What does Psalm 137:6 mean?
In the earliest verses, this psalm depicted musicians setting aside their instruments out of deep grief (Psalm 137:1–2). The psalmist has vowed that he would rather lose the ability to play his music than to forget what has happened to Israel and the city of Jerusalem (Psalm 137:5). Here, that extends to speech and singing. Even if music was vital in this person's life, he is setting the welfare of Jerusalem above even that. Upcoming verses will express a bitter version of this emotion: asking the Lord to mirror Israelite suffering back on those who hurt them (Psalm 137:7–9).Believers should think of God and His will as more important than any other aspect of life. The psalmist Asaph says, "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you" (Psalm 73:25). It is not wrong to feel joy when we overcome a struggle. Nor is it wrong to find joy in happy times and success. It is good to enjoy the presence of loving family and friends (John 15:12). Yet we are also warned not to prioritize things of this world over the Lord (1 John 2:15). Christians are citizens of heaven and their greatest joy should be tied to our eternity with God (Philippians 3:20; Hebrews 11:10; 13–16).
