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Singing the Songs of Zion Elder Mark Rowell

Psalms 100:1-2 “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye
lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence
with singing.”

Singing is nothing new. People have been doing it since the

beginning of time. There are so many scriptures throughout the
entire Bible that deal with singing. Some are songs of mourning, while others of
rejoicing, and some are for comforting those in trouble. Many of us enjoy music of

different types and styles, and maybe even some silly songs that make us laugh. No
matter that type or style, there is one type of singing that has no comparison in this
world, and that’s the saints of God singing the songs of Zion! And while we often
sing these songs in our cars, in our homes, and even by ourselves, there’s one place
that brings the greatest joy of singing, and that’s in the House of the Lord. This world

doesn’t understand and can’t comprehend the joy we feel when singing praises to
God in His house.

When Israel was carried away to Babylon they were mocked by their captors. They
were ridiculed because of how they worshipped. They were mocked with the very
thing they were no longer able to do: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down,
yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in
the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song;

and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?”

Psalms 137:1-4 Oh what a mournful day! Here goes Israel into captivity. (I’ll skip
through all the warnings to Israel and their rebellion against God, but suffice it to say
that they grew complacent in the House of God and He turned them over to captiv-
ity.) Seventy long years of oppression in Babylon and no longer able to congregate
on Zion’s hill and worship is where Israel found themselves. I’m convinced that

Israel sang while in Babylon, but it wasn’t like singing on the mountain top. They
longed to be home! The enemies of God today would like nothing more than to take
away our place of worship like Babylon did to Israel. But God is not mocked! His

prophets prophesied of the day of captivity, but they also prophesied of the great
return!

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