137
1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
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.*†
4 How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a strange land?‡
5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
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.§
7 Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.**
8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.††‡‡
9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.§§
* 137:3 a song: Heb. the words of a song † 137:3 wasted…: Heb. laid us on heaps ‡ 137:4 strange…: Heb. land of a stranger? § 137:6 my chief…: Heb. the head of my joy ** 137:7 Rase it: Heb. Make bare †† 137:8 destroyed: Heb. wasted ‡‡ 137:8 rewardeth…: Heb. recompenseth unto thee thy deed which thou didst to us §§ 137:9 the stones: Heb. the rock