Psalm 137 is a lament written by people who have been carried off from Jerusalem and forced to live in Babylon. Readers come to it for a Psalm 137 Bible study because it is raw and uncomfortable: it describes weeping, silent instruments, and a bitter prayer for vengeance. Working through it carefully shows how the faithful can bring grief, memory, and anger honestly before God without pretending those feelings away.
Psalm 137 Summary
The psalm opens with exiles sitting beside the rivers of Babylon, weeping as they remember Zion. They have hung their harps on the willows, unable to play music in a place that feels like a prison. Their captors ask them to sing one of the songs of Zion, and the psalm answers with a question: how can anyone sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?
The middle of the psalm turns to a solemn vow. The singers promise never to forget Jerusalem, even saying that their own right hand should lose its skill and their tongue should cling to the roof of their mouth if they fail to remember the city above their greatest joy. That devotion sets up the final section, where the poet calls on God to remember the Edomites who cheered Jerusalem’s destruction, and then pronounces a harsh blessing on Babylon’s violent power.
The psalm ends on that disturbing note, with its final verse describing the dashing of children against rocks. Readers have struggled with these lines for centuries, and the rest of this study will look at why they are there and how to read them responsibly.
Background and Setting
Psalm 137 belongs to the Book of Psalms, the collection of Hebrew songs and prayers that Israel used in worship. The psalm itself is anonymous, and it reflects the trauma of the Babylonian exile, which followed the conquest of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple in 586 BC. Most scholars date its composition to the exile or shortly after the return, and tradition has long connected it with the Jewish community living in Babylon.
The psalm was written for those who had lost their homeland, their temple, and their sense of security before God. Its place among the Psalms of lament means it was meant to be prayed by people who needed words for pain they could not resolve on their own. Understanding that setting helps readers see why the poem holds together grief, remembrance, and a cry for justice.
Psalm 137 Section by Section
Verses 1-4: Weeping by the Rivers of Babylon
1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion. 2 On the willows in that land, we hung up our harps.
Psalm 137:1-2 (WEB)
The opening verses place the reader on the riverbank with the exiles. Their weeping is not hidden; it comes out of remembering Zion, the holy hill where the temple stood. The harps hung on the willows are a picture of silenced worship, because music that once belonged to the temple now feels out of place in a foreign land.
Verses 3 and 4 add pressure from the captors, who want entertainment from the songs of Israel. The question “How can we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?” shows the exiles refusing to treat sacred worship as a performance for people who oppressed them. Their refusal is an act of faithfulness, even though it costs them comfort.
Verses 5-6: The Vow Never to Forget
5 If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill. 6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you; if I don’t prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.
Psalm 137:5-6 (WEB)
These verses hold the emotional center of the psalm. The speaker vows never to forget Jerusalem, using bodily images of the right hand and the tongue to show how seriously the promise is meant. Remembering the city is tied to remembering who God is and where the people belong.
The vow also shows that loss can deepen love rather than end it. Jerusalem is named as the speaker’s “chief joy,” which means that even in exile their highest hope remains tied to the city and the God who dwells there. Readers can notice how memory becomes a form of loyalty when circumstances make loyalty costly.
Verses 7-9: A Plea for Justice and Its Harsh Words
7 Remember, the LORD, against the children of Edom, the day of Jerusalem; who said, “Raze it! Raze it even to its foundation!” 8 Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, he will be happy who rewards you, as you have served us. 9 Happy shall he be, who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock.
Psalm 137:7-9 (WEB)
In the final section the poet calls on the LORD to remember the Edomites, who rejoiced when Jerusalem fell and urged its destruction. The request for justice rests on the belief that God sees cruelty and does not ignore it. The imagery is severe, and the psalm does not soften it.
The closing verses are difficult for modern readers because they describe violence against children. Many Christians read these words as an honest record of trauma that the New Testament does not endorse. A faithful reading names the anger without copying it, and it leaves room for the teaching elsewhere in Scripture that calls God’s people to love their enemies.
Key Themes in Psalm 137
- Lament and grief: The psalm gives honest voice to sorrow over the loss of Jerusalem and the temple.
- Memory and loyalty: Remembering the holy city becomes a vow that keeps the exiles connected to their identity and to God.
- Worship in hostile places: The question of singing the LORD’s song in a foreign land raises the issue of faithfulness under pressure.
- Justice and retribution: The psalm asks God to act against cruelty, which shows that the faithful care about right and wrong.
Lessons From Psalm 137 for Today
Many people carry losses that they do not know how to name in prayer. A person who has lost a job, a home, or a marriage may feel the same urge to hang up their harps and stop worshiping. Psalm 137 shows that grief can be spoken to God rather than hidden, and that honest tears belong in the life of faith.
The psalm also helps believers think about anger. When someone has been wronged, it is natural to want justice, and Psalm 137 gives language for that desire. Yet the same psalm reminds readers that anger brought before God must be handled carefully, because the thirst for revenge can quickly overwhelm compassion. Praying honestly about injustice while leaving the outcome in God’s hands is a practical discipline for today.
Questions for Reflection
- What losses have you been carrying that you have not yet brought honestly to God in prayer?
- When has someone asked you to perform your faith for their entertainment, and how did you respond?
- What does it mean for you to keep Jerusalem, or whatever holy center matters most to you, as your chief joy?
- How can you pray about injustice without letting anger shape your own actions toward others?
- Where in your life do you need to ask God to act for justice while also trusting his mercy?
A Prayer From Psalm 137
Lord, I bring you the losses I have not known how to name. Some days my heart feels like it is sitting by rivers in a land that does not feel like home, and my worship feels hard to lift. Teach me to remember what matters most, and to hold on to you when I cannot see clearly. Where I feel anger at injustice, give me honest words that do not turn into hatred. Keep my memory tender and my hope steady, and let me trust your justice more than my own. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Psalm 137?
The psalm is anonymous, so its author is not named in the text. It is generally understood to come from the Jewish community during or shortly after the Babylonian exile. The poem speaks from the perspective of people who lost Jerusalem and the temple.
Why does Psalm 137 end with such violent language?
The closing verses express the speaker’s anger over the cruelty suffered during the destruction of Jerusalem. Christian readers often treat these lines as an honest record of trauma rather than a model for behavior. Other parts of Scripture call God’s people to love their enemies and leave vengeance to God.
What is the main message of Psalm 137?
The main message is that grief, memory, and even anger can be brought honestly to God. The psalm shows the faithful refusing to pretend that exile is easy, while still holding on to their identity and hope in the LORD.