Short answer: Psalm 137 is a lament of the exiles by the rivers of Babylon. The psalm vividly depicts the sorrow of God's people who hung their harps on the willows and could not sing the Lord's song in a foreign land. Their captors demanded songs of joy, but the exiles could not sing. The psalm ends with the most difficult verses in the Psalter — a blessing on those who repay Babylon and who seize their infants and dash them against the rocks.
The setting of the psalm
Psalm 137 is one of the most poignant and difficult psalms in the Psalter. It begins with the exiles sitting by the rivers of Babylon and weeping as they remember Zion. The image is vivid and heartbreaking — God's people, far from home, mourning the loss of their city and temple. Their harps hang silent on the willow trees.
Their captors demanded songs of joy: 'Sing us one of the songs of Zion!' But the exiles could not sing the Lord's song in a foreign land. The request was a form of mockery — their captors wanted to be entertained by the songs of a defeated people. The exiles' refusal to sing was an act of faithful resistance.
The psalm includes a vow: 'If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!' The vow expresses absolute loyalty to Jerusalem even in exile.
The psalm ends with the most difficult verses in the entire Psalter. The psalmist pronounces a blessing on those who repay Babylon for what she did and who seize her infants and dash them against the rocks. This verse has troubled readers for centuries and requires careful interpretation as a cry for justice rather than a command for personal vengeance.
For Christians, this psalm gives voice to the experience of exile and lament. The church is a pilgrim people in a world that is not our home. The vow to remember Jerusalem points to our hope in the heavenly Jerusalem. The difficult final verses must be read through the lens of Christ, who taught us to love our enemies while still crying out for God's justice.
The themes of Psalm 137 have encouraged believers throughout the centuries. The psalm's message of trust in God, dependence on his provision, and hope in his deliverance speaks to the deepest needs of the human heart. Whether read in times of joy or seasons of suffering, this psalm continues to nourish faith and inspire worship.
The language of Psalm 137 is both simple and profound. The psalmist uses ordinary words to express extraordinary truths about God's character and his relationship with his people. This accessibility is one of the reasons the Psalms have been the prayer book and hymnal of God's people for millennia.
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows in that land, we hung up our harps. For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs. Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy: “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How can we sing Yahweh’s song in a foreign land?
Psalm 137:1-4 (World English Bible)
Key words and their meaning
The Hebrew word for 'wept' (bachah) in verse 1 describes the deep grief of the exiles. The tears of God's people by the rivers of Babylon are a powerful image of loss and longing for home.
The word 'remember' (zakar) in verses 1 and 6 appears twice — the exiles remember Zion, and the psalmist vows to remember Jerusalem. Remembering is an act of faith and loyalty in the face of pressure to forget.
The word 'dash' (naphatz) in verse 9 is the most difficult word in the psalm. It describes the violent act of shattering infants against rocks. This is a cry for divine justice, not a command for human action.
If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill. Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you, if I don’t prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.
Psalm 137:5-6 (World English Bible)
What the psalm claims
First, exile and loss are real experiences that can be brought before God. The psalm gives voice to the grief of God's people.
Second, remembering Jerusalem is an act of faith and loyalty. The vow to remember Zion even in exile is a commitment to God's promises.
Third, cries for justice are valid in prayer. The difficult final verses express the depth of the psalmist's pain and the desire for God to set things right.
The psalm's message is as relevant today as when it was first written. The challenges of living faithfully in a fallen world have not changed, and the resources of God's grace remain the same. This psalm equips believers to face those challenges with confidence in God's steadfast love and faithfulness.
Remember, Yahweh, against the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem, who said, “Raze it! Raze it even to its foundation!” Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, he will be happy who repays you, as you have done to us. Happy shall he be, who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock.
Psalm 137:7-9 (World English Bible)
Where readers disagree
The interpretation of the final verses has been extensively discussed. Some argue that the imprecation against Babylon's infants should not be read as Scripture for Christian ethics, while others see it as a cry for divine justice.
The historical context of the psalm has been discussed. It was likely composed during or shortly after the Babylonian exile.
The relationship between this psalm and the imprecatory psalms has been discussed. Psalm 137 is among the most difficult of the imprecatory psalms and requires careful theological interpretation.
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows in that land, we hung up our harps. For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs. Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy: “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How can we sing Yahweh’s song in a foreign land?
Psalm 137:1-4 (World English Bible)
How this psalm connects to the gospel
The themes of Psalm 137 find their ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The New Testament frequently draws on the Psalms to explain who Jesus is and what he accomplished. The psalm's language of deliverance, kingship, and steadfast love all point toward the gospel.
In Jesus, believers see the perfect fulfillment of everything this psalm celebrates. The deliverance the psalmist experienced was a foreshadowing of the greater deliverance Christ would accomplish. The kingship celebrated in the psalm points to Christ's eternal reign. The steadfast love described in the psalm is fully revealed in Jesus's sacrificial death and resurrection.
For Christians, reading this psalm is an opportunity to see God's faithfulness across the entire biblical story. The same God who heard the psalmist's cry also hears the prayers of his people today. The same deliverance finds its ultimate expression in the salvation Christ offers. The psalm invites believers to trust in this faithful God and to make his praise known to all generations.
The New Testament writers understood the Psalms as a prophetic witness to Christ. Jesus himself told his disciples that everything written about him in the Psalms must be fulfilled (Luke 24:44). When the apostles preached about Jesus, they regularly quoted the Psalms to demonstrate that his suffering, death, resurrection, and exaltation were all part of God's redemptive plan.
Psalm 137 participates in this prophetic witness. Whether through its language of kingship, its descriptions of suffering and deliverance, or its celebration of God's steadfast love, this psalm contributes to the biblical portrait of the Messiah. Reading it in light of Christ does not diminish its original meaning but reveals its deepest significance.
If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill. Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you, if I don’t prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.
Psalm 137:5-6 (World English Bible)
Biblical fidelity check
Psalm 137 is theologically sound and consistent with the broader biblical witness. Its themes of God's steadfast love, faithfulness, and righteousness are central to biblical theology. The psalm contributes to the Psalter's comprehensive portrait of God's relationship with his people. While each psalm reflects its original historical context, its truths are enduring and applicable to believers today. The New Testament affirms and deepens the themes found in this psalm, particularly through the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main message of Psalm 137?
The main message of Psalm 137 is by the waters of babylon, there we sat down and wept. The psalm teaches that God is worthy of trust and praise. It calls believers to respond to God's character with faith, obedience, and worship.
How does Psalm 137 point to Christ?
Psalm 137, like all Scripture, ultimately points to Jesus Christ. The themes of God's deliverance, steadfast love, and kingship find their fullest expression in Christ. The New Testament frequently quotes the Psalms to explain Christ's person and work. As Jesus himself said, the Scriptures bear witness to him (John 5:39).
How does Psalm 137 apply to Christians today?
Psalm 137 applies to believers today by providing language for prayer, praise, and lament. It teaches about God's character and how believers should respond to him. The psalm's truths are timeless, addressing the universal human experiences of joy, suffering, hope, and trust.
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