Psalms 137

1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept when we thought about Zion.

When we sat down by the rivers of Babylon we wept as we remembered Zion.

2 On the poplars there we hung our harps.

We hung up our harps on the willow trees.

3 There our captors required songs from us, and those who mocked us required us to be happy, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

For those who had taken us captive asked us for a song—our tormentors wanted us to sing a happy song from Jerusalem.

4 How could we sing a song about Yahweh in a foreign land?

But how could we sing a song dedicated to the Lord in a pagan land?

5 If I ignore the memory of you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her skill.

If I forget Jerusalem, may my right hand forget how to play;

6 Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I think about you no more, if I do not prefer Jerusalem more than my greatest delights.

May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you—if I don't consider Jerusalem my greatest joy.

7 Call to mind, Yahweh, what the Edomites did on the day Jerusalem fell. They said, “Tear it down, tear it down to its foundations.”

Lord, please remember what the people of Edom did on the day Jerusalem fell, the ones who said “Tear it down! Destroy it down to its foundations!”

8 Daughter of Babylon, soon to be destroyed— may the person be blessed, whoever pays you back for what you have done to us.

Daughter of Babylon, you will be destroyed! Happy is the one who pays you back, who does to you what you did to us!

9 May the person be blessed, whoever takes and dashes your little ones against a rock.

Happy is the one who grabs your children and smashes them against the rocks!