Psalms 137

Psalms 137 opens with the poignant lament of Israelite captives by the rivers of Babylon, weeping as they remember Zion and refusing to sing sacred songs in a foreign land. They express unwavering loyalty to Jerusalem, vowing to prefer it above their chief joy. The psalm concludes with a fervent plea for divine retribution against Edom for its role in Jerusalem's downfall and a stark imprecation against Babylon, anticipating its violent destruction.

Psalms 137 vividly portrays the sorrow and longing of the Israelite exiles in Babylon, where they sat weeping by the rivers, their harps hung silent on willows. They refused their captors' demand for songs of Zion, questioning how they could sing the LORD'S song in a strange land. Their hearts remained fixed on Jerusalem, with a solemn vow that they would rather lose their skill or speech than forget their beloved city, preferring it above all earthly joy. The psalmist then turns to a plea for divine remembrance of Edom's malicious role in Jerusalem's destruction, as they urged its complete razing. The psalm culminates in a fierce imprecation against Babylon, the "daughter of Babylon," prophesying its future destruction. It declares blessed those who will repay Babylon for its cruelty, even to the extent of violently dashing its infants against stones. This passage reflects the deep anguish, unwavering loyalty, and intense desire for justice felt by the exiled people.

Psalms 137 commences with a poignant depiction of the Israelite exiles' sorrowful state by the rivers of Babylon. There, they sat down and wept, overwhelmed by the memory of Zion, their beloved homeland. Their musical instruments, the harps, were hung upon the willows, symbolizing their inability or refusal to engage in joyful song. Their captors, who had carried them away and wasted them, cruelly demanded songs of Zion and mirth, but the exiles questioned how they could sing the LORD'S song in a strange, unholy land. This refusal underscored their deep spiritual distress and their commitment to the sanctity of their sacred music. The psalm then shifts to a powerful declaration of unwavering loyalty to Jerusalem. The psalmist vows that if he were to forget Jerusalem, his right hand should lose its cunning, and if he did not remember her, his tongue should cleave to the roof of his mouth. This profound statement emphasizes that Jerusalem was to be preferred above his chief joy, signifying its paramount importance in their spiritual and national identity. Following this vow, the psalm takes a sharp turn towards imprecation. The psalmist appeals to the LORD to remember the children of Edom, who, on the day of Jerusalem's downfall, had maliciously urged its complete destruction, crying, "Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof." This highlights the deep-seated resentment against those who rejoiced in their suffering. The psalm concludes with a stark and violent pronouncement against Babylon, identifying it as the "daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed." It declares a blessing upon anyone who would repay Babylon for its cruelty, mirroring the suffering it inflicted upon Israel. The final verse expresses a shocking and graphic desire for retribution, stating that happy shall he be who takes and dashes Babylon's little ones against the stones. This reflects the profound trauma and desire for divine justice experienced by the exiled people, a testament to the extreme suffering endured during their captivity.