Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Psalms 137
Psalm 137:1By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.
Psalm 137:5-6If 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!
Here, the psalmist makes a powerful vow, declaring that remembering Jerusalem is more important than his own skill and joy, making it the core of his identity.Psalm 137:9Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!
Historical & Cultural Context
A Nation in Mourning
This psalm is set in the aftermath of a national catastrophe. In 586 BC, the Babylonian empire conquered Judah, destroyed the city of Jerusalem and its sacred Temple, and deported its leading citizens. The 'waters of Babylon' are the rivers and canals of Mesopotamia where these exiles now live. They are grieving the loss of their homes and the destruction of the very center of their national and spiritual identity.
Taunted by the Captors
The emotional scene is one of humiliation. The Babylonian captors mock the exiles' faith, demanding they sing the joyful 'songs of Zion' as a form of entertainment. This cruel request forces a crisis: how can they sing songs of worship to God in a foreign, oppressive land? This taunt sparks a defiant response, shifting the psalm from passive grief to an active, passionate vow of remembrance and a cry for justice.
A Journey from Grief to a Cry for Justice
Psalm 137 unfolds in three distinct emotional movements. It begins with the exiles sitting by the rivers of Babylon, overwhelmed with sorrow as they remember their lost home. Their grief is then pierced by the cruel mockery of their captors, leading to a passionate declaration of loyalty to Jerusalem and a final, desperate plea for God to bring justice upon their enemies.
The Sorrow of Exile (Psalm 137:1-4)
1 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.
2 On the willows there we hung up our lyres.
3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
4 How shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?
Commentary:
Grieving Israelite exiles are taunted by their Babylonian captors, who demand they sing the sacred songs of their lost homeland.
A Vow of Remembrance (Psalm 137:5-6)
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!
6 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!
Commentary:
The psalmist makes a solemn oath to never forget Jerusalem, placing its memory above all personal skill and happiness.
A Cry for Divine Justice (Psalm 137:7-9)
7 Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”
8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!
9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!
Commentary:
The psalmist calls on God to bring justice to the Edomites and Babylon, asking for a punishment that mirrors their own cruelty.
Core Truths from a Song of Exile
Faithfulness in Loss
The psalm demonstrates that faithfulness to God doesn't mean suppressing grief. The exiles' weeping and refusal to sing are acts of integrity, showing that true worship cannot be coerced or performed in a way that dishonors God. Their loyalty is proven not by forced happiness, but by their unwavering memory of Jerusalem.
The Power of Memory
For the exiles, remembering Zion is an act of spiritual survival and resistance. By vowing to never forget, they refuse to let their identity be erased by their captors. This theme shows that holding onto our spiritual heritage is crucial for maintaining hope and purpose when we feel lost.
The Cry for God's Justice
The difficult ending of the psalm reveals a deep trust in God as the ultimate judge. Instead of taking revenge themselves, the people cry out for God to intervene and hold evil accountable. It teaches that we can bring our most intense feelings of anger over injustice to God, trusting that He alone can and will set things right.
Applying an Ancient Lament Today
Psalm 137 gives you permission to be honest with God about your pain. Like the exiles who 'sat down and wept' (v. 1), you don't have to pretend everything is okay. It shows that a silent, grieving heart can be as faithful as a singing one, and that God meets you in your sorrow.
To 'remember Jerusalem' today means to intentionally recall God's faithfulness and the hope you have in Him, even when your circumstances feel bleak. It's about prioritizing your spiritual identity above temporary comforts or joys, as the psalmist did in verses 5-6. This act of remembrance can anchor your faith when you feel adrift.
The final verses (v. 8-9) model a way to process righteous anger by handing it over to God. Instead of letting bitterness consume you or plotting revenge, you can cry out to God as the only one capable of enacting perfect justice. This psalm validates your anger at evil while directing it toward prayer, trusting God to be the ultimate judge.
God Hears Our Honest Pain
Psalm 137 declares that God is big enough to handle our most unfiltered emotions. It shows that authentic faith does not require us to hide our sorrow, anger, or even our desire for vengeance. The message is that in our darkest moments of exile and loss, we can turn toward God, not away from Him. He invites us to lay our broken hearts and cries for justice at His feet, trusting that He is a God who sees, remembers, and will ultimately make all things right.
What This Means for Us Today
Psalm 137 is an invitation to raw honesty. It calls us to bring the full, uncensored reality of our lives before God, especially the parts that are painful and ugly. We are invited to trust that God would rather hear our angry cry than our polite silence.
- What pain or anger have you been hiding from God, believing it was too 'unholy' to bring to Him in prayer?
- In what area of your life do you need to trust God to be the ultimate judge and bringer of justice?
- How can remembering God's past faithfulness give you hope in your present 'exile'?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This psalm of thanksgiving, with its repeated refrain 'His steadfast love endures forever,' provides a stark contrast to the deep lament of Psalm 137.
Following the communal lament, this psalm offers a personal song of thanksgiving and trust in God's deliverance, perhaps reflecting a hope for future restoration.
Connections Across Scripture
This entire book is a collection of laments mourning the destruction of Jerusalem, providing a much deeper dive into the sorrow expressed in Psalm 137.
This chapter contains God's message to the exiles in Babylon, instructing them to build lives there while trusting in His future plans for restoration.
This passage is a prophecy directly condemning Edom for its violent and celebratory role in Jerusalem's downfall, echoing the sentiment of Psalm 137:7.
Theological Themes
This verse, 'Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God,' provides a New Testament framework for understanding the imprecatory prayers of the Old Testament.
Discussion Questions
- The exiles hung up their lyres because they couldn't sing the Lord's song. Have you ever felt unable to worship or pray during a difficult time? What did that feel like?
- The vow in verses 5-6 is about making the memory of Jerusalem the most important thing. What are the 'Jerusalems' in our lives - the core truths or hopes we must never forget?
- The end of the psalm is shocking to modern readers. How can we reconcile this raw cry for vengeance with the Christian call to love our enemies? What is the role of such 'imprecatory prayers' for us today?