Exiles Living with Hope

Hope in our King

Thank you, friend, for joining me on this journey. Through these blog posts, we’ve discovered scriptural wisdom for living as exiles in Babylon—believers surrounded by an ungodly culture. When it feels hard to shine as lights in dark places, we can remember what we’ve learned:

- First, as foreigners on this journey, we must never forget whose we are—we belong to the King.

- Second, we are in the world to reflect God’s love, but we are not of the world—we do not conform to its values.

- Third, we must keep hope alive—hope empowers us to serve faithfully here while we wait expectantly for God’s promised future.

In this final post of the series, let’s look at how the Psalms guide us as pilgrims, showing us how to live faithfully for our King wherever we are. Many Bible scholars note that Book Four of the Psalms (Psalms 90–106) reflects Israel’s time of exile in Babylon.

For the Israelites, life in exile meant their days were no longer centered on the Promised Land, the temple, or a Davidic king on the throne. They were captives in a foreign culture, experiencing the consequences of disobedience. Yet even in discipline, God was at work—for He lovingly corrects His children (Hebrews 12:6). In their exile, the Israelites began to “look up,” fixing their hope on Yahweh as their eternal King, no matter where they lived.

In their exile, the Israelites began to “look up,” fixing their hope on Yahweh as their eternal King.

The opening psalm of Book Four, Psalm 90, was written by Moses. It’s fitting that someone who had wandered in the wilderness and lived under an oppressive ruler would pen these words:

“Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were born, or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” (Ps. 90:1–2)

What powerful encouragement for exiles who felt far from home! Moses reminds God’s people—and us—that no matter where we are, the Lord Himself is our true dwelling place.

Later in the psalm, Moses pleads:

“Do return, O LORD; how long will it be? And be sorry for Your servants… Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us.” (Ps. 90:13, 17a)

The Israelites prayed this psalm as they longed to be restored to their relationship with God. We can do the same. When we find ourselves straying from the Lord, Psalm 90 can guide us back to the One who has always been our dwelling place. From before the foundation of the world, He chose us in Christ (Eph. 1:4). No matter how far we feel, we need only look up.

Psalm 90 can guide us back to the One who has always been our dwelling place.

Many other psalms in Book Four exalt Yahweh as King. Though the Israelites were suffering, they lifted their voices in praise to God’s sovereignty. From Babylon’s viewpoint, their god Marduk seemed victorious over Israel’s God. But the exiles knew better—Yahweh reigns forever. Sometimes in our own lives, it may look like the enemy is winning. But when we turn back to the Lord through Christ, we remember who truly rules. He is our eternal King—wiser, stronger, and more gracious than any rival.

As Psalm 95 declares:

“For the LORD is a great God,

And a great King above all gods,

In whose hand are the depths of the earth;

The peaks of the mountains are His also.

The sea is His, for it was He who made it,

And His hands formed the dry land.” (Ps. 95:3–5)

Like the exiles in Babylon, we can lift our voices in these psalms, reminding our hearts that God reigns. Through Christ our King, Yahweh is our sovereign forever. He walks with us each day, guiding us on the journey toward our true home and the promised inheritance that awaits us as His people.

Study through the Psalms with Nancy's Bible study guide...The Psalms of the Bible: Being refreshed and strengthened through the Psalms.

The Psalms of the Bible, Volume 1, study guide