How does Psalm 137:7 connect with God's promises in Obadiah 1:10-14? Historical backdrop • Psalm 137:7 and Obadiah 1:10-14 describe the same historical moment—the 586 BC fall of Jerusalem. • Edom, descendants of Esau (Genesis 25:30; 36:1), lived just south-east of Judah and were bound to Israel by kinship yet acted as enemies. Psalm 137:7—Judah’s cry “Remember, O LORD, the sons of Edom, on the day Jerusalem fell. ‘Tear it down,’ they said, ‘tear it down to its foundations!’” • Written from exile, the psalmist petitions God to remember Edom’s betrayal. • The verb “Remember” asks for covenant justice, not petty revenge (cf. Deuteronomy 32:35). Obadiah 1:10-14—God’s answer “Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame and cut off forever… You should not look down on your brother in the day of his misfortune… nor seize their wealth… nor wait at the crossroads to cut down their fugitives…” • Obadiah catalogs eight specific sins (standing aloof, gloating, plundering, murdering, etc.). • The judgment promised is total: Edom will be “cut off forever” (v. 10). Point-by-point link • Same crime, two perspectives – Psalm 137:7 records Judah’s memory of Edom’s taunts. – Obadiah records God’s verdict on those taunts. • Prayer → prophecy – Psalm 137:7 is a plea; Obadiah 1:10-14 is God’s pledge to fulfill that plea. • Moral principle affirmed – Genesis 12:3: whoever curses Abraham’s seed will be cursed. Edom’s actions invoked that promise. • Certainty of fulfillment – History confirms Edom was later conquered (cf. Malachi 1:3-4). God kept His word exactly. Broader biblical harmony • Lamentations 4:21-22 echoes both texts: Edom’s rejoicing will turn to shame. • Ezekiel 35 applies the same charge, reinforcing God’s consistent stance. Implications for believers today • God remembers injustice even when decades pass. • Betrayal of God’s people never escapes His notice (Galatians 6:7). • Prayers for righteous vindication align with God’s revealed will when anchored in His character. Takeaways • Psalm 137:7 voices the hurt; Obadiah 1:10-14 delivers the divine response. • Together they showcase God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises of both blessing and judgment. |
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