Psalm 137 1

Psalm 137:1 kjv

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

Psalm 137:1 nkjv

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

Psalm 137:1 niv

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

Psalm 137:1 esv

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

Psalm 137:1 nlt

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

Psalm 137 verses

Psalm 137 1 Meaning

Psalm 137:1 poignantly captures the profound sorrow and desolation of the Israelite exiles deported to Babylon after the destruction of Jerusalem. It depicts them sitting by the prominent rivers of their captors' land, overwhelmed by tears, triggered by the inescapable memory of their beloved homeland, Zion. The verse embodies the deep grief of forced displacement, the loss of their sacred city and Temple, and the longing for their spiritual and physical home, where God's presence dwelt.

Psalm 137 1 Context

Psalm 137 is a communal lament (Psalm of Zion). It dramatically recounts the deep anguish and steadfast commitment of the Judean exiles during their captivity in Babylon (586-538 BCE) after the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple by Nebuchadnezzar. Verse 1 sets the immediate scene, placing the weeping exiles by the characteristic rivers of Mesopotamia. The psalm shifts from personal grief and refusal to sing (vv. 2-4), to an oath of eternal loyalty to Jerusalem (vv. 5-6), and concludes with a fervent call for divine vengeance against Edom and Babylon (vv. 7-9). Historically, this period marked a profound national and spiritual crisis for Israel, leading to introspection on their covenant relationship with God and the meaning of their identity apart from their land and Temple.

Psalm 137 1 Word Analysis

• By the rivers: (Hebrew: על נהרות, al neharot). על (al) means "by," "on," or "near." נהרות (neharot) means "rivers." These were likely the Euphrates, Tigris, or more commonly, the extensive network of canals that crisscrossed Mesopotamia, vital for irrigation and transport. Sitting by rivers symbolizes a settled location, a fixed place of their unwelcome captivity. Unlike the Promised Land, where "a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in valleys and hills" (Deut 8:7) described bounty, these rivers are associated with despair.
• of Babylon: (Hebrew: בבל, Babel). This is the ancient capital city and empire that conquered Judah and carried its people into exile. Babylon represented overwhelming foreign power, paganism, and the instrument of God's judgment against Judah's unfaithfulness. Its name is synonymous with confusion and oppressive might in biblical tradition.
• there we sat down: (Hebrew: שם ישבנו, sham yashavnu). שם (sham) means "there," emphasizing the specific location in Babylon. ישבנו (yashavnu) means "we sat." This posture of sitting is significant. It implies a state of settled despair, forced inaction, rest born of weariness, or the physical position associated with mourning and grief (as seen in Job 2:13, Ezek 8:14). It is not a purposeful sitting for worship or celebration, but one born of sorrow and powerlessness.
• yea, we wept: (Hebrew: גם בכינו, gam bakhinu). גם (gam) means "also," "even," or "yea," intensifying the act. בכינו (bakhinu) means "we wept." Weeping signifies profound, uncontained sorrow, a natural human response to deep loss. This was not quiet contemplation but an outpouring of grief, reflecting the collective agony of the community, likely accompanied by public lamentation as was customary in the ancient Near East.
• when we remembered Zion: (Hebrew: בזכרנו את ציון, bizkhrenu et Tsiyyon). בזכרנו (bizkhrenu) is from the root זכר (zakhar), "to remember." Hebrew remembrance is often an active, emotional, and cognitive recall that leads to profound feeling or action. It's not passive nostalgia. ציון (Tsiyyon) is Zion, the poetic and prophetic name for Jerusalem, specifically referring to the Temple Mount, the City of David, and by extension, the entire holy city and the spiritual heritage associated with God's presence there. The memory of Zion, representing God's dwelling place, the Davidic covenant, and their identity, sharply contrasted with their present captivity, triggering their tears.

Psalm 137 1 Bonus Section

The contrast between the "rivers of Babylon" and the memory of "Zion" is central. The rivers of Babylon represented imperial power, idol worship, and material might – a source of comfort and wealth for the Babylonians, but a symbol of their subjugation for the exiles. In contrast, Zion (Jerusalem) symbolized God's chosen city, His dwelling place, the Temple, and the hope of redemption. The absence of the Temple and their land made the memory of Zion a constant torment rather than a comfort. This verse is also a profound reflection on the nature of remembrance – it's not a detached thought, but a visceral experience that triggers deep emotion and underscores the weight of loss, demonstrating that even geographical displacement could not sever their spiritual connection to God's holy city.

Psalm 137 1 Commentary

Psalm 137:1 paints a stark picture of the trauma of exile. The specific imagery of sitting by Babylon's rivers underscores the alien environment where the people of God found themselves, displaced and dispossessed. This location became a bitter backdrop to their forced existence, far from the spring-fed valleys of their homeland. Their tears were not merely tears of homesickness, but an intense lament born of shattered covenant, national humiliation, and the desecration of Jerusalem, the very seat of God's dwelling among them. Remembering Zion, the heart of their faith and national identity, intensified the pain, highlighting the stark contrast between God's holy mountain and the foreign rivers of their captors. It is a universal testament to the pain of losing what is most sacred and central to one's being, resonating with the concept of spiritual longing in foreign lands.