Psalm 137 Exposition And Babylonian Exile Context
Psalm 137 vividly portrays the anguish of the Israelite exiles during their captivity in Babylon, expressing their deep sorrow, their unwavering remembrance of Jerusalem, and their fervent desire for divine retribution against their oppressors [6, 7]. The psalm opens with the poignant lines, "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion" [1].
The historical context for Psalm 137 is the Babylonian Exile, a period following the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple by Nebuchadnezzar II in 586 BCE. The people of Judah were forcibly deported to Babylon, where they remained for several decades [5, 10]. This psalm is understood to have been written either during this exile or shortly after, reflecting on the experience [4, 5]. While some ancient versions, such as the Septuagint and Syriac, attribute the psalm to David, and some even link it to Jeremiah, scholarly consensus places its composition firmly within the exilic or post-exilic period due to its specific historical references [5, 10]. Matthew Henry suggests it was likely penned towards the end of the captivity, as it anticipates Babylon's destruction [10].
The setting "by the rivers of Babylon" (Psalm 137:1) is significant. These rivers, such as the Euphrates and its canals, were places where the exiles were likely settled and put to work [11]. The imagery of sitting by the rivers evokes a sense of desolation and isolation, a common theme for those driven by grief into solitude [4]. The flowing water might have offered a melancholic backdrop to their sorrow, a constant reminder of their displacement [4]. The "rivers of Babylon" can also be understood as a synecdoche for the entire land of Babylon [7].
The core of the exiles' grief is their remembrance of Zion, or Jerusalem [1, 7]. This memory is not merely nostalgic; it is a painful recollection of their homeland, their spiritual center, and the place where God's presence was uniquely manifested [6]. The Babylonians, aware of the Israelites' musical traditions, mockingly demanded that they "sing us one of the songs of Zion!" (Psalm 137:3, ESV). This demand highlights the cultural clash and the oppressors' insensitivity. The exiles' response, "How could we sing the song of Yahweh in a foreign land?" (Psalm 137:4, LEB), underscores the profound spiritual and emotional impossibility of such an act [2, 8]. The songs of Zion were intrinsically linked to the joy and worship experienced in the Promised Land; singing them in captivity would have been a desecration or an unbearable reminder of their loss [8].
The exiles' harps, instruments of praise and joy, were hung on willow trees, symbolizing the cessation of their celebratory music and the depth of their sorrow [8]. This act might also signify the death of their joy under God's curse, referencing Deuteronomy 21:23 [8]. The refusal to sing is an act of resistance, a declaration that their sacred music cannot be performed for the entertainment of their captors in a land far from God's dwelling place [8]. Rashi, a medieval Jewish commentator, notes that Nebuchadnezzar specifically asked them to sing as they used to on the stage, emphasizing the performative and mocking nature of the demand [9].
The psalmist then expresses an unbreakable vow of loyalty to Jerusalem: "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither! 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!" (Psalm 137:5-6, ESV). These are powerful imprecations against oneself, demonstrating the depth of their commitment. Forgetting Jerusalem would be a betrayal of their identity and their covenant with God. The right hand, often associated with skill and strength, particularly in playing musical instruments, and the tongue, essential for singing, are offered as pledges [8].
The psalm takes a sharp turn in its final verses, moving from lament to a fervent prayer for vengeance against those who wronged them. The psalmist calls upon God to "Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem's fall, how they said, 'Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!'" (Psalm 137:7, ESV). Edom, a neighboring nation, is singled out for its malicious rejoicing and active participation in Jerusalem's destruction [3]. The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge cross-references Psalm 137:7 with numerous other biblical passages that condemn Edom for its actions against Israel, including Exodus 17:14, Obadiah 1:10, and Ezekiel 25:12, highlighting a long-standing animosity and divine judgment against Edom [3].
The psalm concludes with an even more shocking imprecation against Babylon: "O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you for what you have done to us! Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!" (Psalm 137:8-9, ESV). This passage, often considered one of the most difficult in the Psalter, expresses a raw, visceral desire for justice and retribution. It reflects the extreme suffering and trauma inflicted upon the exiles. While challenging for modern readers, this imprecation is understood within the context of ancient Near Eastern warfare and the psalmist's plea for God to act as a righteous judge against oppressors [6]. It is a cry for divine justice, echoing the principle of lex talionis (an eye for an eye) and anticipating the judgment prophesied against Babylon in other prophetic books [10]. The "daughter of Babylon" is a poetic personification of the Babylonian empire itself [7].
Psalm 137 thus functions as a powerful testament to the enduring faith and national identity of the Israelites during a period of immense suffering. It articulates their profound grief, their unwavering hope in Jerusalem's restoration, and their conviction that God would ultimately bring justice to their oppressors.
Sources
- Psalms “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion. -- Psalms 137:1”
- Psalms “Psalms 137:4 (LEB) — How could we sing the song of Yahweh in ⌞a foreign land⌟?”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Psalms 137:7 cross-references: Exodus 17:14, 1 Samuel 15:2, Nehemiah 6:14, Psalms 74:18, Psalms 79:8, Isaiah 34:5, Isaiah 63:1, Jeremiah 49:7, Lamentations 4:21, Ezekiel 25:12, Ezekiel 35:2, Ezekiel 35:15, Hosea 7:2, Amos 1:11, Obadiah 1:10, Obadiah 1:18, Habakkuk 3:13”
- Psalms (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Psalms 137:1: Beginning with perfects, the Psalm has the appearance of being a Psalm not belonging to the Exile, but written in memory of the Exile. The bank of a river, like the seashore, is a favourite place of sojourn of those whom deep grief drives forth from the bustle of men into solitude. The boundary line of the river gives to solitude a safe back; the monotonous splashing of the waves keeps up the dull, melancholy alternation of thoughts and feelings; and at the same time the sight of the cool, fresh water exercises a soothing influence upon the consuming fever wit”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 137 (introduction): INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 137 The occasion of this psalm was the captivity of the Jews in Babylon, and the treatment they met with there; either as foreseen, or as now endured. Aben Ezra ascribes this psalm to David; and so the Syriac version, which calls it, "a psalm of David; the words of the saints, who were carried captive into Babylon.'' The Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Ethiopic versions, make it to be David's, and yet add the name of Jeremiah; and the Arabic version calls it David's, concerning Jeremiah: but, as Theodoret observes, Jeremiah was”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 137:1: Ps 137 In response to the pain of exile (137:1-4), the psalmist resolves to remember Jerusalem even though the memories cause him pain (137:4-6). He also writes an astounding imprecation, or prayer for vengeance (137:7-9).”
- Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 135 (introduction): This Psalm records the mourning of the captive Israelites, and a prayer and prediction respecting the destruction of their enemies. (Psa 137:1-9) rivers of Babylon--the name of the city used for the whole country. remembered Zion--or, Jerusalem, as in Psa 132:13.”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 137:2: 137:2-4 Because the music of Jerusalem was tied to the joys of life in the Promised Land, the Exile removed any occasion for singing joyous songs. The Babylonians wanted the Judeans to sing and dance for them, but the exiles’ grief made doing so either distasteful or impossible. The songs celebrating the Lord speak of his power and goodness, but his people were filled with doubts and questions. They hung their harps in trees, perhaps signifying the death of their joy under God’s curse (Deut 21:23).”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) on Psalms 137:1: By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat when we went down into exile, and Nebuchadnezzar asked them to sing for him as they used to sing on the stage.”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 137 (introduction): There are divers psalms which are thought to have been penned in the latter days of the Jewish church, when prophecy was near expiring and the canon of the Old Testament ready to be closed up, but none of them appears so plainly to be of a late date as this, which was penned when the people of God were captives in Babylon, and there insulted over by these proud oppressors; probably it was towards the latter end of their captivity; for now they saw the destruction of Babylon hastening on apace (Psa 137:8), which would be their discharge. It is a mourn”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 137:1: We have here the daughter of Zion covered with a cloud, and dwelling with the daughter of Babylon; the people of God in tears, but sowing in tears. Observe, I. The mournful posture they were in as to their affairs and as to their spirits. 1. They were posted by the rivers of Babylon, in a strange land, a great way from their own country, whence they were brought as prisoners of war. The land of Babylon was now a house of bondage to that people, as Egypt had been in their beginning. Their conquerors quartered them by the rivers, with design to employ them there, a”