Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Psalms 137

Introduction

1  The constancy of the Jews in captivity.
7  The prophet curses Edom and Babel.
Verse 1

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
A. M. cir. 3463. B.C. cir. 541. (Title.) The author of this beautiful and affecting elegy is unknown, but the occasion is evident; and it was most probably composed during, or near the close of, the captivity
the rivers
Genesis 2:10-14, Ezra 8:21,31, Ezekiel 1:1
there sat
Nehemiah 1:3,4, 2:3, Job 2:12,13, Jeremiah 13:17,18, 15:17, Lamentations 2:10, Ezekiel 3:15
we wept
42:4, 102:9-14, Isaiah 66:10, Jeremiah 51:50,51, Lamentations 1:16, 2:11,18, 3:48,51, Daniel 9:3, 10:2,3, Luke 19:41, Revelation 11:3
Verse 2

We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
we hanged
Willows were so plentiful at Babylon, on the banks of the Euphrates, that Isaiah calls it "the brook or river of willows."
33:2, 81:2, Isaiah 24:8, Ezekiel 26:13, Amos 8:10, Revelation 18:22
Verse 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.
For there
123:3,4, Lamentations 2:15,16
a song
Heb. the words of a song. wasted us. Heb. laid us on heaps.
79:1, Nehemiah 4:2, Jeremiah 9:11, 26:18, Micah 3:12, Luke 21:6
the songs of Zion
9:14, 65:1, 1 Chronicles 15:27, 16:7, Isaiah 35:10, 51:11, Jeremiah 31:12,13, Revelation 14:1-3
Verse 4

How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?
How shall
Ecclesiastes 3:4, Isaiah 22:12, Lamentations 5:14,15, Hosea 9:4, Amos 8:3
strange land
Heb. land of a stranger.
Isaiah 49:21
Verse 5

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
I forget
84:1,2,10, 102:13,14, 122:5-9, Nehemiah 1:2-4, 2:2,3, Isaiah 62:1,6,7, Jeremiah 51:50, Daniel 6:10,11
let my right
Zechariah 11:17
Verse 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.
let my tongue
22:15, Isaiah 41:17, Lamentations 4:4, Ezekiel 3:26
if I prefer
84:10, Matthew 6:33, Acts 20:24, Philippians 1:20, 1 Thessalonians 3:7-9
my chief joy
Heb. the head of my joy.
Verse 7

Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
Remember
74:18, 79:8-12, Exodus 17:14, 1 Samuel 15:2, Hosea 7:2
the children
Isaiah 63:1-6, Jeremiah 49:7-22, Lamentations 4:21,22, Ezekiel 25:12-14, Obadiah 1:10-14,18-21
Rase it
Heb. make bare.
Verse 8

O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
daughter
Isaiah 47:1-5, Jeremiah 50:42, 51:33, Zechariah 2:7
who art
Isaiah 13:1-22, 14:4-24, 21:1, 47:1, Jeremiah 25:12-14, 50:1-51, Revelation 14:8-11, 17:1-18, 18:6
destroyed
Heb. wasted. happy.
149:6-9, Isaiah 13:3-5, 44:28, Revelation 17:5,6,14, 18:6,20
rewardeth
etc. Heb. recompenseth unto thee thy deed which thou didst unto us.
Jeremiah 50:15-29, Revelation 18:6
Verse 9

Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
and dasheth
Isaiah 13:16, Hosea 10:14, 13:16
the stones
Heb. the rock.

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