. Amen. Let's pray. Yes, Lord, thank you that This Psalm too exalts Jesus and shows him to be the way, the truth, and the life for Jew and Gentile. And that though we have sinned so grievously, yet you have made a way so wonderfully for the salvation of sinners with the Lord Jesus himself taking the curse of God upon himself. Because never can we carry that curse and be of any good. And we see that throughout the history of the world. Oh, have mercy. Bless this word. Bless our congregation. Bless us in this weekend. Bless us coming to church again tomorrow. Receive our praise for who you are and help us, Lord, to be convinced and convicted of the old time, all time, old school, ever faithful and true, one and only gospel of Jesus Christ. In his name we pray. Amen.