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Wisdom & Poetry · Old Testament

Psalms 137

Psalm 137: weeping by the rivers of Babylon and a curse on Babylon's little ones

General context

The speakers say that by the rivers of Babylon they sat down and wept when they remembered Zion, and hung their harps on the willows. Those who carried them away captive and wasted them required a song and mirth, saying, sing us one of the songs of Zion. The speakers ask how they can sing the Lord's song in a strange land. A single voice then swears that if he forgets Jerusalem his right hand should forget its cunning, and if he does not remember her, or prefer Jerusalem above his chief joy, his tongue should cleave to the roof of his mouth. He asks the Lord to remember the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem, who said, rase it, rase it, even to the foundation. He addresses the daughter of Babylon, who is to be destroyed, and calls happy the one who rewards her as she served them, and happy the one who takes and dashes her little ones against the stones.

Cited passages: Psalms 137:1, Psalms 137:2, Psalms 137:3, Psalms 137:4, Psalms 137:5, Psalms 137:6, Psalms 137:7, Psalms 137:8, Psalms 137:9

Psalms 137 (KJV)

1By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

2We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.

3For 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.

4How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?

5If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.

6If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

7Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.

8O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.

9Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

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Historical context

The source prints no heading for this psalm; verse 1 begins with "By the rivers of Babylon", so no title, author or occasion is given and none is asserted. The places named are Babylon and its rivers, Zion and Jerusalem; the peoples are the captors, the children of Edom and the daughter of Babylon. The psalm says the speakers were carried away captive and that Jerusalem had a "day" in which Edom called for it to be razed to the foundation, but it does not narrate the capture or the razing, give dates, or name any king. The voice is "we" in verses 1-4 and "I" in verses 5-6, and the text does not say whether one person speaks for the group. The captors' words are quoted; Edom's words are quoted; the daughter of Babylon is addressed but does not speak. The last two verses call happy whoever repays Babylon and whoever dashes her little ones against the stones; the psalm states this as the speaker's wish and the text neither reports it as done nor softens it.

Cited passages: Psalms 137:1, Psalms 137:3, Psalms 137:7, Psalms 137:5, Psalms 137:8, Psalms 137:9

Literary context

The psalm moves through three addressees. Verses 1-4 are narrative in the first person plural, with a question at the end that is not answered. Verses 5-6 turn to Jerusalem, "O Jerusalem", and the speaker binds himself with two "If" oaths against his own right hand and tongue, in a psalm that has just spoken of harps and songs. Verse 7 turns to the Lord with "Remember", and verses 8-9 to the daughter of Babylon. Remembering runs through the poem: the speakers wept when they "remembered Zion", the speaker swears to "remember thee", and the Lord is asked to "Remember" Edom. The captors' demand for "one of the songs of Zion" is answered by the question of verse 4 and by an oath in verse 5. "Happy shall he be" is said twice at the close, and the second saying names the act of killing children. The harps hung on the willows in verse 2 are never taken down within the psalm.

Cited passages: Psalms 137:1, Psalms 137:2, Psalms 137:3, Psalms 137:4, Psalms 137:5, Psalms 137:6, Psalms 137:7, Psalms 137:8, Psalms 137:9

Key moments

  1. Weeping by the rivers (Psalms 137:1). The captives sit by the rivers of Babylon and weep when they remember Zion.
  2. Harps on the willows (Psalms 137:2). The captives hang their harps on the willows.
  3. A song demanded (Psalms 137:3). The captors demand a song of Zion from those they carried away.
  4. How shall we sing? (Psalms 137:4). The speakers ask how they can sing the Lord's song in a strange land.
  5. Oath not to forget Jerusalem (Psalms 137:5). The speaker swears that his right hand should forget its skill if he forgets Jerusalem.
  6. Edom's cry to rase it (Psalms 137:7). The Lord is asked to remember Edom, who called for Jerusalem to be razed to the foundation.
  7. Curse on Babylon's little ones (Psalms 137:9). The psalm calls happy the one who dashes Babylon's little ones against the stones.

For reflection

The speakers refuse to sing for their captors, swear never to forget Jerusalem, and then call happy whoever dashes Babylon's children against the stones. How does the psalm's own account of what was done to them sit beside what its last verse wishes on others?