137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we a sat down, yea, we
wept, when we remembered Zion.
(a) That is, we abode a long time, and even though the
country was pleasant, yet it could not stay our tears,
nor turn us from the true service of our God.
137:2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst b
thereof.
(b) That is, of that country.
137:3 For there they that carried us away captive c required
of us a song; and they that wasted us [required of us]
mirth, [saying], Sing us [one] of the songs of Zion.
(c) The Babylonians speak thus in mocking us, as though by
our silence we should signify that we hoped no more in
God.
137:5d If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand
forget [her cunning].
(d) Even the faithful are touched by their particular
griefs, yet the common sorrow of the Church is most
grievous to them, and is such as they cannot but
remember and lament.
137:6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the
roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my e
chief joy.
(e) The decay of God's religion in their country was so
grievous that no joy could make them glad, unless it
was restored.
137:7 Remember, O LORD, the children of f Edom in the g day
of Jerusalem; who said, Rase [it], rase [it, even] to the
foundation thereof.
(f) As was prophesied in (Eze 25:13,Jer 49:7,Ob 1:10),
showing that the Edomites who came from Esau,
conspired with the Babylonians against their brethren
and kinsfolk.
(g) When you visited Jerusalem.
137:9h Happy [shall he be], that taketh and dasheth thy
little ones against the stones.
(h) He alludes to Isaiah's prophecy in (Isa 13:16)
promising good success to Cyrus and Darius, whom
ambition moved to fight against Babylon, but God used
them as his rods to punish his enemies.
