Why Do I Long for Something More as a Christian? (Psalm 137) | Daily Devotional & Bible Study

Today we study Psalm 137, where Israel's worship leaders sit in captivity and long for home. Their ache reminds us of the space we live in now, already one with Christ but not yet fully restored. It is normal to wrestle with that longing, and I pray this psalm helps you settle into thankfulness for the gift of the Holy Spirit with us now.

"By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept, When we remembered Zion." (Psalm 137:1)

Questions this episode answers

What is the setting of Psalm 137?

Psalm 137 was written after the people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon. The singers hung up their harps by the rivers because they could not sing the Lord's song in a foreign land. It is a song of grief and longing for Jerusalem.

What does already but not yet mean?

It describes the Christian life between Jesus' first and second coming. We already belong to Christ and have new life in Him, but we are not yet fully restored and the world is not yet made new. That is why believers can feel joy and longing at the same time.

How does the Holy Spirit help us while we wait?

The Holy Spirit lives in every believer as God's presence with us now. He comforts us, helps us pray, and is the promise of what is still to come. Our longing is real, but we are never left alone in it.

Links

If you are carrying a quiet longing for more of God, the contemplative Bible Study Live retreat in Maui gives you room to rest in His presence with a small group of women.

Bible Study Live is a small-group Bible study trip with Rachael Groll. Study Scripture where it happened in Rome, or slow down for a contemplative Bible study retreat in Maui. Dates and details at BibleStudyLive.org

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