Psalms 137 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
Psalm 137 KJV
- 1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
- 2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
- 3 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.
Psalm 137 KJV continued (Old Testament, King James Bible)
- 4 How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?
- 5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
- 6 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.
- 7 Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
- 8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
- 9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
Key Takeaways from This Psalm:
Psalm 137:1
Verse: עַל-נַחֲלֵי בָבֶל
Transliteration: Al-nachalei Bavel
English: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion.”
Focus Word: זָכַר (Zakar)
- Root: ז-כ-ר (Zayin-Kaf-Resh)
- Meaning: “To remember,” “to call to mind,” “to be mindful.”
- Deeper Insight: Zakar conveys active recollection, emphasizing reflection on past joys and losses and maintaining faith amid exile.
| Hebrew Word + Transliteration | Verse + Snippet | Meaning | Scholarly Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| נָהָר — nahar | Verse 1 — “By the rivers of Babylon…” | “River,” stream. | Nahar (“river”) symbolizes exile and foreign oppression. It sets the scene for lament. The word marks geographic and emotional displacement. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| זָכַר — zakhar | Verse 1 — “…there we remembered Zion.” | “Remember,” call to mind. | Zakhar (“to remember”) expresses longing born from covenant loyalty. It ties memory to identity. The term highlights loss and hope. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary |
| תָּלָה — talah | Verse 2 — “We hung our harps…” | “To hang,” suspend. | Talah (“to hang”) symbolizes cessation of joyful worship. It communicates grief that interrupts praise. The word strengthens the tone of desolation. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Commentary |
| שִׂמְחָה — simchah | Verse 3 — “…sing us one of the songs of Zion!” | “Joy,” gladness. | Simchah (“joy”) is invoked ironically by captors. The word underscores the cruelty of forced celebration. It deepens the pathos of lament. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| שִׁיר — shir | Verse 4 — “How shall we sing…” | “Song,” musical praise. | Shir (“song”) reflects covenantal worship. The refusal emphasizes holiness and loyalty to Zion. The term contrasts sacred worship with captivity. — Franz Delitzsch, Commentary |
| נֵכָר — nechar | Verse 4 — “…in a foreign land?” | “Foreign,” strange. | Nechar (“foreign”) highlights spiritual dissonance in exile. It conveys displacement from God’s presence. The term intensifies sorrow. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Commentary |
| אֱשֶׁת — eshet | Verse 5 — “If I forget you, O Jerusalem…” | “To forget,” neglect. | Eshet (“to forget”) expresses potential breach of covenant loyalty. Its negation forms an oath of devotion. The word reinforces Jerusalem’s sacred centrality. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| דָּבֵק — daveq | Verse 6 — “…let my tongue cling to my mouth…” | “To cling,” stick. | Daveq (“to cling”) symbolizes incapacitation if loyalty fails. It underscores the seriousness of the vow. The term reflects covenant dedication. — Franz Delitzsch, Commentary |
| שָׁלֵם — shalem | Verse 8 — “O daughter of Babylon… repaid…” | “To repay,” recompense. | Shalem (“to repay”) conveys poetic justice. It expresses divine judgment on oppressors. The word reinforces moral recompense. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Keil & Delitzsch Commentary |
| טָפַח — tafach | Verse 9 — “…dash your little ones…” | “To strike,” dash violently. | Tafach (“to dash”) captures severe judgment imagery. It reflects ancient war realities, not prescriptive command. The term expresses complete overthrow of a wicked empire. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
| Scholar (Institution & Dates) | Work | View on Psalm 137 |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Scott (University of Edinburgh, 1747–1821) | Commentary on the Holy Bible | Scott highlights the Psalm’s deep expression of sorrow and longing for Jerusalem, emphasizing the intensity of exile. |
| John Owen (University of Oxford, 1616–1683) | A Commentary on the Psalms | Owen interprets the Psalm as portraying both grief and steadfast hope, showing that faith persists even in suffering. |
| George Buchanan (St Andrews / Paris, 1506–1582) | Commentaries on the Psalms | Buchanan views the Psalm as a poetic record of national identity and spiritual lament during captivity. |
| Philip Doddridge (Northampton Academy, 1702–1751) | Family Expositor | Doddridge stresses that the Psalm models honest reflection on sorrow while maintaining devotion to God. |
| John Brown (Edinburgh, 1722–1787) | Self-Interpreting Bible | Brown emphasizes that the Psalm teaches both remembrance and reliance on God amidst loss and displacement. |
Prayer on Psalm 137 KJV
Prayer: Thank You Lord for Who You are. Thank You Lord that You are faithful and that you cause all things to work together for the good of those who love you and are called according to Your purpose. Mighty God, let the knowledge of Your glory cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Help us to be faithful to the mission and call that you have us here on earth; reconciling man to God as though you were making your appeals through us. King of glory You died for us so we will live for you and the life that we now live is the Life that you have given to us in Yourself. Glorify Your Name O Lord and perfect Your Church, Your Bride, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
We hope you enjoyed Psalm 137 from the King James Bible. Psalm 137 KJV is a wonderful Psalm. Maybe the Lord wants to use it to speak to you today. Do you know that the Lord Jesus Christ came as a man, lived a sinless life, was crucified, died and placed in a tomb, and then on the 3rd day rose again from the dead? Do you know and believe that He died in your place and rose again to give you new life in His Name? If you haven't received Him into your life as Lord, then now is the time to do so. It is our prayer the The Lord will use Psalm 137 to draw you closer to Himself and empower you to live for Him.
