Psalms 137
1 By the riuers of Babel we sate, and there wee wept, when we remembred Zion.
When we [had been taken to] Babylonia, [far from Jerusalem], we sat down by the rivers there, and we cried when we thought about [the temple on] Zion [Hill in Jerusalem].
2 Wee hanged our harpes vpon the willowes in the middes thereof.
On the willow trees [alongside the rivers] we hung our harps [because we did not want to play them any more because we were very sad].
3 Then they that ledde vs captiues, required of vs songs and mirth, when wee had hanged vp our harpes, saying, Sing vs one of the songs of Zion.
The [soldiers] who had captured us [and taken us to Babylonia] told us to sing [for them]; they told us to (entertain them/make them happy), saying, “Sing for us one of the songs [that you previously sang in] Jerusalem!”
4 Howe shall we sing, said we, a song of the Lord in a strange land?
But [we thought], “We [are sad because we have been punished by Yahweh and brought to this] foreign land, so we cannot [RHQ] sing songs about Yahweh while we are here!”
5 If I forget thee, O Ierusalem, let my right hand forget to play.
If I forget about Jerusalem [APO], Iet my right hand wither [with the result that I will be unable to play my harp]
6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth: yea, if I preferre not Ierusalem to my chiefe ioy.
Do not allow me to sing again [MTY], if I forget about Jerusalem, if I do not consider that Jerusalem causes me to be more joyful than anything else does.
7 Remember the children of Edom, O Lord, in the day of Ierusalem, which saide, Rase it, rase it to the foundation thereof.
Yahweh, [punish] the people of the Edom people-group for what they did on the day that the army of Babylon captured Jerusalem. Do not forget that they said, “Tear down all the buildings! Destroy them completely! Leave only the foundations!”
8 O daughter of Babel, worthy to be destroyed, blessed shall he be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast serued vs.
And you people of Babylon, you will certainly be destroyed! Those who punish you in return for what you did to us will be happy;
9 Blessed shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy children against the stones.
they will take your babies and completely smash them on the rocks.
