Psalms 137 KJV: Lament by the Rivers of Babylon

Psalms 137 articulates the profound grief of the exiles who hung their harps on the willows, refusing to sing the 'Lord's song' for their captors' entertainment. It documents the struggle to maintain spiritual identity in a 'strange land' and the visceral desire for justice against those who destroyed Jerusalem. This chapter is the ultimate scriptural expression of longing for home and the pain of spiritual displacement.

  1. v1-4: The Weeping at the River and the Silent Harps
  2. v5-6: The Vow to Never Forget Jerusalem
  3. v7-9: The Cry for Reciprocal Justice against Edom and Babylon

Psalms chapter 137

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
For 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.
How shall we sing the LORD's song in a strange land?
If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

Hold onto your spiritual heritage even when you are surrounded by a culture that tries to mock or monetize your faith. Begin your study with psalms 137 summary.

The extreme language in the final verses is a 'talionic' (eye for an eye) cry for justice, reflecting the actual atrocities Babylon had committed against Israel's children. The 'Word Secret' is *Zakar*, meaning 'to remember,' which is the survival strategy of the exile. Discover the riches with psalms 137 commentary, containing expert led word study (original greek/hebrew) and passage level analysis.

Unlock the hidden psalms 137 1 meaning and summary by exploring context, analyzing original greek and hebrew words, and studying cross references of each verse.

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1 min read (165 words)