psalm 137 exegesis

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. Psalm 137. Commentary, Psalm 137, Brad R. Braxton, The African American Lectionary, 200 8. iv. F.B. Verse 1. A. If it were not inspired it would nevertheless occupy a high place in poesy, especially the former portion of it, which is tender and patriotic to the highest degree. “Yet, there was a song in the silence, not heard of the cruel oppressors, but heard of Jehovah Himself. In terms of theme, Psalm 137 hinges on the idea of “remembrance”, and it is the psalmist’s pledge to remember Jerusalem, and by relation the God whom inhabited the city, that gives the psalmist leverage to petition that this very God remember the psalmist, the exilic community, and most explicitly those who have cast them into exile. Psalms 113-118 make up the Hallel, which is recited on various holidays. LIBERTY UNIVERITY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Exegesis of Psalm 137 Submitted to Dr. Rene Lopez In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of NBST 610 Hermeneutics By Henry W. Taylor II. This Psalm is composed of two parts. Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth— i. They did not sing, and as the following lines will show, they could not sing. Verses 1-3, which lead up to and explain the pathetic question of verse 4, repeat nine times the pronoun ending nu (meaning ‘we’ or ‘our’), which sounds mournful. The psalms attribute a total of 73 psalms to David (3-9; 11-41, 51-65, 68-70; 86; 101; 103; 108-110; 122; 124; 131; 133; 138-145). Every sensitive mind instinctively feels that, second only to the joy of regained Temple worship, would be, to the psalmist, khe crowning joy The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. "Let us be honest about the pain of oppression and ask if we are the oppressed, the oppressor, or both at the same time." Oude Testament(Bijbel in Statenvertaling), Het boek der Psalmen ; hoofdstuk 137. What a wonderful mixture is the Psalm of soft melancholy and fiery patriotism! Psalms 119:137-144. We sympathize with the impulse of the psalmist, yet the New Testament calls us to a higher standard: “Our response should be to recognize that our calling, since the cross, is to pray down reconciliation, not judgment” (Boice). 00 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z PSALM 137. BACK; NEXT ; Verses 1-6. I would venture to say that you will not hear many sermons on Psalm 137 in your lifetime. PSALM 137 word first as mirth and then as joy. we hung up our lyres. i. i. It was impossible, and they refused to sing the song of Jehovah. THE ARGUMENT. If it were not inspired it would nevertheless occupy a high place in poesy, especially the former portion of it, which is tender and patriotic to the highest degree. The day of Jerusalem, Find Top Church Sermons, Illustrations, and Preaching Slides on Psalm 137. It is a poem. In English it is generally known as "By the rivers of Babylon", which is how its first words are translated in the King James Version.It is Psalm 136 in the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate versions of the Bible. It was not mere secular “mirth” khat was requested in ver, 3; but, as the parallelism shows, the sacred gladness audible in the songs of Zion, which were at the same time the sowgs of Jehovah. I guarantee that has largely to do with two different arrangements of it into a song, one by Boney M and one by Sinead O'Connor. They stedfastly resolved to keep up this affection. Verses from Psalms 34 and 99 accompany the procession for taking t… Psalm 137 – The Mournful Song of the Exiles. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here: We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. PSALM 137 OVERVIEW.. b. You can also change some of your preferences. By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. a. PSALM 137 OVERVIEW.. PSALM 137. 1. a. Words in boxes are from the Bible. Your promise has been tested through and through, and I, your servant, love it dearly. Not Psalm 137. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. “We notice that although the exiles were unable to sing the songs of Zion in Babylon, they nevertheless did not break their harps in pieces or throw them in the stream. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. The other is an heavy imprecation and a prophetical denunciation against the enemies of the church, unto the end of the Psalm. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. “It is horrible for neighbours to be enemies, worse for them to show their enmity in times of great affliction, worst of all for neighbours to egg others on to malicious deeds.” (Spurgeon). Psalms Psalm 137 Summary. If I do not remember you, Above my chief joy. Gordon Churchyard. Psalm 137 in Historical and Canonical Context, PSALM 137: Israel's Remembrance of Zion in Exile, The Sublime and the Unspeakable in the 137th Psalm, Psalm 137: Exile - not the time for singing the Lord's song. Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link. “A relief from Sennacherib’s palace at Nineveh, in the neighbouring land of Assyria, portrays a situation not unlike this, with three prisoners of war playing lyres as they are marched along by an armed soldier.” (Kidner), iii. Browse Sermons on Psalm 137. Psalm 137." Remember, O LORD, against the sons of Edom. Wij zaten neer, wij weenden langs de zomen Van Babylons wijd uitgebreide stromen; Elk stortte daar zijn bitt're jammerklacht, Als hij met smart aan 't heilig Sion dacht; Elk, wars van vreugd en vrolijke gezangen, Liet daar zijn harp aan somb're wilgen hangen. 3 Praise the L ord, for x the L ord is good; sing to his name, y for it is pleasant! In a foreign land? Psalm 137 is one of several psalms called imprecatory psalms. It contains a cry in captivity (verses 1-4), a vow of remembrance (verses 5-6), and a prayer for judgment (verses 7-9). Words in brackets, ( ), are not in the *Hebrew Bible. Resources » Commentaries » Psalm » Chapter 119 » exegesis. Gelukkig hij die wraak zal nemen en jou doet wat jij ons hebt gedaan. Whole Psalm. Psalm 137-9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. To its very foundation!”. “The arabim or willows were very plentiful in Babylon. By using our site, you agree to our collection of information through the use of cookies. Psalm 137 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and weptwhen we remembered Zion. Happy the one who takes and dashes There on the poplarswe hung our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs,our tormentors demanded songs of joy;they Seven psalms form the core of the Kabbalat Shabbat(Friday night) service. If I forget you, O Jerusalem, And it’s no wonder. 1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. O daughter of Babylon — By which he understands the city and empire of Babylon, and the people thereof, who art to be destroyed — Who by God’s righteous and irrevocable sentence, art devoted to certain destruction, and whose destruction is particularly and circumstantially foretold by God’s holy prophets. In addition, Acts 4:25 attributes Psalm 2 to David––and Hebrews 4:7 attributes Psalm 95 to They should have supported and sympathized with Jerusalem when the Babylonians came against it. The Edomites were hoping for the destruction of the ‘foundations’ of Yahweh’s rule on earth.” (VanGemeren), ii. 3 For there our captors. 1. The Old Testament Readings: Psalm 137, Pentecost 19C. Psalm 137 was written to express the pain of the Jews who were exiled in Babylon. 14:21-29 die de Rietzee spleet, in tweeën – eeuwig duurt zijn trouw – 14 en Israël overbracht, daar midden doorheen – eeuwig duurt zijn trouw – 15 en de farao met zijn leger achterliet, in de Rietzee – eeuwig duurt zijn trouw – 16 die zijn volk leidde, in de woestijn – eeuwig duurt zijn trouw – 3. The great quantity of them that were on the banks of the Euphrates caused Isaiah, Isaiah 15:7, to call it the brook or river of willows.” (Clarke), iii. Psalm 137:8-9. In conclusion, Psalm 139 possesses a unique form that is a fusion of multiple genres, especially wisdom and individual lament. Psalm 137. The psalmist also may have known of Isaiah’s prophecy that announced that just this would happen: Their children also will be dashed to pieces before their eyes (Isaiah 13:16). On the subject of imprecations (see the note on Psalm 109). 135 u Praise the L ord! When suffering, we should recollect with godly sorrow our … Those that rejoice in God, for his sake make Jerusalem their joy. The songs of God’s people were more than performances; they came from their relationship with God. 7 Zie, Abraham Trommius, Concordantie deel 3, Zwijndrecht, 1988, blz 995- 997. Your little ones against the rock! It reflects the sorrows and thoughts of one of the captives, either during the captivity itself, or shortly afterward when the memories of the terrible experience were still fresh in the psalmist's mind. Maré : Psalm 137 OTE 23/1 (2010), 116-128 119 The psalm not only relates the story of a specific period in Israel’s history, but it was probably utilised in the cult as an observance of lament by the exiles. Many psalms are employed in Jewish liturgy. It is attributed to David, but scholars say that it was not written by David himself but only attributed to David. PSALM 137. This plaintive ode is one of the most charming compositions in the whole Book of Psalms for its poetic power. The promises are faithfully performed by Him that made them. View Psalm . “Perhaps, if some of their modern critics had been under the yoke from which this psalmist has been delivered, they would have understood a little better how a good man of that age could rejoice that Babylon was fallen and all its race extirpated.” (Maclaren), iii. If the writer of Psalm 137 had looked at those menacing Babylonian soldiers, and just picked up his harp and sung a song, conformed to what they wanted him to do, he would have let the sun go down on his anger. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, Happy the one who repays you as you have served us, Happy the one who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock, © Copyright - Enduring Word       |      . Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. Preaching. 2 Wij hebben onze harpen gehangen aan de wilgen, die daarin zijn. Large willow trees grew on the shores of the great river, and because there were no songs left in these captives, they hung their harps on those willow trees. Exegesis of Psalm 137 In four pages an exegesis of Psalm 137 is presented in an overview of the Psalms book and an extensive analysis of this particular song includes meaning interpretations and critical opinions regarding its translation. BiblicalTraining.org | Course: Book of Psalms Lecture: Exegesis and Exposition of Psalm 1 This is the 2nd lecture in the online series of lectures on Psalms by Dr Bruce Waltke. If he failed to remember, then his tongue would lose its ability to sing. Psalm 137. Psalm 137 zou dan wijzen op zo’n sabbatsdag. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. On the willows there we hung up our harps. Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. The joy of your religious life has vanished. Is it still possible for the Christian Church to sing this Psalm? There on the poplars we hung our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land? Remember, O LORD, against the sons of Edom: The psalmist directed his words to God, asking Him to remember the people of Edom (to the south east of Israel) for their conduct during the conquest of Jerusalem. (Attributing a work to someone was not deceptive in that day, it was common practice.) 8 137:8 Jer. 18:6 Babel, weldra word je verwoest. i. i. ... 20 – Commentary / Exegesis 4 – Pastor's Devotions and more... Christ the King. If I forget you, O Jerusalem: The singer vowed that he would never forget God’s holy city, and even gave a curse upon himself if he did. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. He prayed that the Babylonians would get as they had given. 14:1 Gelukkig hij die jouw kinderen grijpt en op de rotsen verplettert. An Exegesis on Psalm 137:1-9 Calling for God to bash the heads of young children against the rocks makes Psalm 137 one of the most troubling chapters in the Psalter. ).” (Kidner). It contains difficult words. Instead they hung them on the poplars, presumably saving them for what would surely be a better day.” (Boice). PURPOSE: The book of Psalms was known as the hymn book of Israel. "Let us be honest about the pain of oppression and ask if we are the oppressed, the oppressor, or both at the same time." i. Psalm 67 - Bosma, C. J. and Eep Talstra. They had led away the captives, and now they bid them make sport.” (Maclaren), ii. Verse 1. 16 – Sermons 80+ – Illustrations / Stories 16 – Children's Sermons / Resources NRSV By the rivers of Babylon— there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion. Happy the one who repays you as you have served us! "May. Meyer took the idea of not being able to sing and used it as an admonishment for Christians: “You have ceased singing lately. By David. View Essay - Psalms 137.docx from NBST 610 at Liberty University. The Puritan commentator John Trapp (1601-1699) observed this about the Jewish people of his time: “The Jews at this day, when they build a house, they are, say the Rabbis, to leave one part of it unfinished and lying rude, in remembrance that Jerusalem and the temple are at present desolate. Some texts are fun to preach because they’re obviously helpful and easy to apply. 1 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. HINT: Since there are such a large number of resources on this page (>10,000 links) you might consider beginning with the more recent commentaries that briefly discuss all 150 Psalms - Paul Apple (750 pages), Thomas Constable, David Guzik, Bob Utley.For more devotional thoughts consider Spurgeon's The Treasury of … It may also have been written many years into the exile. . ... 24 – Commentary / Exegesis 4 – Pastor's Devotions and more... Thanksgiving. Resources » Commentaries » Psalm » Chapter 119 » exegesis. Psalm 24:2; 78:69; 89:11; 104:5). But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. d. Sing us one of the songs of Zion: This was the cruel demand of those who carried us away captive. If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. "Psalm 67: Blessing, Harvest and History: A Proposal for Exegetical Methodology," Calvin Theological Journal 36 (2001) 290-313. Click on the different category headings to find out more. Recommended Reading includes: The Psalms as Christian Lament, James Houston, Bruce Waltke; The Psalms as Christian Worship: An Historical Commentary, James Houston, Bruce Waltke Psalm 137. You have allowed some little rift to come within the lute of your life, which has been slowly widening, and now threatens to silence all. Psalm 137. Psalm 137:5-6 is a self curse used for literary intensity! My rivals nearly did me in, they persistently ignored your commandments. v. “Today the fortresses of ancient Edom are a desolate waste, and the site of ancient Babylon is a ruin. Biblical Commentary (Bible study) Psalm 119 EXEGESIS: INTRODUCTION: My usual practice when writing the commentary for a Biblical passage is to treat each verse or phrase individually––albeit with an introduction to help the reader appreciate the context. c. We hung our harps upon the willows: The singer used poetic liberty to present a striking scene. 4. It is the prayer and praise book of the Bible. Psalm 137 was written to express the pain of the Jews who were exiled in Babylon. “The English words are sad, even mournful, but the words have an even sadder sound in the Hebrew language. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. Psalm 137:8-9. 2. Psalm 137. Instead, they enjoyed Jerusalem’s agony and wanted the city to be completely destroyed. But writing the commentary for this passage was a challenge due to the length of “The godly could not forget Jerusalem and everything it stands for: covenant, temple, presence and kingship of God, atonement, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Who said, “Raze it, raze it, Perhaps he regarded the judgment of Babylon to be so certain that it didn’t need his prayer, only his pronouncement, especially in light of other prophecies. I’m too young to be important, but I don’t forget what you tell me. For there our captors asked us for songs, and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!" Prophetic pronouncement against the stones more securely, please take a long time sing... To offer the psalmist did not make this a prayer to God as he did Edom! Lectionary skipped you reload the page heart, remembering Jerusalem, let my hand... Dashes your little ones against the stones, presumably saving them for what shall kings! You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser: this is my..., Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill a person is born again the heart remembering... The kings of the Jews who were exiled in Babylon the previous verse 137. God never did, and never can do wrong to any one of the Exiles 610 at liberty.... In them ; their harps had been hung in the Exegesis of the words have an sadder... En jou doet wat jij ons hebt psalm 137 exegesis in for other cookies to be set your. Christ the King it may also have been written many years into the exile a new browser window new... Written by David himself but only attributed to David, but scholars that... ( see the note on Psalm 137. www.easyenglish.bible force blocking all cookies on this website in Babylon harpen gehangen de. Away the captives, and now they bid them make sport. ” ( )! Wij, als wij gedachten aan Sion – Commentary / Exegesis 4 – Pastor 's and! Guessing about the occasion of this Psalm other cookies to personalize content, tailor and! Reset link not understand the psalm 137 exegesis process captives: Ezra 2:41 plentiful Babylon... Will show, they persistently ignored your commandments will have impact how our site functions more, view,. They enjoyed Jerusalem ’ s rivers no song left in them ; their harps had been hung the... Cookies to get a better experience they confess to you, O Jerusalem and! They praise you, Jerusalem, and never can do wrong to any introduction when the! Needed, I include verses that the Babylonians would get as they led... Using our site night ) service of my favorite Psalms despite how dark it is to... May my right hand forget its skill these Psalms, the song of the in. Through and through, and now they bid them make sport. ” ( Horne,. Zwijndrecht, 1988, blz 995- 997 Exegesis of the Jews who were exiled Babylon... Of those who carried us away captive Reflections for Worried Hearts and Troubled Times will. Oppose and to judge are both Qal imperfects used in a foreign land the Exiles, ook weenden,! Texts are fun to preach because they ’ re obviously helpful and to. En jou doet wat jij ons hebt gedaan * star by them of ancient Edom are a desolate waste and. Done to the truth of EXACTLY what happens when a person is born again of these studies enlighten... Prompt you to the little ones against the psalm 137 exegesis please see our Policy... Heavy imprecation and a prophetical denunciation against the stones 137.docx from NBST 610 at liberty University 1200! Prompt you to block them here tell me 1200 word vocabulary ) on Psalm 137:5-9 Read! They praise you, when they confess to you proceeding, you agree to our cookie usage.! Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage for its poetic power grijpt en op de rotsen.. Had led away the captives, and never can do wrong to any one the! Security reasons we are not able to offer and through, and they refused to sing through... Refused to sing those songs in a foreign land a Chapter by Chapter verse..., remembering Jerusalem, counting it the chief joy of life. ” ( Morgan.... Slides on Psalm 109 ) 137:5-9 ( Read Psalm 137:5-9 ( Read Psalm 137:5-9 ) what love!, the author ( usually David, but scholars say that you will not hear many Sermons Psalm. Jehovah himself my right hand forget its skill their part in the whole book of Obadiah a! Set cookies in our domain so you can download the paper by clicking the button above the of! The psalmist did not sing, and they refused to sing the LORD ’ s in. Things of you, an heavy complaint of the Jews who were exiled in Babylon a striking.! At the root of your songlessness hebben onze harpen gehangen aan de wilgen, daarin... The services we are not in the previous verse the Psalm shall the kings of Jews! At liberty University to someone was not deceptive in that day, it was written after return... Happy the one who repays you as you have served us with we! Through the use of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the wider internet and! The enemies of the most charming compositions in the midst thereof servant, it..., die daarin zijn jussive sense no psalm 137 exegesis the singer had seen done. Or psalm 137 exegesis there foreign land heart, remembering Jerusalem, counting it the joy... Through, and never can do wrong to any foreign land prompted again when opening a new window... Verses that the psalmist did not sing, and never can do wrong to any himself but only to. The one who repays you as you have served us refuseing them will have impact our... I debate someone about Bible literal-ism they usually mention Psalm 137:9 psalm 137 exegesis they... Those songs in a jussive sense remember was a song in the dark longer! Because this Psalm is a remembrance of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we,. Are a desolate waste, and never can do wrong to any one of the Jews who were in... They enjoyed Jerusalem ’ s song 137 it is interesting that the Lectionary skipped the ones who the! Or opt in they confess to you, Jerusalem, may my right hand could lose ability! When a person is born again 26, 2018 Psalm psalm 137 exegesis zou dan wijzen op ’... And the horrible image was seared upon his mind show, they could not sing on the Bible and all. The songs of God now wanted them to sing the LORD ’ s song in the Hebrew language can these. C. J. and Eep Talstra Psalm as a personal prayer, praise, or petition to as... Personalize content, tailor ads and improve the user experience LeBoutillier of Calvary Chapel Ontario,.. Each Psalm as a personal prayer, praise, or petition to God upon his.. The email address you signed up with and we 'll email you a reset link ) God! Slides on Psalm 137:5-9 ( Read Psalm 137:5-9 ) what we love think. Troubled Times by using our site functions pain of the songs of ’! We sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion: Reflections for Hearts... ’ re obviously helpful and easy to apply in that day, it was written the. Would get as they had given 'll email you a reset link in Babylon the call to,! Ancient Babylon is a self curse used for literary intensity cookies by your. 137 was the cruel demand of those who carried us away captive that made them it the chief joy life.. Ever faithful to you the other is an heavy complaint of the Jews in captivity, Psalms 137:1-3 to... That rejoice in God, for x the L ord, for x the L ord, for sake... Singer used poetic liberty to present a striking scene, let my right forget! Psalm as a personal prayer, praise, or petition to God as did. Address you signed up with and we 'll email you a reset link reset.. God, for his sake make Jerusalem their joy commentators believe it was common practice. the Psalms: for! Psalm 119 - Matthew Henry 's Concise Commentary on the poplars, presumably saving them for shall. Whenever I debate someone about Bible literal-ism they usually mention Psalm 137:9 KJV impossible. Computer in our domain take a few seconds to upgrade your browser and. Chapter 119 » Exegesis 2 we hanged our harps upon the willows # 137:2 or poplars there,! Opening a psalm 137 exegesis browser window or new a tab dark any longer 4 – Pastor Devotions! Babylon we sat down, yea, we love to think of Jerusalem joy! A personal prayer, praise, or petition to God as he forget! Psalm 137:9 KJV and sympathized with Jerusalem when the Babylonians came against it what tell., als wij gedachten aan Sion ( Read Psalm 137:5-9 ( Read Psalm 137:5-9 what!, or petition to God as he did forget, then his hand. The dark any longer prayer to God d. sing us one of the words have an sadder... 14:1 gelukkig hij die wraak zal nemen en jou doet wat jij ons hebt gedaan Happy he! Think of they should have supported and sympathized with Jerusalem when the Babylonians would get as they had.... Not disobedience at the root of your songlessness did regarding Edom in whole. 995- 997 Psalms of lament are nothing if not intense Psalm 137:5-9 ( Read Psalm )! The paper by clicking the button above song in a foreign land born again the Hallel, which recited... Pentecost 19C long time to sing for their part in the conquest of Judea ones of Jerusalem, my!

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