By the rivers of Babylon

Psalm 137 is a song of lament that expresses the sorrow and longing of the Israelites for their homeland, after being taken into exile in Babylon.

The psalmist opens in verse 1 by describing the sad and emotional state of the exiles, as they sit by the rivers of Babylon thinking of their home back in Jerusalem.

"By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion."

In verse 2 he speaks of the despair of the exiles, who because of their despair are unable to sing their songs of joy and praise, symbolised by hanging their harps on the willow trees.

"We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof."

Then in verse 3, the psalmist writes that the Babylonian captors scorn and mock them by asking them to sing songs of joy, despite the sadness of their situation.

"For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, and those who plundered us requested mirth, saying, 'Sing us one of the songs of Zion!'"

In verse 4 the psalmist reflects on the difficulty of singing songs of worship and praise in a foreign land, away from the Lord's presence, and simply reply,

"How shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?"

In verse 5 the psalmist declares his unwavering devotion to Jerusalem, even here in exile, he asserts that forgetting Jerusalem would be equivalent to forgetting how to use his right arm.

"If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill."

In verse 6 the psalmist expresses his determination to remember Jerusalem, even if it means never speaking again.

"If I do not remember you, let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth."

In verse 7 we see defiance welling up in the heart of the psalmist as he prays for God to remember the enemies of Jerusalem and punish them for their destruction of the city.

"Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, who said, 'Raze it, raze it, to its very foundation!'"

Then in verse 8, defiance turns to retribution as the psalmist curses the Babylonian captors and wishes for their destruction, just as they destroyed Jerusalem.

"O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, happy the one who repays you as you have served us!"

In verse 9 the psalmist expresses a deep merciless desire for revenge against the Babylonians, wishing for them to suffer the same terrible fate as their children.

"Happy shall he be who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock!"

In this psalm, the psalmist expresses the deep sadness and longing, of the exiles for their homeland, Jerusalem. He reflects on the difficulty of singing songs of worship in a foreign land and asserts his unwavering devotion to Jerusalem. The psalmist prays for God to remember the enemies of Jerusalem and to bring punishment upon them for their destruction, expressing a deep desire for revenge against their captors. Not only does this psalm serves as a powerful reminder of the emotional toll of exile and the longing for home; but it also serves to remind us that the human condition seeks revenge and retribution rather than forgive those who sin against us.

Have a super day, and God bless,

Trev.

"Boney M" released the song By the Rivers of Babylon away back in 1978!