How can we apply the longing for Jerusalem to our spiritual journey? The Pulse of Psalm 137:6 “May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my highest joy!” Setting the Scene • Psalm 137 is sung by Israelites carried off to Babylon. • Jerusalem is not a vague ideal; it is the literal city God chose for His name (1 Kings 11:36). • Remembering Jerusalem equals remembering God’s covenant, worship, identity, and future. What Jerusalem Meant Then • Center of God’s dwelling on earth (Psalm 132:13-14). • Visible proof of God’s promises to Abraham, David, and the nation (2 Samuel 7:16). • Focal point for authentic worship; sacrifices and festivals gathered there (Deuteronomy 16:16). • Symbol of national unity, security, and joy (Psalm 122:1-4). Translating Exile into Our Experience • Believers today live as “sojourners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11). • Earth holds no lasting city; we “seek the one that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14). • Longing for Jerusalem mirrors longing for unhindered fellowship with Christ and anticipation of the literal New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2). Practical Ways to Cultivate Holy Longing 1. Remember purposefully – Set apart daily moments to “bring Jerusalem to mind”: meditate on God’s faithfulness and future kingdom plans (Psalm 119:55). 2. Guard affections – Refuse to let lesser joys edge out “highest joy.” Entertainment, achievement, or comfort must not rival devotion to Christ (Colossians 3:2). 3. Sing truth – Just as the exiles used psalms, sing hymns and worship songs anchored in Scripture to keep affections aimed heavenward (Ephesians 5:19). 4. Embrace pilgrim identity – Live lightly toward worldly status, possessions, and trends. Use them but do not be owned by them (1 Corinthians 7:29-31). 5. Pursue gathered worship – The local church foreshadows Jerusalem’s corporate praise. Regular assembly trains the heart to cherish God’s dwelling (Hebrews 10:25). 6. Serve the city while longing for the City – Seek the welfare of present communities (Jeremiah 29:7) yet anchor hope in the city “whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). 7. Speak with taste of Zion – Let conversation reflect citizenship in heaven. “If I do not remember you…”; silence is preferable to speech that ignores kingdom reality. 8. Celebrate covenant markers – The Lord’s Supper, baptism, and Christian fellowship rehearse the story of redemption and sharpen anticipation of the wedding supper of the Lamb (Luke 22:18). Encouragement from Other Passages • Psalm 84:1-2 – longing is normal, even life-giving. • Philippians 3:20 – citizenship in heaven defines identity now. • Isaiah 62:6-7 – God Himself sets watchmen who never stop remembering Jerusalem. • Revelation 21:3-4 – longing meets fulfillment when God dwells with His people forever. Living with Hope • Holy homesickness keeps the heart soft, worship vibrant, and obedience motivated. • Longing fuels endurance through trial, because “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17). • When Jerusalem joy is “highest,” lesser joys find rightful place, and exile becomes mission rather than misery. Summary Snapshot Longing for Jerusalem is not nostalgia but covenant loyalty. It draws eyes upward to the literal city God will one day reveal and inward to daily communion with Christ. By remembering, worshiping, and ordering life around that hope, believers walk steadily through a foreign land while tasting the joy of home in advance. |
    |