Psalm 137 – 在低處求生
Thursday, 25th May 2023
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-3 Reject the Song and Mirth拒絕唱歌作樂
Yesterday we talked about the people of God must praise the goodness and mercy of God. So what does God want to talk to us today? A great shaking is coming, but God is giving a hope to His people. How can we face this generation of confusion? Can we still praise God in their end time? This is the time of great confusion, it’s so easy for us to hide in the cave, or to use our ways to solve our own problems. God teaches us to live in this confusion, His mercy is upon us when we are in our lowest place. In low place, God will remember us, God till carry us, and He will save us.
A lesson we must learn today is to let God vindicate, not use our own ways but wait upon God’s instructions.We are not here to entertain others, our songs and praises are only for God, it’s a blessing for us to sing to God, and when the world lures us into songs and mirth, we must be alert. Our heart of worship is for God, not for the comfort of this world.
Section Two V4-6 Set Apart As Holy 堅定分別為聖
When our lives are smooth, we cannot stay in our comfort zone, we are not going to exchange what we use to worship God with the entertainment of this world. When we don’t use our voice and skills to worship God, then we will be lost in this world. Our tongue and our hands are for worship God, the enjoyment of this world is merely a short moment, but we are so easy to be compromised. When work is overwhelming we chose not to observe the sabbath, when our children are born we chose not to pray as much as before, but God wants us to set our lives apart as holy.
God’s gifts for us are not for us to use in this world, to seek the temporary peace, we chose not to speak the Word of Truth, when we know people are not on the right path we chose to speak the words of peace instead of words of teaching. This is not how to live in our low point, we must rely on God.
Section Three V7-9 Believe God will Take Over 堅信神必出手
In our low point we must surrender, let God take over, and let God carry us through. The psalmist did not ask what God was going, he knew God will remember and God will vindicate, and that’s all we need! The Bible teachers us to stop trying to control God, when we are in our low point, we want God to do what we want Him to do, we give God a list and we are trying to control God. But this is not the way, what we should do is simply believe that God will take over, and when we lift up our problems to God, He will sort everything out for us.
Are we willing to believe? Are we will to let go and let God? In our low point, in the time of confusion, this is how we live. We must reject selling our identity as the priests and Levites. Then we must set our lives apart as holy, hold firmly onto God. What is our situation today? What are the problems we are facing and how do we respond? Let us surrender, let God take over. God’s revival will then come to us.
诗篇 137 – 在低处求生
2023年5月25日 星期四
潘锡安牧师
在大混乱中，神给我们盼望，他会兴起他的子民，也会兴起环境。在大混乱中我们如何称谢神？面对患难、逼迫，我们是怎样回应？是躲避，是寻求世界的帮助，或是使用自己的小聪明？昨天的经文讲到“耶和华记念我们在卑微的地步”。当我们在低处时，神不会丢下我们，他会出手。我们如今好像在大海的波涛中，靠自己无法得救，我们能否让他出手而不是让自己出手？今天的经文帮助我们学习如何在低处得生命。
一、v.1-3 拒绝唱歌作乐
面对无奈的环境，我们可能以为自己已经无能为力，只能苦中作乐，或者做一些事让自己不会被卡在原地不动。然而经文教导我们，我们要拒绝委曲求全，不能在不属于神的地方将我们敬拜神的乐器用来来讨那些欺压我们的人的喜悦。我们能够敬拜，是神给我们的恩典和自由，所以不能用此来委屈求全，出卖我们对神的真诚，放弃对神的敬拜，最后只不过换取在这个世界的苟安。
二、v.4-6 坚定分别为圣
我们不能用敬拜服事神的歌在这个世界和混乱中换取暂时的平安无事。我们敬拜神的心志不能用来交换世界的乐趣。正如经文所说的，我们的舌头和我们的手都是为了敬拜神，而不是换取短暂的平安。
我们在被逼迫的时候，其实很容易妥协，说自己不是基督徒，或者在经历经济困难时用加班为借口不去教会。我们没有分别为圣，反而用神给我们的才干换取自己生活的苟安。神拣选我们为利未人，是君尊的祭司，所以不能用神给我们的恩赐来换取自己暂时的平安。当我们牧养别人的时候，我们可能会害怕，不愿意说出真理，明知他们做得不对，还是用我们的手为他们祝福，对他们说“平平安安的去吧”，用以换取一时的平安享受和别人对我们的喜悦。
三、v.7-9 坚信神必出手
我们是神所拣选的子民，所以我们不要用自己的方法去保护自己，而是在低点的时候完全俯伏在地、降服与神，让人看不见我们而只看见神。
V7 遭遇患难时，诗人没有让神做什么，只是让他“纪念这仇”，就是纪念那些人做过的事情而已。
V8-9 巴比伦怎样待以色列子民，将来就受到怎样的报应，但不是我们自己去报仇，而是”那人”会去做，说明不是靠我们自己出手。在低处的时候，我们很容易想要操控神，逼神立刻处理让自己不开心的人和事，但我们要坚信神必出手。我们是否相信神、让神为我们出手？
世界教导我们，若要在低处求生，就要做很多的事，然而圣经教导我们，在低处得生命，我们就要首先拒绝出卖神，并要坚定分别为圣，不与世界混在一起，而是紧紧抓住神、记念神的殿，坚信神必出手，完全的降服与他。如今我们遇到什么问题，又是如何回应？我们用的是世界还是属天的方法？当我们愿意在低处求生时，让神为我们出手，神必让我们复兴！