Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Babylon » Grief of the jews in
There we sat down and cried by the rivers of Babylon as we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung our harps, for it was there that our captors asked us for songs and our torturers demanded joy from us, "Sing us one of the songs about Zion!" read more.
How are we to sing the song of the LORD on foreign soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand cease to function. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you, if I don't consider Jerusalem to be more important than my highest joy.
How are we to sing the song of the LORD on foreign soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand cease to function. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you, if I don't consider Jerusalem to be more important than my highest joy.
Church » Love for
There we sat down and cried by the rivers of Babylon as we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung our harps, for it was there that our captors asked us for songs and our torturers demanded joy from us, "Sing us one of the songs about Zion!" read more.
How are we to sing the song of the LORD on foreign soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand cease to function. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you, if I don't consider Jerusalem to be more important than my highest joy.
How are we to sing the song of the LORD on foreign soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand cease to function. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you, if I don't consider Jerusalem to be more important than my highest joy.
Your servants take pleasure in its stones and delight in its debris.
Pray for peace for Jerusalem: "May those who love you be at peace!
For the sake of the Temple of the LORD our God, I will seek your welfare. A Song of Ascents
May the LORD bless you from Zion, and may you observe the prosperity of Jerusalem every day that you live! And may you see your children's children! Peace be on Israel! A Song of Ascents
Therefore I said: "Look away from me; and let me weep bitter tears; don't try to console me over the destruction of the daughter of my people."
And your people will rebuild the ancient ruins; You'll raise up the age-old foundations, and people will call you "Repairer of Broken Walls,' "Restorer of Streets to Live In.'
"And I won't remain silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I won't stay quiet, until her vindication shines out like brightness, and her salvation like a burning torch.
"Upon your walls, Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen; all day and all night they won't remain silent. You who make mention of the LORD, take no rest, and give him no rest until he prepares, establishes and makes Jerusalem a song of praise throughout the earth.
"Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be happy for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in gladness, all you who mourn over her,
Like a child whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted in Jerusalem. And when you look, your hearts will rejoice and your bodies will flourish like grass; and it will be made known that the LORD's hand is with his servants, but his fury is with his enemies.
"Oh, that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears, for then I would cry day and night for those of my people who have been killed.
"And deliver this message to them: "Let tears run down my face, night and day, and don't let them stop, because my virgin daughter my people will be broken with a powerful blow, with a severe wound.
Go, you who escaped the sword! Don't stand around! Remember the LORD from far away, and let Jerusalem come to your mind. We have been put to shame because we have heard insults. Disgrace has covered our faces because foreigners have come into the Holy Places of the LORD's house.
My eyes are worn out from crying, my insides are churning, My emotions pour out in grief because my people are destroyed Children and infants faint in the streets of the city.
My eyes run with rivers of tears over the destruction of my cherished people. My tears pour down ceaselessly; I am far from relief until the LORD bends down to see from heaven. read more.
What I see grieves my soul because of all the young women of my city.
What I see grieves my soul because of all the young women of my city.
Country » Love of
There we sat down and cried by the rivers of Babylon as we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung our harps, for it was there that our captors asked us for songs and our torturers demanded joy from us, "Sing us one of the songs about Zion!" read more.
How are we to sing the song of the LORD on foreign soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand cease to function. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you, if I don't consider Jerusalem to be more important than my highest joy.
How are we to sing the song of the LORD on foreign soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand cease to function. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you, if I don't consider Jerusalem to be more important than my highest joy.
Be strong, be courageous on behalf of our people and for the cities of our God, and may the LORD do what he thinks is best."
Now the people along with their spouses complained loudly against their fellow Jews, because certain of them kept claiming, "Since we have so many sons and daughters, we must get some grain so we can eat and survive." Others were saying, "We're having to mortgage our fields, our vineyards, and our homes so we can buy grain during this famine." read more.
Still others were saying "We've borrowed money against our fields and vineyards to pay the king's taxes. Now our bodies are no different than the bodies of our relatives, and our children are like their children. Nevertheless, we're about to force our sons and daughters into slavery, and some of our daughters are already in bondage. It's beyond our power to do anything about it, because our fields and vineyards belong to others." I became very livid when I heard their complaining and these charges. So after thinking it over carefully, I accused the officials and nobles openly, "Every one of you is charging your fellow countrymen interest!" So I opened a public investigation against them. I accused them, "To the best of our ability, we've been buying back our fellow Jews who had been sold to foreigners. Even now you're selling your fellow countrymen, only for them to be sold back to us!" They kept quiet and never spoke a word. So I said, "What you're doing isn't right! Shouldn't you live in the fear of our God to avoid shame from our foreign enemies? I'm also lending money and grain, as are my fellow-Jews and my servants, but let's not charge interest. So today please restore to them their fields, vineyards, olive orchards, and homes, along with the one percent interest charge that you've assessed them on the grain, wine, and oil." They responded, "We will restore these things, and will assess no interest charges against them. We will do what you are requesting!" So I called the priests and made them take an oath to fulfill this promise. I also shook my robes, and said, "May God shake out every man from his house and his possessions who does not keep this promise. May he be emptied out and shaken just like this." All the assembly said, "Amen!" and praised the LORD. And the people kept their promise. In addition, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah (that is, during the twelve years from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes), neither I nor my relatives relied on the provisions allotted to the governor. Nevertheless, the former governors before me placed a heavy burden on the people. They received food and wine, plus a tax of 40 shekels of silver. Even their young men took advantage of the people, but I never did so because I feared God. Also, as I continued to work on the wall, we purchased no land, and all of my young men were employed in the work. I fed 150 Jews and officials every day, not counting those who came from the nations around us. Our daily requirements were one ox and six choice sheep, along with various kinds of poultry prepared for me. Every ten days there was a delivery of an abundant supply of wine. Despite all this, I refused the governor's allotment, because demands on the people were heavy.
Still others were saying "We've borrowed money against our fields and vineyards to pay the king's taxes. Now our bodies are no different than the bodies of our relatives, and our children are like their children. Nevertheless, we're about to force our sons and daughters into slavery, and some of our daughters are already in bondage. It's beyond our power to do anything about it, because our fields and vineyards belong to others." I became very livid when I heard their complaining and these charges. So after thinking it over carefully, I accused the officials and nobles openly, "Every one of you is charging your fellow countrymen interest!" So I opened a public investigation against them. I accused them, "To the best of our ability, we've been buying back our fellow Jews who had been sold to foreigners. Even now you're selling your fellow countrymen, only for them to be sold back to us!" They kept quiet and never spoke a word. So I said, "What you're doing isn't right! Shouldn't you live in the fear of our God to avoid shame from our foreign enemies? I'm also lending money and grain, as are my fellow-Jews and my servants, but let's not charge interest. So today please restore to them their fields, vineyards, olive orchards, and homes, along with the one percent interest charge that you've assessed them on the grain, wine, and oil." They responded, "We will restore these things, and will assess no interest charges against them. We will do what you are requesting!" So I called the priests and made them take an oath to fulfill this promise. I also shook my robes, and said, "May God shake out every man from his house and his possessions who does not keep this promise. May he be emptied out and shaken just like this." All the assembly said, "Amen!" and praised the LORD. And the people kept their promise. In addition, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah (that is, during the twelve years from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes), neither I nor my relatives relied on the provisions allotted to the governor. Nevertheless, the former governors before me placed a heavy burden on the people. They received food and wine, plus a tax of 40 shekels of silver. Even their young men took advantage of the people, but I never did so because I feared God. Also, as I continued to work on the wall, we purchased no land, and all of my young men were employed in the work. I fed 150 Jews and officials every day, not counting those who came from the nations around us. Our daily requirements were one ox and six choice sheep, along with various kinds of poultry prepared for me. Every ten days there was a delivery of an abundant supply of wine. Despite all this, I refused the governor's allotment, because demands on the people were heavy.
Home » Examples of love of » The jews in exile
There we sat down and cried by the rivers of Babylon as we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung our harps,
for it was there that our captors asked us for songs and our torturers demanded joy from us, "Sing us one of the songs about Zion!" How are we to sing the song of the LORD on foreign soil?
If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand cease to function. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you, if I don't consider Jerusalem to be more important than my highest joy.
Home » Love of » The jews in exile
There we sat down and cried by the rivers of Babylon as we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung our harps,
for it was there that our captors asked us for songs and our torturers demanded joy from us, "Sing us one of the songs about Zion!" How are we to sing the song of the LORD on foreign soil?
If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand cease to function. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you, if I don't consider Jerusalem to be more important than my highest joy.
Jerusalem » Beloved
Pray for peace for Jerusalem: "May those who love you be at peace!
There we sat down and cried by the rivers of Babylon as we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung our harps, for it was there that our captors asked us for songs and our torturers demanded joy from us, "Sing us one of the songs about Zion!" read more.
How are we to sing the song of the LORD on foreign soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand cease to function. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you, if I don't consider Jerusalem to be more important than my highest joy. Remember the day of Jerusalem's fall, LORD, because of the Edomites, who kept saying, "Tear it down! Tear it right down to its foundations!"
How are we to sing the song of the LORD on foreign soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand cease to function. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you, if I don't consider Jerusalem to be more important than my highest joy. Remember the day of Jerusalem's fall, LORD, because of the Edomites, who kept saying, "Tear it down! Tear it right down to its foundations!"
"And I won't remain silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I won't stay quiet, until her vindication shines out like brightness, and her salvation like a burning torch. The nations will see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and people will call you by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow. You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD's hand, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. read more.
And you'll no longer be called "Deserted,' and your land will no longer be called "Desolate'; but people will call you "Hephzibah,' and your land "Beulah' for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married." "For just as a young man marries a maiden, so your sons will marry you; and just as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you. "Upon your walls, Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen; all day and all night they won't remain silent. You who make mention of the LORD, take no rest, and give him no rest until he prepares, establishes and makes Jerusalem a song of praise throughout the earth.
And you'll no longer be called "Deserted,' and your land will no longer be called "Desolate'; but people will call you "Hephzibah,' and your land "Beulah' for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married." "For just as a young man marries a maiden, so your sons will marry you; and just as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you. "Upon your walls, Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen; all day and all night they won't remain silent. You who make mention of the LORD, take no rest, and give him no rest until he prepares, establishes and makes Jerusalem a song of praise throughout the earth.
Love » Of home » The jews in exile
There we sat down and cried by the rivers of Babylon as we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung our harps,
for it was there that our captors asked us for songs and our torturers demanded joy from us, "Sing us one of the songs about Zion!" How are we to sing the song of the LORD on foreign soil?
If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand cease to function. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you, if I don't consider Jerusalem to be more important than my highest joy.
Music » Generally put aside in times of affliction
Then the king retired to his palace to spend the night fasting. He enjoyed no entertainment, and he couldn't sleep.
On the willows there we hung our harps, for it was there that our captors asked us for songs and our torturers demanded joy from us, "Sing us one of the songs about Zion!" How are we to sing the song of the LORD on foreign soil?