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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 137:7–9. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The pious Jews in Babylon, having afflicted themselves with the thoughts of the ruins of Jerusalem, here please themselves with the prospect of the ruin of her impenitent implacable enemies; but this not from a spirit of revenge, but from a holy zeal for the glory of God and the honour of his kingdom.
I.The Edomites will certainly be reckoned with, and all others that were accessaries to the destruction of Jerusalem, that were aiding and abetting, that helped forward the affliction (Zac 1:15) and triumphed in it, that said, in the day of Jerusalem, the day of her judgment, "Rase it, rase it to the foundations; down with it, down with it; do not leave one stone upon another." Thus they made the Chaldean army more furious, who were already so enraged that they needed no spur. Thus they put shame upon Israel, who would be looked upon as a people worthy to be cut off when their next neighbours had such an ill-will to them. And all this was a fruit of the old enmity of Esau against Jacob, because he got the birthright and the blessing, and a branch of that more ancient enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent: Lord, remember them, says the psalmist, which is an appeal to his justice against them. Far be it from us to avenge ourselves, if ever it should be in our power, but we will leave it to him who has said, Vengeance is mine. Note, Those that are glad at calamities, especially the calamities of Jerusalem, shall not go unpunished. Those that are confederate with the persecutors of good people, and stir them up, and set them on, and are pleased with what they do, shall certainly be called to an account for it against another day, and God will remember it against them.
II.Babylon is the principal, and it will come to her turn too to drink of the cup of tremblings, the very dregs of it (Psa 137:8, Psa 137:9):
O daughter of Babylon! proud and secure as thou art, we know well, by the scriptures of truth, thou art to be destroyed, or (as Dr. Hammond reads it) who art the destroyer. The destroyers shall be destroyed, Rev 13:10. And perhaps it is with reference to this that the man of sin, the head of the New Testament Babylon, is called a son of perdition, Th2 2:3. The destruction of Babylon being foreseen as a sure destruction (thou art to be destroyed), it is spoken of,
1.As a just destruction. She shall be paid in her own coin: "Thou shalt be served as thou hast served us, as barbarously used by the destroyers as we have been by thee," See Rev 18:6. Let not those expect to find mercy who, when they had power, did not show mercy.
2.As an utter destruction. The very little ones of Babylon, when it is taken by storm, and all in it are put to the sword, shall be dashed to pieces by the enraged and merciless conqueror. None escape if these little ones perish. Those are the seed of another generation; so that, if they be cut off, the ruin will be not only total, as Jerusalem's was, but final. It is sunk like a millstone into the sea, never to rise.
3.As a destruction which should reflect honour upon the instruments of it. Happy shall those be that do it; for they are fulfilling God's counsels; and therefore he calls Cyrus, who did it, his servant, his shepherd, his anointed (Isa 44:28; Isa 45:1), and the soldiers that were employed in it his sanctified ones, Isa 13:3. They are making way for the enlargement of God's Israel, and happy are those who are in any way serviceable to that. The fall of the New Testament Babylon will be the triumph of all the saints, Rev 19:1.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
And in this way also the just give up to destruction all their enemies, which are their vices, so that they do not spare even the children, that is, the early beginnings and promptings of evil. In this sense also we understand the language of Psalm 137: “O daughter of Babylon, who is to be destroyed; happy shall he be that rewards you as you have served us; happy shall he be that takes and dashes your little ones against the stones.” For “the little ones” of Babylon (which signifies confusion) are those troublesome sinful thoughts that arise in the soul, and one who subdues them by striking, as it were, their heads against the firm and solid strength of reason and truth, is the person who “dashes the little ones against the stones”; and he is therefore truly blessed. God may therefore have commanded people to destroy all their vices utterly, even at their birth, without having enjoined anything contrary to the teaching of Christ. And he may himself have destroyed before the eyes of those who were “Jews inwardly” all the offspring of evil as his enemies. And, in like manner, those who disobey the law and word of God may well be compared with his enemies led astray by sin; and they may well be said to suffer the same fate as they deserve who have proved traitors to the truth of God.
And David, pitying her, says, “O wretched daughter of Babylon.” Wretched indeed, as being the daughter of Babylon, when she ceased to be the daughter of Jerusalem. And yet he calls for a healer for her and says, “Blessed is he who shall take your little ones and dash them against the rock.” That is to say, shall dash all corrupt and filthy thoughts against Christ, who by his fear and his rebuke will break down all actions against reason, so as, if any one is seized by an adulterous love, to extinguish the fire, that he may by his zeal put away the love of a harlot and deny himself that he may gain Christ.
"Happy shall he be that repays you, as you have served us." What repayment means he? Herewith the Psalm closes, "Happy, that takes and dashes your little ones against the rock" [Psalm 137:9]. Her he calls unhappy, but him happy who pays her as she has served us. Do we ask, what reward? This is the repayment. For what has that Babylon done to us? We have already sung in another Psalm, "The words of the wicked have prevailed against us." For when we were born, the confusion of this world found us, and choked us while yet infants with the empty notions of various errors. The infant that is born destined to be a citizen of Jerusalem, and in God's predestination already a citizen, but meanwhile a prisoner for a time, when learns he to love ought, save what his parents have whispered into his ears? They teach him and train him in avarice, robbery, daily lying, the worship of various idols and devils, the unlawful remedies of enchantments and amulets. What shall one yet an infant do, a tender soul, observing what its elders do, save follow that which it sees them doing. Babylon then has persecuted us when little, but God has given us when grown up knowledge of ourselves, that we should not follow the errors of our parents....How shall they repay her? As she has served us. Let her little ones be choked in turn: yea let her little ones in turn be dashed, and die. What are the little ones of Babylon? Evil desires at their birth. For there are, who have to fight with inveterate lusts. When lust is born, before evil habit gives it strength against you, when lust is little, by no means let it gain the strength of evil habit; when it is little, dash it. But you fear, lest though dashed it die not; "Dash it against the Rock; and that Rock is Christ." [1 Corinthians 10:4]
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Summary
Psalms 137:9 stands as a shocking and raw culmination of a lament from the Israelite exiles in Babylon, expressing a fervent, visceral desire for divine retribution against their oppressors. It articulates a wish for Babylon to experience the same brutal destruction they inflicted upon Jerusalem, serving as a powerful, albeit difficult, testament to the depths of human suffering and the desperate cry for God's righteous justice in the face of unspeakable trauma and humiliation.
Context
Literary Context
Psalms 137 is a poignant lament psalm, deeply rooted in the historical experience of the Babylonian exile. The preceding verses vividly depict the exiles' sorrow by the rivers of Babylon, their inability to sing the songs of Zion in a foreign land, and their unwavering commitment to remember Jerusalem above all else. The psalm begins with deep grief and longing for their homeland, transitions into a resolute refusal to entertain their captors with sacred songs, and then culminates in a powerful imprecation against Edom and Babylon. Verse 9 specifically targets "the daughter of Babylon," echoing the curse pronounced in the preceding verse and serving as the climax of the psalmist's impassioned plea for divine vengeance against those who had brought such devastation upon God's people and His holy city. This verse, therefore, is the bitter fruit of profound national trauma and a desperate cry for justice within the narrative arc of the psalm.
Historical & Cultural Context
The historical backdrop for Psalms 137 is the Babylonian Captivity, which began with the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple in 586 BC by Nebuchadnezzar's forces, as detailed in the account of Jerusalem's fall. The Israelites were forcibly deported to Babylon, where they lived as exiles for decades. This period was marked by immense suffering, humiliation, and the loss of their national and religious identity. Ancient warfare was notoriously brutal, often involving the complete annihilation of conquered populations, including women and children, as a means of total subjugation and deterrence. The imagery of "dashing little ones against the stones" reflects the horrific realities of such conflicts, which the Babylonians themselves had inflicted upon Jerusalem's inhabitants. The psalmist's imprecation, therefore, is a visceral response to the barbarity experienced, a plea for God to act in kind against the perpetrators, reflecting the "lex talionis" (law of retaliation) prevalent in ancient Near Eastern legal and moral codes, though here it is directed as a petition to God, not a command for human action.
Key Themes
This verse contributes significantly to several key themes within Psalms 137 and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it embodies the theme of Lament and Imprecation, giving voice to the raw, unvarnished anguish and desire for justice that often arises from profound suffering. Such imprecatory prayers, also seen in psalms like Psalm 58, are not prescriptive commands for human behavior but rather fervent appeals to God to execute His righteous judgment against evil. Secondly, it highlights the theme of Retributive Justice, where the psalmist longs for Babylon to experience the same measure of destruction and cruelty they inflicted upon Israel. This aligns with the Old Testament principle of divine justice, where God is expected to right wrongs and bring recompense upon those who oppress His people, as seen in the call for justice in Isaiah 13:16. Thirdly, the verse underscores the tension between Human Emotion and Divine Standard. While shocking to modern sensibilities, it honestly portrays the depth of human pain and the desperate longing for vindication, reflecting the psalmist's perspective without necessarily endorsing the action as a universal moral imperative for believers, especially when viewed through the lens of later biblical revelation concerning love for enemies.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word, often translated as "blessed" or "fortunate," typically introduces a beatitude, signifying a state of divine favor or deep contentment (e.g., Psalm 1:1). Its use here is stark and ironic, highlighting the psalmist's profound yearning for the vindication of God's justice. The "happiness" is not in the act itself, but in the ultimate restoration of cosmic order where the oppressor receives their just deserts, bringing a sense of relief or satisfaction to the oppressed.
A primitive root meaning "to seize (often with the accessory idea of holding in possession)." In this context, it denotes a forceful, deliberate act of seizing or grasping. It emphasizes the active and intentional nature of the retribution desired, not a passive or accidental outcome, but a decisive grasp of the "little ones" for the purpose of their destruction.
A primitive root meaning "to dash to pieces, or scatter." This word conveys extreme violence and destruction, implying a complete shattering or breaking apart. Its use here vividly portrays the brutal and merciless nature of the desired act, mirroring the violence inflicted upon Jerusalem.
This term refers to "a suckling," "babe," "young child," or "infant." The inclusion of infants in the imprecation is deeply disturbing and reflects the utter devastation and barbarity of ancient warfare, where even the youngest were not spared. It underscores the profound trauma and dehumanization experienced by the psalmist.
From an unused root meaning "to be lofty," this word refers to "a craggy rock," "stone," or "stronghold." In this context, it signifies a hard, unyielding surface against which the "little ones" would be violently thrown, ensuring their complete destruction. It adds to the horrifying imagery of the verse.
Verse Breakdown
"Happy [shall he be],"
This phrase, introduced by the Hebrew ʼesher, sets up a beatitude, but one that is profoundly unsettling. It expresses a paradoxical "blessedness" or "fortunate state" for the one who performs the act described, not in a moral sense, but in the context of divine retribution and the ultimate vindication of the oppressed. It reflects the psalmist's deep desire for justice to be served, no matter how brutal the means.
"that taketh and dasheth thy little ones"
This clause describes the specific, violent action desired. "Taketh" (from ʼâchaz) implies a deliberate seizing, while "dasheth" (from nâphats) signifies a forceful, shattering blow. The "little ones" (from ʻôwlêl) refers to infants or young children, making the imagery particularly horrifying and emphasizing the extreme nature of the desired vengeance. This mirrors the atrocities committed by the Babylonians against Jerusalem's children.
"against the stones."
This final phrase specifies the instrument of destruction. "Stones" (from çelaʻ) provides a concrete, unyielding surface, completing the picture of utter annihilation. The imagery is graphic and visceral, leaving no doubt as to the severity of the retribution sought. It is a raw expression of the desire for the oppressor to experience the same measure of pain and loss they inflicted.
Literary Devices
Psalms 137:9 employs several potent literary devices to convey its raw emotion and message. The most striking is Hyperbole, where the psalmist expresses a desire for an extreme and shocking act of violence. While the imagery is literal in its depiction of ancient warfare's brutality, its inclusion in a prayer is often understood as an intensified expression of anger and a desperate plea for divine justice, rather than a literal command for human action. The use of Irony is also significant, as the word "Happy" (Hebrew ʼesher) typically introduces beatitudes of blessedness, yet here it precedes a horrific act. This stark contrast underscores the depth of the psalmist's anguish and the perversion of justice experienced, where only such a brutal retaliation could bring a sense of "happiness" or vindication. Furthermore, the verse uses Vivid Imagery to create a visceral and disturbing picture of the desired retribution. The explicit mention of "little ones" and "stones" is designed to evoke a strong emotional response, conveying the extreme trauma and the equally extreme desire for vengeance felt by the exiled people.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalms 137:9, though challenging, serves as a profound theological statement about the nature of divine justice and the human experience of suffering. It reveals the biblical God as one who hears the cries of the oppressed and is invoked to bring recompense upon those who perpetrate evil. While the New Testament reveals a higher standard of love and forgiveness, this verse captures the Old Testament's emphasis on God's righteous judgment against sin and injustice, affirming that evil will not go unpunished. It underscores the intensity of the psalmist's faith that God is the ultimate avenger, to whom vengeance belongs, and who will ultimately set all wrongs right. This psalm, therefore, is not a call for personal vengeance by believers, but a prayer entrusting the execution of justice to the sovereign God.
Reflection and Application
Psalms 137:9 confronts us with the raw, unfiltered reality of human suffering and the intense, often disturbing, emotions it can provoke. It reminds us that the Bible does not shy away from portraying the darkest aspects of the human heart when confronted with profound injustice and trauma. While the New Testament calls us to a higher standard of love for enemies and leaving vengeance to God, this psalm validates the experience of deep pain and the yearning for justice. It teaches us to bring our whole selves, even our most difficult emotions, to God in prayer, trusting that He understands our anguish and that He alone is the righteous judge who will ultimately bring justice to the earth. It challenges us to wrestle with the tension between human desire for retribution and God's perfect justice and mercy, ultimately pointing us to the cross where both justice and mercy meet.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is such a violent verse included in the Bible?
Psalms 137:9, like other imprecatory psalms, is included in the biblical canon not as a command for human behavior, but as an honest and raw expression of the psalmist's profound anguish and desire for divine justice in the face of unspeakable suffering. It reflects the historical reality of ancient warfare and the deep trauma experienced by the Israelite exiles during the Babylonian captivity, as described in the fall of Jerusalem. The Bible, in its entirety, portrays the full spectrum of human emotion, including anger, grief, and a longing for retribution when grievous wrongs have been committed. These psalms serve as a testament to God's willingness to hear the cries of the oppressed and to acknowledge the depths of human pain, while ultimately entrusting vengeance to His righteous hand, as affirmed in Romans 12:19.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Psalms 137:9 expresses a raw desire for retributive justice against Babylon, its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment lies not in human vengeance, but in the perfect and final judgment executed by Jesus Christ. The "happiness" or blessedness longed for by the psalmist, a world where evil is decisively crushed, finds its ultimate realization in the coming of God's Kingdom. Jesus, the Lamb of God, who willingly suffered injustice and did not retaliate (1 Peter 2:23), is also the Lion of Judah, who will return to establish perfect justice. The horrific imagery of "dashing little ones against the stones" foreshadows the complete and utter destruction of all evil and rebellion against God, not by human hands, but by the righteous judgment of Christ, who will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. Thus, the longing for justice in Psalms 137:9 is ultimately satisfied in the eschatological victory of Christ, who will one day wipe away every tear and bring about a new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13).