Summary
Psalm 137 opens with the mournful scene of the exiles sitting by the rivers of Babylon, weeping over lost Zion. They hang their harps upon the willows as a gesture of sorrow, yet the captors demand songs of joy, creating a tension between joy and longing. The psalmist questions how to sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land, revealing deep distress. The lament turns toward the city of Jerusalem, pledging to forget even the right hand if memory fails. The verses then shift to a call for revenge, condemning Babylon and calling for the destruction of its children, and recalling the cruelty of Edom toward Jerusalem. The poem ends with a bleak, vengeful wish for those who have harmed the exiles to be destroyed, underscoring the depth of the Israelites’ anguish and hatred.