Psalm 137:1

ESV By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.

NIV By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.

NASB By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept, When we remembered Zion.

CSB By the rivers of Babylon— there we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion.

NLT Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem.

KJV By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

NKJV By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion.

What does Psalm 137:1 mean?

Babylon invaded Israel in 536 BC (Daniel 1:1–3), devastated Jerusalem, and carried the people into exile (2 Chronicles 36:17–21). Babylon was associated with the Euphrates river and its extensive transportation and irrigation systems. There, taken from the Promised Land (Psalm 137:4), the people are in mourning. They think of Zion, which is another name for Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Kings 8:1).

The early imagery of this psalm is that of defeat. The people "sit down" in grief. Upcoming verses will explain how the Babylonians mocked them (Psalm 136:3). The psalm will eventually turn to a resentful plea for revenge (Psalm 137:7–9). This song may have been written at any time during the exile, which would last for seventy years (Jeremiah 29:10–14; Ezra 2:1).

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Context Summary
Psalm 137:1–6 mourns for Israel's captivity in Babylon, identified with the Euphrates river system. Israel's new masters tease them, asking for songs about the Jewish homeland. But the people cannot sing while in such misery. Instead, they set their instruments aside and vow to remember what has happened to their people.

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Chapter Summary
After being captured by Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:17–21), the people of Israel are teased by their new masters. The Babylonians ask the Jews to perform songs from their homeland. But the Israelites cannot bring themselves to sing. They vow to remember what happened to their city and their people. The psalmist prays that God would bring harsh vengeance on Edom and Babylon. He hopes they suffer the same gruesome evils which they inflicted upon Israel.

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