Psalms 137

Lament During the Babylonian Exile

1 By the rivers of Babylon,

there we sat, yes, we wept,

when we remembered Zion.

2 On the willows*Species of tree uncertain in her midst,

we hung up our lyres.

3 For there our captors asked of us

words of a song,

and our tormentors*Only occurring once in the MT, this interpretation is uncertain. The LXX’s "carried us captive" is a guess. If related to the Hebrew root yll it might have the idea of "mockers/yammerers" asked of us jubilation,

"Sing for us from a song of Zion."

4 How could we sing the song of Yahweh

in a foreign land?*Literally "a land of a foreigner"

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

let my right hand forget.*That is, how to play a musical instrument

6 Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth,

if I do not remember you,

if do not I exalt Jerusalem

above my highest joy.

7 Remember, O Yahweh, against the sons of Edom

the day of Jerusalem,

the ones who said, "Lay it bare! Lay it bare

to its foundation!"

8 O daughter of Babylon, about to be devastated,

happy shall be he who pays back to you

what you paid out to us.*Literally "with what you treated us"

9 Happy shall be he who seizes

and smashes your children

against the rock.