ONE fine day John and some of his friends were walking along a country road, and were in such high spirits that they sang popular songs together.' A gentleman meeting them, looked pleasantly at them and said: " I wish, my boys, you were singing the songs of Zion," and passed on.
When John reached home he told his father what had happened, and added:
"What are the songs of Zion, Dad?”
His father looked grave and did not answer at once, and then said:
“It is to my shame, my boy, that you do not know them; we will start to-day and see if we can find out.” That evening the family Bible was read in that home for the first time for many years. I wish I could tell you which part of the Bible John's father read. That I do not know. But I can tell you something about the songs of Zion, if you will read on.
When the children of Israel had repeatedly disobeyed God, and had hated His correction, and cast His word behind their back (Psa. 50:1717Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. (Psalm 50:17)), He gave them into the hands of their enemies, the kings of the East.
They were in captivity for seventy years, and we are told that their enemies wasted them and required mirth of them, saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion." But the captives wept as they thought of God's land, the temple in Jerusalem and all the joys of their homes, and you cannot weep and sing, can you? They hung their harps on the willow-trees by the river, and said they could not sing the songs of the Lord in a strange land.
Evidently, then, the songs of Zion, for Zion was where God's house, the temple, stood in Jerusalem, were the songs of the Lord.
(Psa. 137.)
I hope you know some of the songs of the Lord! The first one that the children of Israel sang was after they had crossed the Red Sea, and were safe from Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
It was a song full of joy. Listen! “The Lord... hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he cast into the sea." (Ex. 15.)
Have you ever sung a song like this? When the Lord Jesus went into the temple in Jerusalem, the children sang, "Hosanna to the Son of David." They welcomed Him and praised Him, though the chief priests and scribes were angry, and asked Jesus to stop them. Many children are praising Jesus now. They know that He is in heaven and that He listens to their songs of praise.
There are many songs of Zion in the Book of Psalms, some are called "psalms," but others are called "psalms or songs." If you search you will find some. Here is one which you can say to the Lord, if you really mean it. It is Psalm 108, and it says: "O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.... I will praise thee, O Lord... for thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.”
I hope you can sing this song. I wonder if John did when his father had taught him a little about the songs of the Lord!