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CHAPTER 137
While in captivity, the Jews wept by the rivers of Babylon—Because of sorrow, they could not bear to sing the songs of Zion. |
When in the captivity of Babylon the Jews did reflect upon their wickedness which had brought them to this state and they wept sorely—The sorrow was so great that the could hardly bear to sing the songs of the promise of Zion for all seemed to be lost unto them. (This period must have been some time between 589 BC to 530 BC, the time within the *70 years of exile from Jerusalem of the Jews in their captivity in Babylon. (* The seventy years captivity likely began from the time Ezkiel was taken in about 600 BC, the time of the removal of Jehoiachin and all the craftsmen and scholars of Jerusalem.) | |
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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. |
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4 How shall we asing 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 theea, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. |
6a If I do not remeber thee Though it seemed that all was lost unto the Jews, the long term promise of the Lord was that he would never forget his people. His hand would always still be stretched out to them to bring them in and back unto him. And at long duration he had promised that he would again so gather them from the nations of the earth. But in the situation of deposed captivity this seemed but afar off, yet the songs of Zion would bri them back to the promises though they themselves may never participate in them. | |
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7 Remember, O LORD, the children of
aEdom in the day of Jerusalem; who said,
bRase it, rase it, even to the
foundation thereof.
8 O daughter of aBabylon, 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. |
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