137
An Experience of the Captivity.
By the Arivers of Babylon,
There we sat down and Bwept,
When we remembered Zion.
Upon the 1Awillows in the midst of it
We Bhung our 2harps.
For there our captors 1Ademanded of us 2songs,
And Bour tormentors mirth, saying,
Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”
 
How can we sing Athe Lord’s song
In a foreign land?
If I Aforget you, O Jerusalem,
May my right hand 1forget her skill.
May my Atongue cling to the roof of my mouth
If I do not remember you,
If I do not 1Bexalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.
 
Remember, O Lord, against the sons of AEdom
The day of Jerusalem,
Who said, “Raze it, raze it
BTo its very foundation.”
O daughter of Babylon, you 1Adevastated one,
How blessed will be the one who Brepays you
With 2the recompense with which you have repaid us.
How blessed will be the one who seizes and Adashes your little ones
Against the rock.
A 137:1 Ezek 1:1, 3 B 137:1 Neh 1:4 1 137:2 Or poplars A 137:2 Lev 23:40; Is 44:4 B 137:2 Job 30:31; Is 24:8; Ezek 26:13 2 137:2 Lit lyres 1 137:3 Lit asked A 137:3 Ps 80:6 2 137:3 Lit words of song B 137:3 Is 49:17 A 137:4 2 Chr 29:27; Neh 12:46 A 137:5 Is 65:11 1 137:5 I.e. become lame A 137:6 Job 29:10; Ps 22:15; Ezek 3:26 1 137:6 Lit cause to ascend B 137:6 Neh 2:3 A 137:7 Ps 83:4-8; Is 34:5, 6; Jer 49:7-22; Lam 4:21; Ezek 25:12-14; 35:2; Amos 1:11; Obad 10-14 B 137:7 Ps 74:7; Hab 3:13 1 137:8 Or devastator A 137:8 Is 13:1-22; 47:1-15; Jer 25:12; 50:1-46; 51:1-64 B 137:8 Jer 50:15; 51:24, 35, 36, 49; Rev 18:6 2 137:8 Lit your recompense A 137:9 2 Kin 8:12; Is 13:16; Hos 13:16; Nah 3:10