Psalm 137 – By the Waters of Babylon

Revision 2

137 By the waters of Babylon there we sat,

and we wept at the thought of Zion.

2 There on the poplars we hung our harps.

3 For there our captors called for a song:

our tormentors, rejoicing, saying:

‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion.’

4 How can we sing the Lord’s song

in the foreigner’s land?

5 If I forget you, Jerusalem,

may my right hand wither.

6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,

if I am unmindful of you,

or don’t set Jerusalem

above my chief joy.

7 Remember the Edomites, Lord,

the day of Jerusalem’s fall,

when they said, ‘Lay her bare, lay her bare,

right down to her very foundation.’

8 Babylon, despoiler,

happy are those who pay you back

for all you have done to us.

9 Happy are they who seize and dash

your children against the rocks.