American Standard Version
Psalms 137:1
1By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept, When we remembered Zion.
Psalms 137:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
- New International Version (NIV)By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.
- English Standard Version (ESV)By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.
- New King James Version (NKJV)By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion.
Context of Psalms 137:1
By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept, When we remembered Zion. 2Upon the willows in the midst thereof We hanged up our harps. 3For there they that led us captive required of us songs, And they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
Read all of Psalms 137Psalms 137:1 word by word
עַ֥ל נַהֲר֨וֹת׀ בָּבֶ֗ל שָׁ֣ם יָ֭שַׁבְנוּ גַּם־בָּכִ֑ינוּ בְּ֝זָכְרֵ֗נוּ אֶת־צִיּֽוֹן׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Psalms 137:1
- Genesis 2:10And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became four heads.
- Ezra 8:21Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek of him a straight way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
- Ezekiel 1:1Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourthmonth, in the fifthdayof the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
- Nehemiah 1:3And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
- Nehemiah 2:3And I said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?
- Job 2:12And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his robe, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
- Jeremiah 13:17But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because Jehovah’s flock is taken captive.
- Jeremiah 15:17I sat not in the assembly of them that make merry, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand; for thou hast filled me with indignation.
- Lamentations 2:10The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, they keep silence; They have cast up dust upon their heads; they have girded themselves with sackcloth: The virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground.
- Ezekiel 3:15Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that dwelt by the river Chebar, and to where they dwelt; and I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days.
- Psalms 42:4These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me, How I went with the throng, and led them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping holyday.
- Psalms 102:9For I have eaten ashes like bread, And mingled my drink with weeping,
- Isaiah 66:10Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn over her;
- Jeremiah 51:50Ye that have escaped the sword, go ye, stand not still; remember Jehovah from afar, and let Jerusalem come into your mind.
- Lamentations 1:16For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water; Because the comforter that should refresh my soul is far from me: My children are desolate, because the enemy hath prevailed.
- Lamentations 2:11Mine eyes do fail with tears, my heart is troubled; My liver is poured upon the earth, because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, Because the young children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city.
Commentaries on Psalms 137:1
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1By the rivers of Babylon - The streams, the water-courses, the rivulets. There was properly only one river flowing through Babylon - the Euphrates; but the city was watered, as Damascus now is, by means of canals or water-courses cut from the main river, and conveying the water to different parts of the city. For a description of Babylon, see the introductory notes to Isaiah 13. If the reference here is to Babylon proper, or the city, the allusion would…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The Jews bewail their captivity. (1-4) Their affection for Jerusalem. (5-9) Verses 1-4 Their enemies had carried the Jews captive from their own land. To complete their woes, they insulted over them; they required of them mirth and a song. This was very barbarous; also profane, for no songs would serve but the songs of Zion. Scoffers are not to be compiled with. They do not say, How shall we sing, when we are so much in sorrow? but, It is the Lord's song…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-9In response to the pain of exile (Psalm 137:1–4), the psalmist decides to remember Jerusalem, even though the memories cause him pain (137:4–6). He also speaks a strong prayer asking God to bring justice on his enemies (Psalm 137:7–9).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-91. rivers of Babylon--the name of the city used for the whole country. remembered Zion--or, Jerusalem, as in Psa 132:13.Read the comment
- Rashi on Tanakh · v. 1By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat when we went down into exile, and Nebuchadnezzar asked them to sing for him as they used to sing on the stage.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 137:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 137
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries