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Commentary on Psalms 137 verses 1–6
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.
4 How shall we sing 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 thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points
We have here the daughter of Zion covered with a cloud, and dwelling with the daughter of Babylon; the people of God in tears, but sowing in tears. Observe,
I. The mournful posture they were in as to their affairs and as to their spirits. 1. They were posted by the rivers of Babylon, in a strange land, a great way from their own country, whence they were brought as prisoners of war. The land of Babylon was now a house of bondage to that people, as Egypt had been in their beginning. Their conquerors quartered them by the rivers, with design to employ them there, and keep them to work in their galleys; or perhaps they chose it as the most melancholy place, and therefore most suitable to their sorrowful spirits. If they must build houses there (Jer 29:5), it shall not be in the cities, the places of concourse, but by the rivers, the places of solitude, where they might mingle their tears with the streams. We find some of them by the river Chebar (Eze 1:3), others by the river Ulai, Dan 8:2. 2. There they sat down to indulge their grief by poring on their miseries. Jeremiah had taught them under this yoke to sit alone, and keep silence, and put their mouths in the dust, Lam 3:28, Lam 3:29. "We sat down, as those that expected to stay, and were content, since it was the will of God that it must be so." 3. Thoughts of Zion drew tears from their eyes; and it was not a sudden passion of weeping, such as we are sometimes put into by a trouble that surprises us, but they were deliberate tears (we sat down and wept), tears with consideration - we wept when we remembered Zion, the holy hill on which the temple was built. Their affection to God's house swallowed up their concern for their own houses. They remembered Zion's former glory and the satisfaction they had had in Zion's courts, Lam 1:7. Jerusalem remembered, in the days of her misery, all her pleasant things which she had in the days of old, Psa 42:4. They remembered Zion's present desolations, and favoured the dust thereof, which was a good sign that the time for God to favour it was not far off, Psa 102:13, Psa 102:14. 4. They laid by their instruments of music (Psa 137:2): We hung our harps upon the willows. (1.) The harps they used for their own diversion and entertainment. These they laid aside, both because it was their judgment that they ought not to use them now that God called to weeping and mourning (Isa 22:12), and their spirits were so sad that they had no hearts to use them; they brought their harps with them, designing perhaps to use them for the alleviating of their grief, but it proved so great that it would not admit the experiment. Music makes some people melancholy. As vinegar upon nitre, so is he that sings songs to a heavy heart. (2.) The harps they used in God's worship, the Levites' harps. These they did not throw away, hoping they might yet again have occasion to use them, but they laid them aside because they had no present use for them; God had cut them out other work by turning their feasting into mourning and their songs into lamentations, Amo 8:10. Every thing is beautiful in its season. They did not hide their harps in the bushes, or the hollows of the rocks; but hung them up in view, that the sight of them might affect them with this deplorable change. Yet perhaps they were faulty in doing this; for praising God is never out of season; it is his will that we should in every thing give thanks, Isa 24:15, Isa 24:16.
II. The abuses which their enemies put upon them when they were in this melancholy condition, Psa 137:3. They had carried them away captive from their own land and then wasted them in the land of their captivity, took what little they had from them. But this was not enough; to complete their woes they insulted over them: They required of us mirth and a song. Now, 1. This was very barbarous and inhuman; even an enemy, in misery, is to be pitied and not trampled upon. It argues a base and sordid spirit to upbraid those that are in distress either with their former joys or with their present griefs, or to challenge those to be merry who, we know, are out of tune for it. This is adding affliction to the afflicted. 2. It was very profane and impious. No songs would serve them but the songs of Zion, with which God had been honoured; so that in this demand they reflected upon God himself as Belshazzar, when he drank wine in temple-bowls. Their enemies mocked at their sabbaths, Lam 1:7.
III. The patience wherewith they bore these abuses, Psa 137:4. They had laid by their harps, and would not resume them, no, not to ingratiate themselves with those at whose mercy they lay; they would not answer those fools according to their folly. Profane scoffers are not to be humoured, nor pearls cast before swine. David prudently kept silence even from good when the wicked were before him, who, he knew, would ridicule what he said and make a jest of it, Psa 39:1, Psa 39:2. The reason they gave is very mild and pious: How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? They do not say, "How shall we sing when we are so much in sorrow?" If that had been all, they might perhaps have put a force upon themselves so far as to oblige their masters with a song; but "It is the Lord's song; it is a sacred thing; it is peculiar to the temple-service, and therefore we dare not sing it in the land of a stranger, among idolaters." We must not serve common mirth, much less profane mirth, with any thing that is appropriated to God, who is sometimes to be honoured by a religious silence as well as by religious speaking.
IV. The constant affection they retained for Jerusalem, the city of their solemnities, even now that they were in Babylon. Though their enemies banter them for talking so much of Jerusalem, and even doting upon it, their love to it is not in the least abated; it is what they may be jeered for, but will never be jeered out of, Psa 137:5, Psa 137:6. Observe,
1.How these pious captives stood affected to Jerusalem. (1.) Their heads were full of it. It was always in their minds; they remembered it; they did not forget it, though they had been long absent from it; many of them had never seen it, nor knew any thing of it but by report, and by what they had read in the scripture, yet it was graven upon the palms of their hands, and even its ruins were continually before them, which was ann evidence of their faith in the promise of its restoration in due time. In their daily prayers they opened their windows towards Jerusalem; and how then could they forget it? (2.) Their hearts were full of it. They preferred it above their chief joy, and therefore they remembered it and could not forget it. What we love we love to think of. Those that rejoice in God do, for his sake, make Jerusalem their joy, and prefer it before that, whatever it is, which is the head of their joy, which is dearest to them in this world. A godly man will prefer a public good before any private satisfaction or gratification whatsoever.
2.How stedfastly they resolved to keep up this affection, which they express by a solemn imprecation of mischief to themselves if they should let it fall: "Let me be for ever disabled either to sing or play on the harp if I so far forget the religion of my country as to make use of my songs and harps for the pleasing of Babylon's sons or the praising of Babylon's gods. Let my right hand forget her art" (which the hand of an expert musician never can, unless it be withered), "nay, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I have not a good word to say for Jerusalem wherever I am." Though they dare not sing Zion's songs among the Babylonians, yet they cannot forget them, but, as soon as ever the present restraint is taken off, they will sing them as readily as ever, notwithstanding the long disuse.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–6. Public domain.
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Gregory of NazianzusAD 390
AGAINST THE EUNOMIANS, THEOLOGICAL ORATION 1[27].5
Certainly not, friends and brethren—I still call you “brethren,” though your attitude is not brotherly—do not let us accept such a view. We must not be like fiery, unruly horses, throwing reason our rider and spitting out the bit of discretion that so usefully restrains us, and running wide of the turning post. Let us conduct our debates within our frontiers and not be carried away to Egypt or dragged off to Assyria. Let us not “sing the song of the Lord in a foreign land,” by which I mean before any and every audience, heathen or Christian, friend or foe, sympathetic or hostile: these keep all too close a watch on us, and they would wish that the spark of our dissensions might become a conflagration; they kindle it, they fan it, by means of its own draught they raise it to the skies, and without our knowing what they are up to, they make it higher than the flames of Babylon that blazed all around. Having no strength in their own teaching, they hunt for it in our weakness, and for this reason like flies settling on wounds, they settle on our misfortune—or should I say our mistakes? Let us be blind to our doings no longer, and let us not neglect the proprieties in these matters. If we cannot resolve our disputes outright, let us at least make this mutual concession, to utter spiritual truths with the restraint due to them, to discuss holy things in a holy manner and not be broadcast to profane hearing what is not to be divulged.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 137
"Those" then "who have led us captive," the devil and his angels, when have they spoken unto us: "Sing us one of the songs of Sion"? What answer we? Babylon bears you, Babylon contains you, Babylon nourishes you, Babylon speaks by your mouth, you know not to take in save what glitters for the present, you know not how to meditate on things of eternity, you take not in what you ask. "How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" [Psalm 137:4]. Truly, brethren, so it is. Begin to wish to preach the truth in such measure as you know it, and see how needful it is for you to endure such mockers, persecutors of the truth, full of falsehood. Reply to them, when they ask of you what they cannot take in, and say in full confidence of your holy song, "How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land!"
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalm 137:4 captures the profound spiritual and emotional desolation experienced by the Jewish exiles in Babylon. Removed from their sacred homeland, Jerusalem, and the destroyed Temple, they confront the agonizing question of how to perform their holy worship songs—songs intrinsically bound to their identity, their covenant God, and the holy city—in a land of captivity, paganism, and immense sorrow. This poignant verse encapsulates the deep anguish of spiritual displacement and the formidable challenge of maintaining faith and national identity amidst profound alienation and oppression.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 137 is a powerful lament, deeply rooted in the historical trauma of the Babylonian Exile. The psalm opens with a vivid scene of the exiles weeping by the rivers of Babylon as they remember Zion (Psalm 137:1). Their Babylonian captors, seeking entertainment, demand that they "sing us one of the songs of Zion" (Psalm 137:3), which directly sets the stage for the rhetorical question of verse 4. This verse serves as the emotional core of their refusal, articulating the spiritual impossibility of joyful worship in a land of sorrow and oppression. The psalm then transitions from this initial lament and refusal to an impassioned vow never to forget Jerusalem (Psalm 137:5-6), culminating in a fierce imprecation against Edom and Babylon (Psalm 137:7-9). Verse 4 thus bridges the memory of Zion with the exiles' righteous indignation against their oppressors, highlighting the depth of their spiritual crisis.
Historical & Cultural Context: The historical backdrop for Psalm 137 is the Babylonian Exile, a period of unparalleled national trauma for ancient Israel. Following the conquest of the Southern Kingdom of Judah by Babylon, Jerusalem and the First Temple were utterly destroyed, and a significant portion of the population was forcibly deported to Babylon around 586 BCE. This was more than a mere political defeat; it constituted a profound theological crisis, as the Temple was considered the dwelling place of God, and Jerusalem, the city of David, was central to their identity and covenant relationship. In Babylon, a sophisticated, polytheistic empire, the Jewish exiles were a marginalized minority, often subjected to mockery for their unique monotheistic faith and their seemingly defeated God. The demand to "sing the LORD'S song" was likely a taunt, an attempt to humiliate them further by forcing them to perform their sacred rituals for pagan amusement, or perhaps a genuine, albeit insensitive, curiosity about the music of a conquered people. The exiles' refusal underscores their deep reverence for the sacred and their unwavering commitment not to profane their worship. This period of exile is extensively documented in prophetic books such as Jeremiah and Ezekiel, which address the spiritual challenges and future hope of the exiles.
Key Themes: Psalm 137:4 contributes significantly to several major themes within the Psalter and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it powerfully embodies the theme of Exile and Alienation, conveying the profound sense of loss, displacement, and spiritual disorientation experienced when separated from one's homeland and sanctuary. Secondly, it highlights the Inseparability of Worship and Place for the ancient Israelite, where authentic, joyful worship was deeply intertwined with the presence of God in Jerusalem and the Temple. The perceived incongruity and impossibility of true praise in a hostile environment are underscored by the inability to sing the "LORD'S song" in a "strange land." Thirdly, the verse subtly points to the theme of Preservation of Identity and Faith. By refusing to sing, the exiles demonstrate their unwavering commitment to their unique covenant relationship with Yahweh and their refusal to profane their sacred heritage for their captors' amusement. This act of spiritual resistance preserves their distinct identity as God's chosen people, even amidst overwhelming suffering. The psalm as a whole, and this verse in particular, also embodies the theme of Lament and Longing, expressing deep sorrow and a fervent yearning for restoration to Zion, a hope that would eventually be realized, as chronicled in books like Ezra and Nehemiah.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 137:4 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey the exiles' profound anguish and spiritual dilemma. The most prominent device is a Rhetorical Question, "How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?" This is not a question seeking an answer, but one that expresses the utter impossibility and profound spiritual incongruity of their situation, highlighting their despair and the perceived profanation of worship in captivity. There is also a strong element of Irony in the Babylonian captors' demand to hear "songs of Zion" (verse 3), which are songs of joy, freedom, and divine presence, from a people they have enslaved and whose sanctuary they have destroyed. The exiles' question in verse 4 underscores this bitter irony, revealing the captors' insensitivity or malicious intent. Furthermore, Symbolism is pervasive: "the LORD'S song" symbolizes their identity, their covenant, their joy, and their freedom in God, while "a strange land" symbolizes spiritual alienation, oppression, and defilement. The very act of singing, typically a communal and joyful expression of faith, here becomes a symbol of their brokenness and inability to truly worship. The verse's concise phrasing also gives it a powerful, almost proverbial, quality, making it a timeless expression of spiritual exile and the integrity of worship.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalm 137:4 encapsulates the theological tension between God's omnipresence and His people's experience of His seeming absence and profound suffering. It underscores the deep connection between worship, national identity, and the sacred space in ancient Israelite theology. The exiles' refusal to sing is not an act of rebellion against God, but rather a profound act of lament and faithfulness, acknowledging that true worship cannot be coerced or profaned. It speaks to the integrity of worship, suggesting that certain expressions of praise are so intimately tied to context, spiritual state, and genuine emotion that they become impossible under conditions of profound grief and spiritual alienation. This verse also foreshadows the New Testament understanding of worship, where while physical location is no longer paramount, the "spirit and truth" of worship remain essential, even in the midst of suffering and displacement.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 137:4 resonates deeply with the enduring human experience of spiritual displacement, alienation, and the profound challenge of maintaining faith in hostile or sorrowful circumstances. It compels us to consider how we express our faith when our "land" feels strange—whether due to persecution, personal tragedy, cultural shifts, or periods of spiritual dryness. The exiles' question serves as a powerful reminder that authentic worship is not merely an outward performance but an internal disposition, deeply connected to our spiritual state and context. It teaches us that there are times when lament, silence, or even a refusal to "sing" in the conventional sense, can be the most profound acts of worship and faithfulness, demonstrating integrity and deep reverence for God. It challenges us to discern wisely when to lament and when to praise, recognizing that both are valid and necessary expressions of faith in the journey of life. Ultimately, this verse underscores the enduring human longing for a spiritual "home" and the freedom to worship God authentically, reminding us that even in the deepest valleys, our identity in Christ remains steadfast, and our hope for ultimate restoration endures.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of "the LORD'S song" in this verse?
Answer: The LORD'S song" refers to the sacred hymns, psalms, and songs of praise that were central to Israelite worship, particularly those associated with the Temple in Jerusalem and the celebrations of God's covenant faithfulness. These were not merely secular tunes but divinely inspired expressions of their unique relationship with Yahweh. Their significance lies in their intrinsic connection to Israel's identity as God's chosen people, their history of salvation, and their joyful communion with God in His holy city. To sing these songs in a "strange land" like Babylon, a place of paganism, idolatry, and oppression, would have felt like a profound profanation, a betrayal of their deep grief, and an impossible act of joy in a context of profound sorrow and spiritual alienation. It highlights the sacredness and contextual importance of their worship, which was deeply tied to the land and the Temple, as seen in passages like Psalm 48:1-2.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Psalm 137:4 articulates the profound anguish of physical and spiritual exile, its Christ-centered fulfillment points to a new reality where worship is no longer bound by physical location but by the presence of the Holy Spirit and the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus, the ultimate "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), embodies the true Temple and the ultimate "song" of redemption. Through His perfect sacrifice and glorious resurrection, believers are no longer strangers and aliens, but "fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God" (Ephesians 2:19), regardless of their earthly circumstances. The "strange land" of Babylonian captivity gives way to a world where, though we are "sojourners and exiles" (1 Peter 2:11) in a fallen world, we can still "sing the LORD'S song" because Christ has made a way for us to worship "in spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24). Our ultimate "home" is found in Christ, and our worship, even amidst suffering and the trials of this world, becomes a foretaste of the eternal song of the redeemed in the new heavens and new earth, where God dwells with His people forever (Revelation 21:3).