How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? a prayer for judgment (verses 7-9). destroyed by the Babylonians (2 Chron. The first part of the psalm tells the story of exile in Babylon (587-538 B.C.E. Psalm 137:8 "O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy [shall he [12], After the Second Vatican Council, the last three verses of the psalm were removed from Catholic liturgical books because of their cruelty perceived to be incompatible with the gospel message. 10. be], that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.". Nor Christ, the object of joy unspeakable and full of glory; joy in the By the determinate counsel and decree of God, and according to divine This is the same as before, to forget, Anxiety shines a spotlight for us on how much we need the Lord. Jerusalem, their holy city. Psalm 137 is the 137th psalm of the Book of Psalms, and as such it is included in the Hebrew Bible. Psalm 137 1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. “We wept”: They even wept when the exile was over and the second temple was The psalmist penned this poem while … 1. Let me be dumb and speechless, Which is not only the title of the … What horrible thing, in verse 9, had taken place in Jerusalem before. here wished success by the godly Jews. Zion. The Israelites even “hanged” their harps, their instruments of More Episodes. The remembrance of its calamities pressed hard upon uppermost, and is first in his thoughts and words. It is widely accepted that this psalm was written during or shortly after the exilic waves of the Southern Kingdom during the Babylonian captivity of 597 BCE and 587 BCE , extending to 538 BCE . As his Creator, preserver, and benefactor, and much less as 11:18). After Nebuchadnezzar II's successful siege of Jerusalem in 597 BC, and subsequent campaigns, inhabitants of the Kingdom of Judah were deported to Babylonia, where they were held captive until some time after the Fall of Babylon (539 BC). to Home Page  |  Return cunning].". Commentary on Psalm 137:5-9 (Read Psalm 137:5-9) What we love, we love to think of. 4 For the L ord has z chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his a own possession. A few years ago, we were forced by things beyond our control to leave a church 20th and 21st-century settings based on, or referring to, Psalm 137 include: Phrases from the psalm have been referenced in numerous works, including: "By the rivers of Babylon" redirects here. A German translation by Franz Theremin [de], "An Babylons Wassern gefangen", was set by Carl Loewe (No. enjoyment because of the sad case of Zion (Mal. author and date are unknown. 8. In the later verses (Ps 137:7-9), we have utterances of burning indignation against the chief adversaries of Israel, --an indignation as righteous as it was fervent. [13] In the post-Vatican II three-year cycle of the Catholic mass liturgy, the psalm is part of the service on Laetare Sunday, that is the fourth Sunday in Lent, of the "B" cycle. on them? It might even be thought of being Psalm 137:6 "If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my Verse 1. been a time when Christians could not come to their place of worship. contains a cry in captivity (verses 1-4), a vow of remembrance (verses 5-6), and The church is really being pushed out of the main stream. These were harps that they had played joyfully in their temple. I look back over the things that have changed our churches, and I One will not The hymnwriter John L. Bell comments alongside his own setting of this Psalm: "The final verse is omitted in this metricization, because its seemingly outrageous curse is better dealt with in preaching or group conversation. In prayer, in discourse, in conversation. remembrance. Nor is this desired from a spirit of revenge, but In verse 1, when did they weep? likely that he would forget how to use his right hand than it is that he would 3. “Zion”: The dwelling place of God on earth (Psalms 9:11; 76:2), which was This is about the same thing as the verse above, except instead of forgetting The rivers of Babylon are the Euphrates river, its tributaries, and the Tigris river. To lose one's special it. [24], The first composition in Eustache Du Caurroy's Meslanges de la musique, published in 1610, a year after the composer's death, is "Le long des eaux, ou se bagne", a six-part setting of Gilles Durant de la Bergerie's paraphrase of Psalm 137. How can we sing the LORD's song? This would be magnified here, because they were captives. [21] French Baroque settings were written by Henry Dumont,[citation needed] Marc-Antoine Charpentier, 2 settings, H.170 (1670) and H.171-H.171 a (? Faut-il prier au complet le psaume 136 (137)? A lament for fallen Jerusalem - either prophetic or written in captivity. 137) invokes God to bring … loyalty, even if they are citizens in another land, has always been to It is a context of worship in exile. not that it was desolate. This In 586 B.C., the soldiers from Babylon destroyed the capital city of Judah, Jerusalem. The singing of the songs remembered Zion.". 2:2). 4 - How can we sing The LORD's song in a foreign land? having done the same to the Jewish children, and is foretold elsewhere should be While their music, feasting, and dancing, when a friend has been just laid in the grave. loved one. 18:6). might be rooted out of the earth (see Rev. [citation needed], This psalm is also solemnly chanted at Matins (Orthros) after the Polyeleos on the three Sundays preceding the beginning of Great Lent. Psalm 137. believing, and in hope of the glory of God. Ver. This plaintive ode is one of the most charming compositions in the whole Book of Psalms for its poetic power. The psalm serves two purposes: (1) lament and (2) prayer for vengeance. "O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy [endureth] for ever." 44:28). In like manner the Christian princes will on them? reward mystical Babylon, and be the happy instruments of her ruin (Rev. - By the rivers of Babylon The Euphrates and the canals derived from it, which were many, and filled with running, not stagnant, water. The people longed for their native The Jews in exile were then told to “sing us one of the songs of Zion!” (Psalm 137:1), adding further humiliation and frustration to a defeated people. 1. An English setting ("By the Rivers of Babylon") by, It was the inspiration for Leonard Cohen's "By the Rivers Dark" on his 2001 album, Psalm 137:5–6 is the basis for the chorus of, "I Hung My Harp Upon the Willows" is a song by, This page was last edited on 26 November 2020, at 14:48. [42][43], Psalm 137 was the inspiration for the famous slave chorus "Va, pensiero" from Giuseppe Verdi's opera Nabucco (1842). The sense is, let me have no use of my tongue. them, and they could not do anything which would seem to imply that they had Jerusalem. would be if they should make merry while their temple was in ruins. This Psalm tells of the captivity of the children of Israel in Babylon. [33][34][35] Salamone Rossi (1570–1630) set the psalm in Hebrew (עַל נַהֲרוֹת בָּבֶל, Al naharot Bavel) for four parts. Buy from Amazon. [37][38] The psalm's first two verses were used for a musical setting in a round by English composer Philip Hayes. 25:12-14; 35:1-15; Obadiah chapters 11 to 14). What an even more hurtful thing to do. their place of worship. they stopped and thought back of their homeland, the main thing that came to this of crushing and mortifying the first motions of sin in the heart; but such 6. 7. captivity. The country of Babylon was 1000 kilometres to the east. It was customary for Jews to gather for worship by a river due to the necessity of ceremonial washings—this was a practice that continued for the building of synagogues later. destroyed. Those same 137 By the rivers of Babylon,+ there we sat. If they sang these songs of the temple in captivity, what effect would it have 1. rivers of Babylon—the name of the city used for the whole country. music, all its skill. And this not in things sinful, nor merely such as a worldly person has in For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required … What is this Psalm telling about? Psalm 137 Series Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Mar 11, 2020 | 2,390 views. Maré : Psalm 137 OTE 23/1 (2010), 116-128 119 The psalm not only relates the story of a specific period in Israel’s history, but it was probably utilised in the cult as an observance of lament by the exiles. situations: (2) mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.". “Carried us away captive”: The Babylonians taunted the Jews to sing of their When the calamities of war are abroad. place of worship is pretty close to the feelings you have in the death of a Rabbinical sources attributed the poem to the prophet Jeremiah,[3] and the Septuagint version of the psalm bears the superscription: "For David. That takes the infants from their mothers' breasts, or out of their arms, and [9][10] In the Roman Missal, before the Vatican II reforms, the first verse of the psalm was the Offertory in the Mass on the 20th Sunday after Pentecost. 3 Praise the L ord, for x the L ord is good; sing to his name, y for it is pleasant! When he can take no comfort in any outward There we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. [26][30] Schütz also set Luther's prose translation of Psalm 137 ("An den Wassern zu Babel", SWV 37, included in the Psalmen Davids, Op. Psalm 137- 1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. good and interest of religion. “The rivers of Babylon”: The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. city was desolate. This verse actually gives us a lot of information. (function() { Which [1] In English it is generally known as "By the rivers of Babylon", which is how its first words are translated in the King James Version. 5–6 the speaker turns into self-exhortation to remember Jerusalem: The psalm ends with prophetic predictions of violent revenge. Psautier latin-français du bréviaire monastique, p. 514, 1938/2003. The poetry was set by, among others, Isaac Nathan (1815) and Samuel Sebastian Wesley (c. 1834). Part III: The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Organ Works", Der Psalter Dauids Gesangweis: Auff die in Lutherischen Kirchen gewöhnliche Melodeyen zugerichtet, SWV 242 / Becker Psalter - Psalm 137 - An Wasserflüssen Babylon, DU CAURROY, Eustache (1549-1609) : MÉLANGES, Cantiques, chants, psaumes et hymnes (Rossi, Salamone), "Babylon Revisited: Psalm 137 as American Protest Song", We sat down and wept by the waters / An den Wassern zu Babel, Zwei hebräische Melodien von Lord Byron für eine Singstimme mit Klavierbegleitung, 2 Lieder, Op.15, BV 202 (Busoni, Ferruccio), "Près du fleuve étranger" (Gounod, Charles), Psalmus 136 (137) / An Babels Wasserflüssen, "Lament for Jerusalem a mystical love song". PSALM 137 A SONG FROM THE CAPTIVITY IN BABYLON For once, there is no need for guessing about the occasion of this Psalm. This is the context for Psalm 137. how to use his right hand, he is saying here, he would be unable to talk. Let the punishment come where it would seem to be 135 u Praise the L ord! 13:1 – 14:23, 46-47; Jer. and never sing a song or speak a word more, should I be so forgetful of the great is spoken of in this manner. Psalm 137 is at once one of the most poignant and most troubling of the psalms. In these psalms, the author (usually David, although not in Ps. 52:12-16; Lam. A joyous and brilliant party, accompanied with Nor the joy of the Holy Ghost in a way of If I should now play on the harp, as indicative of joy, “The children of Edom”: Edomites had been allied with the Babylonians in the “The LORD’s song”: A unique way to refer to divine inspiration of the psalms. When suffering, we should recollect with godly sorrow our forfeited mercies, and our sins by which we lost them. 24:8). The Jewish people have always thought of Jerusalem as their homeland. Psalm 137 – The Mournful Song of the Exiles, Hebrew text of verses 5–6, translation, transliteration, and recordings on the Zemirot Database, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Psalm_137&oldid=990789859, Articles with French-language sources (fr), Articles with International Music Score Library Project links, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2018, Articles with incomplete citations from July 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2020, Articles with sections that need to be turned into prose from July 2018, All articles that may have off-topic sections, Wikipedia articles that may have off-topic sections from July 2018, Articles needing additional references from April 2020, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2019, Articles needing additional references from June 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-10273872-2']); songs of Zion.". This was a prophetic Scripture about the destruction of Babylon. [24] It was soon adopted as a Lutheran hymn, and appeared in publications such as the Becker Psalter. October 9, 2018. (Ps 137, NASB) It is not often that theologians can agree upon the date of authorship of a text, but Psalm 137 is an exception. One of the saddest things a person can feel, is their separation from As risen, ascended, exalted, and “Hanged our harps”: In captivity, there was no use for an instrument of joy weep as these did who sat by the river in Babylon. It Go to Previous Section  |  Their captives required of them, what? Psalm 137 is in the context of the Jewish exile in Babylon (Psalm 137:1) where they had been taken as slaves after the Babylonians burned down the city of Jerusalem. Verses 5-6: Their refusal to sing was not caused by either of 2 unthinkable 4:21; Ezek. Posted on 13 Apr 2012 to 23,301 followers, with 15 retweets. the worship service of the temple. 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; make merry when a wife or child lies dying, or on the day of the funeral, or [25][26] A manuscript written in the early 17th century and a 1660s print illustrate that Dachstein's version of the psalm was adopted in Ashkenazi culture. When the pestilence is raging in a city, let the hand which would be employed in sweeping over its strings become 50:1). Psalms 137 . The poem was translated in French by Alexis Paulin Paris, and in German by Adolf Böttger. 2, 1619). [31][32] Organ compositions based on Dachstein's hymn include Johann Adam Reincken's An Wasserflüssen Babylon, and one of Johann Sebastian Bach's Great Eighteen Chorale Preludes. This is one cool tree-house to be in; faith in God sets the writer apart, and helps … 9. [14], The psalm has been set to music by many composers. that had meant so very much to us. email us at: 64:10-11; Jer. cities are spoken of as a daughter, or as a woman. [7][8], In the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches that use the Byzantine Rite, Psalm 137 (known by its Septuagint numbering as Psalm 136) is a part of the Nineteenth Kathisma (division of the Psalter) and is read at Matins on Friday mornings throughout the year, except during Bright Week (the week following Easter Sunday) when no psalms at all are read. var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; For other uses, see, Translations, versifications and settings, The Complete Artscroll Machzor for Rosh Hashanah page 324. done to theirs (Isa. greatness, glory, and fullness of his person. his covenant God and Father. 17:8). [citation needed], Similarly, the Prayer Book of the Anglican Church of Canada has also removed these verses. And 2:3). It should not be forgotten, especially by those who have never known exile, dispossession or the rape of people and land. _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); done to others (Jer. “The songs of Zion” (compare Psalms 46, 48, 76, 84, 87, 122). well be hanging in a tree for what good they could do for them. it was burned off, and dropped in the flames. Psalm 137:4 "How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land? The worst of punishments should be imposed if any one or a combination of these Singing to the self. to Top. [19] Philippe de Monte[20] and Tomas Luis de Victoria set the text for eight parts. 4, 1823). The Jewish people have always thought of _________ as their homeland. "If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy": Meaning not God his exceeding October 5, 2018. [11], In Lutheranism, a well-known hymn based on the psalm has been associated with a Gospel reading in which Jesus foretells and mourns the destruction of Jerusalem (Luke 19:41–48). Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever. 2:4, 6-9; Micah 3:12). appointed to destruction, and shall certainly go into it (Rev. ", “How shall we sing”: A rhetorical question whose answer is, “We can’t!”. Its Latin title is "Super flumina Babylonis".[2]. [47][48] In 1866 this setting was published with Henry Farnie's text version, as "By Babylon's wave: Psalm CXXXVII". The psalm is a regular part of Jewish, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican and Protestant liturgies. 4. 36:19; Psalms 74:6-8; 79:1; Isa. it may seem a piece of cruelty, was but a just retaliation. perfection of it. 2 - On the willows in that land,we hung up our harps. [45][46] Charles Gounod set "Près du fleuve étranger", a French paraphrase of the psalm, in 1861. deserve what you get, because of what you have done to us. By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. PSALM 137 OVERVIEW. factors were to become true. against the stones.". As late 1670)[22] and Michel-Richard Delalande. The hope that their ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? But all worldly joy, or matter of Many settings omit the last verse. who will come a second time. H 171 / psaume / Marc Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704), Super flumina Babylonis, S.13 (Lalande, Michel Richard de), "Bach's Chorals. Psalm 137 (in 140 characters or less) By the rivers of Babylon, we wept when we remembered Zion. I. This weeping was for remembering joy (Psalm 43:4). Psalm 137:1-9. deplorable state of Jerusalem as to sing songs at such a season, and in an Psalm 137: Continuing one of the more graphic imprecatory prayers, this psalm So mystical Babylon, antichrist, and the man of O Babylon, happy the one who repays you! The song they were trying to get them to sing was a song that had been part of disrespectful to God to sing this song in a heathen land. The psalmist painted a sad scene in … Their What did the people of Edom say, to do to Jerusalem? to a Babylon. In its whole form of nine verses, the psalm reflects the yearning for Jerusalem as well as hatred for the Holy City's enemies with sometimes violent imagery. Here are God’s people no longer in their land, no longer in their holy city, no longer in their Temple. They might as happiness, and prosperity of a man's family, wife, and children, and his own. It was like these Jewish people spoken of did not have Jerusalem as their chief joy. The hymnwriter John L. Bell comments alongside his own setting of this Psalm: "The final verse is omitted in this metricization, because its seemingly outrageous curse is better dealt with in preaching or group conversation. To be forced to be cheerful does not work. Who were ordered by the Lord to retaliate her, and do as she had paralyzed and powerless. did not have Jerusalem as their chief joy. Asked to "sing the Lord's song in a strange land", they refuse. sounds very cruel, but these children of Israel have always believed in an eye [27] Four-part chorale settings of Dachstein's hymn were realised by, among others, Johann Hermann Schein[28][29] and Heinrich Schütz. [44] Charles-Valentin Alkan's piano piece Super flumina Babylonis: Paraphrase, Op. the same horrors that they committed against Jerusalem to come to them. fall and destruction of Jerusalem (compare Isa. Return Psalms Menu  "For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us [required … their remembrance was their place of worship. The psalmist only babies will die is the prayer that no new Babylonian generation will arise Prev | Psalms | Next. PSALM 137 Ps 137:1-9. Psalm 137:1 "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we 1. people are still having trouble today, over Israel. Jerusalem is the very center of his heart's desire. [citation needed] During most of Great Lent it is read at Matins on Thursday and at the Third Hour on Friday, but during the fifth week of Great Lent it is read at Vespers on Tuesday evening and at the Third Hour on Friday. The early lines of the psalm describe the sadness of the Israelites in exile, weeping and hanging their harps on trees. The psalmist writes from exile in what today is southern Iraq. Verses 1-9: This psalm of grief recalls the lonely and desolate lives of the "Happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us": Meaning Darius shepherd, raised up in righteousness to perform his pleasure (Isa. It has been set to music often, and was paraphrased in hymns. "beginning" of his joy, as it may be rendered. Webmaster@bible-studys.org Psalm 137:5 "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget [her We wept when we remembered Zion.+ 2 Upon the poplar trees in her* midst, We hung our harps.+ 3 For there our captors asked us for a song,+ Those mocking us wanted amusement: “Sing for us one of the songs of Zion.” 4 How can we sing the song of Jehovah On foreign soil? var _gaq = _gaq || []; So these captives said it [39] William Billings adapted the text to describe the British occupation of Boston in his anthem "Lamentation over Boston". 4:19). Psalm 137 is the 137th psalm of the Book of Psalms, and as such it is included in the Hebrew Bible. 2 (1872), on the "Sarabande" of Bach's third English Suite. Many times, A. The poignancy comes in its personal description of the distress of Babylonian exile; the trouble is in its terrible outburst against the oppressors. for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, “Sing us … Psalm 137 is a hymn expressing the yearnings of the Jewish people during their Babylonian exile. interest of Christ are preferred by a good man to these (see 1 Sam. deserved, on the hand which could play at such a time. October 8, 2018. When joy for its good is Psalm 137:7 "Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who What a sad enemy's country. principal, and greatest part of joy, The beginning of joy, the top and used to carry out His prophesied will for the destruction of Babylon. Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.  They The psalm has been set to music by many composers. In English it is generally known as "By the rivers of Babylon", which is how its first words are translated in the King James Version.It is Psalm 136 in the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate versions of the Bible. Learn how and when to remove this template message, By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept, Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 136 (137). What did the people of Edom say, to do to Jerusalem? What is meant by the tongue cleaving to the roof of the mouth? being built (compare Ezra 3:12), so deep was their sorrow. 7 of his Biblical Songs (1894).[53][54]. chapters 50 and 51; Hab. If it were not inspired it would nevertheless occupy a high place in poesy, especially the former portion of it, which is tender and patriotic to the highest degree. Its Whenever a culture is displaced or endures a shock, it immediately goes into preservation-mode. II. It is as if the psalmist is saying, you on Psalm 109). the God of all grace unto him, and as his portion and exceeding great reward. Israelites while in captivity in “Babylon”. The world today, has turned Praise the name of the L ord, give praise, O v servants of the L ord, 2 who n stand in the house of the L ord, in w the courts of the house of our God! Babylon, the destroyer both of the bodies and souls of men (Rev. The Jewish people have always thought of _________ as their homeland. 11. On the subject of imprecations (see the note Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11, Psalms 137:1-4, John 12:9-19, Luke 19:28-44, Mark 11:1-11, Psalms 118:25, Genesis 1, Acts 16:25 (view more) (view less) Denomination: Anglican. In the blessings and promises of In vv. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. "Let my right hand forget her cunning": Let my right hand forget its skill in Buy the Bible Summary book. How to Have Peace in Anxious Times. Psalm 137:3 "For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; Psalms 122—131. But a lawful joy, such as in the health, What we get in these first verses is just plain sadness. What was the main thing they thought of, when they thought of their homeland? Next Section, Return to They stedfastly resolved to keep up this affection. simple fact: baby Babylonians grow up to be big Babylonians. appears when all a man has that his matter of joy is sacrificed for the public we feel to be untimely, unseemly, and incongruous. Oration, delivered in Corinthian Hall, Rochester, by Frederick Douglass, July 5th, 1852. Comments. “This Psalm is wisely placed. praise, because their sorrow was so deep. seeking worldwide dominion through cruel oppression. sin, who therefore is called the son of perdition (2 Thess. If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. that when Jerusalem was overthrown, that the Edomites wanted it to be totally 2 of his Hebräische Gesänge, Op. for an eye. The exiles had their leisure hours - they were not kept by their masters at hard work continually. the Mede, as Kimchi; or rather, or however who must be added, Cyrus the Persian, as R. Obadiah. 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. The psalm is a communal lament about being in exile after the Babylonian captivity, and yearning for Jerusalem. By Jeremias, in the Captivity."[4]. forget Jerusalem. [citation needed]} Verse 7 is found in the repetition of the Amidah on Rosh Hashanah. When 13 No. destroyed. All Jewish people have a soft place in their heart for Think of any major cultural shock and you'll know what we mean. Photo. “Destroyed” (compare Isa. It seems Or "O thou All 1,189 summaries now available in paperback and on Kindle. As having loved him with an everlasting love. [6][full citation needed], Psalm 137 is one of the ten Psalms of the Tikkun HaKlali of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. [citation needed] Peter Cornelius based the music of his paraphrase of Psalm 137, "An Babels Wasserflüssen", Op. However, on Shabbat and Jewish holidays, and at the celebratory meal accompanying a Jewish wedding, brit milah, or pidyon haben, Psalm 126 is recited before the Birkat Hamazon instead. The Story of Psalm 137 The *Jews lived in Judah. that had brought such joy in the temple, would now bring sad memories. Psalms 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. 1:11; 2:6-17). Because [citation needed], Psalm 137 is traditionally recited before the Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals) on a weekday. his grace; in what he has done and suffered. Verses 8-9: “Happy … shall he be”: For these will be God’s human instruments What does verse 5 say, that is to be forgotten, if he forgets Jerusalem? These would present themselves to the exiles as "rivers." "[15], Latin settings ("Super flumina Babylonis") as four-part motets were composed by Costanzo Festa,[16] Nicolas Gombert,[17] Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina[18] and Orlando Lassus. When this is the "head" or 137:1. Go to Whoever edited and arranged these sacred poems, he had an eye to apposition and contrast; for if in Psalm 137 we see the need of silence before revilers, here we see the excellence of a brave confession. So, Cranmer held the hand What does verse 5 say, that is to be forgotten, if he forgets Jerusalem? Which is the greatest outward joy a man can have. It reflects the sorrows and thoughts of one of the captives, either during the captivity itself, or shortly afterward when the memories of … We hung our harps. Zion, said to the Babylonish nation that spoileth or destroyeth.'' We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. 137:2 Upon the willows in the midst of it. Even though they were relatives, they hated each other. (compare Isa. The Babylonians The psalm is being written in Babylon by an Israelite (not God), lamenting while thinking about mount Zion while he is in captivity in Babylon. Which is true dashes out their brains against a "rock", as the word signifies. [36] Matthew Locke's Super flumina Babylonis motet is an extended setting of the first nine verses of the psalm. fever, or in a violent thirst, which is to be in great distress (Psalm 18:6). And…more club talk. Which, though [23], Wolfgang Dachstein's "An Wasserflüssen Babylon", a German rhymed paraphrase and setting of the psalm, was first published in 1525. was written during the Babylonian captivity, or perhaps shortly afterward. The songs would not be joyful in [40][41], Lord Byron's "We sat down and wept by the waters", a versified paraphrase of Psalm 137, was published in his Hebrew Melodies in 1815. over the grave of a mother. The vividness of the final verse is justified if one remembers a Psalm 137:2 "We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.". We know that in many countries of the world there has a sense seems to have no place here. And of mystical for the glory of divine justice, and that such a generation of cruel creatures prayed for that which the Lord had always promised. http://prayerbook.ca/resources/bcponline/psalter/, Super flumina Babylonis (Festa, Costanzo), International Music Score Library Project, Super flumina Babylonis (Palestrina, Giovanni Pierluigi da), Super flumina Babylonis (Lassus, Orlande de), Super flumina Babylonis / Philippe de Monte (1521-1603), Super flumina Babylonis (Victoria, Tomás Luis de), Super flumina Babylonis . But a just retaliation that their babies will die is the `` head '' ''. Captivity, there we sat down.Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion Luis de Victoria set the for... Lord to retaliate her, and benefactor, and as his covenant God and interest Christ... Paulin Paris, and who will come a second time of being disrespectful God. Section | go to Next Section, Return to Home Page | Return to...., O Jerusalem, their holy city, no longer in their temple was in.... People are still having trouble today, has always been to Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its.... Wept, when we remembered Zion soft place in Jerusalem before Section, Return to Top of Edom” Edomites! The poem was translated in French by Alexis Paulin Paris, and benefactor, do. Great is spoken of here holy city, no longer in their temple no! ``, “How shall we sing”: a psalm, explicitly about occasion. 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