Psalm 137 3

Psalm 137:3 kjv

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.

Psalm 137:3 nkjv

For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, And those who plundered us requested mirth, Saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

Psalm 137:3 niv

for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

Psalm 137:3 esv

For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

Psalm 137:3 nlt

For our captors demanded a song from us.
Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn:
"Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!"

Psalm 137 verses

Psalm 137 3 Meaning

Psalm 137:3 articulates the cruel demand made by the Babylonian captors of the exiled Israelites. Having stripped them of their homeland, temple, and dignity, the oppressors taunted their captives, demanding songs of joy and celebration, specifically "songs of Zion," which were sacred hymns associated with their worship of the Living God and their beloved city of Jerusalem. This demand was a form of mockery, exposing the depth of the exiles' despair and the insensitivity of their tormentors.

Psalm 137 3 Context

Psalm 137 describes the deep anguish of the Jewish exiles transported to Babylon after the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BCE. The Psalm opens with the iconic image of the exiles sitting "by the rivers of Babylon" in profound grief. Verse 3 directly follows this depiction of sorrow, revealing the immediate cause for their refusal to sing the Lord's songs (verse 4). The Babylonian captors, feeling triumphant and possibly seeking amusement, demanded songs from the very people they had oppressed and whose sacred institutions they had defiled. Their demand for "mirth" and "songs of Zion" from a desolate, sorrowing people underscores the vast chasm between the joyful worship songs of a free nation and the desolate lament of captives, setting the stage for the poignant refusal that follows. This demand was a severe emotional and spiritual torment for a people whose very identity was intertwined with their worship in Jerusalem.

Psalm 137 3 Word analysis

• For there (כִּי שָׁם - ki sham): "For" serves as a causal conjunction, explaining why they sat weeping. "There" points to the specific place of captivity, the rivers of Babylon, identified in verse 1. It signifies the foreign land where their profound sorrow was compounded by cruel demands.
• they that carried us away captive (שׁוֹבֵינוּ - shoveinu): Refers to the Babylonian invaders who forcibly took the Israelites from their homeland into exile. The Hebrew root shavah (שָׁבָה) means "to take prisoner" or "carry off captive," highlighting their status as conquered people.
• required of us a song (דִּבְרֵי שִׁיר - divrei shir): Lit. "words of a song." This indicates not just any performance but specific content. The emphasis is on the spoken request for musical entertainment, suggesting a desire for amusement from their suffering subjects.
• and they that wasted us (וְתוֹלָלֵינוּ - v'tholaleinu): This phrase emphasizes the destructive impact of the captors. The Hebrew root halal (הָלַל), when used in this form, means "to desolate," "to ravage," or "to torment." It portrays them not merely as kidnappers but as destroyers of their land, cities, and lives, adding another layer to their cruelty. This parallelism amplifies the severity of their oppressors' actions.
• required of us mirth (שִׂמְחָה - simchah): Simchah means "joy" or "gladness." To demand mirth from people who have suffered utter desolation is a profound act of mockery and insensitivity. It highlights the vast psychological and emotional chasm between the captors and their captives.
• saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion (שִׁירוּ לָנוּ מִשִּׁיר צִיּוֹן - shiru lanu mishir Tzion): This is the most significant and piercing part of the demand. "Songs of Zion" refers to the sacred psalms and hymns associated with Jerusalem (Mount Zion), the Temple, and their worship of God. These were songs of praise, national identity, and covenant loyalty, sung in the context of freedom and divine presence. The demand for them to be performed for unholy, conquering hands was a direct affront to their faith and national identity, bordering on spiritual desecration.

Psalm 137 3 Bonus section

The act of the Babylonians demanding sacred songs of the Israelites can be interpreted as a form of cultural and religious subjugation, an attempt to assert their dominance not only politically but also spiritually, by showing contempt for the God and customs of the defeated people. The "songs of Zion" likely included psalms like Psalm 48, Psalm 76, or other temple liturgy that exalted Jerusalem as the dwelling place of God and the center of Israel's salvation history. The refusal of the exiles to sing these songs was an act of profound spiritual resistance, an assertion of their enduring identity in YHWH, even when their earthly institutions had been shattered. This response marked a distinction between performance and true worship; for the exiles, the songs were sacred, bound to God and Zion, not to be offered for the amusement of pagans.

Psalm 137 3 Commentary

Psalm 137:3 profoundly articulates the deep anguish of the Judean exiles, where their physical bondage was compounded by a spiritual and emotional torment. The Babylonian demand for "songs of Zion" was not merely a request for entertainment; it was an act of sadistic psychological warfare. For the Israelites, songs of Zion were holy expressions of their faith, praises to their God, and celebrations of their sacred city, all intricately woven into their covenant identity. To sing these songs in a foreign land, under the command of their tormentors who had desecrated their Temple and overturned their way of life, would have been an act of desecration, compromise, and a betrayal of their grief. It signifies the conflict between true spiritual expression and forced, insincere performance. This verse beautifully sets up the profound theological statement in the following verse: "How can we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?" demonstrating the exiles' unwavering refusal to cheapen their sacred worship, even in utter defeat. It stands as a powerful testament to resisting spiritual compromise even under extreme duress.