Psalm 137

AI generated art

This Psalm, seen as prophetic text, deals with the role music and our singing play in confronting challenging times. Even if I feel so hopeless, and my musical instruments are put aside, I will not be able to speak a word if I do not ensure remembering my homeland and G-d’s home within me; they are found through joy and song. 

However, David wonders of the difficult times in exile -- should we even be singing any songs if it is done for the wrong reason? If the praise I wish to sing is forced upon me in torture, and I must sing through deep despair -- should I even try to sing? 

These are not the true joyful songs of Zion - these are songs of retribution. We can see Babylon as the literal story of exile or as an illusory story of dealing with confusing and dark thoughts (בבל - בילבול) - when we are no longer able to find our internal connection with G-d.

In either situation we confront the question: How do we sing a song for Zion, for G-d to dwell within us, when we are in so much anger and pain? Yet revenge is not the answer, and G-d will remember what happened, and He will be our ultimate protector. G-d will find someone to overturn the story and make the Babylonians have a taste of their own doing. 

עַ֥ל נַהֲר֨וֹת ׀ בָּבֶ֗ל שָׁ֣ם יָ֭שַׁבְנוּ גַּם־בָּכִ֑ינוּ בְּ֝זָכְרֵ֗נוּ אֶת־צִיּֽוֹן׃

From the heights of my flowing awareness,

there in Babylon we sat and cried as we remembered Zion:

עַֽל־עֲרָבִ֥ים בְּתוֹכָ֑הּ תָּ֝לִ֗ינוּ כִּנֹּרוֹתֵֽינוּ׃

Over the wilderness in it we suspended our music (lyres/violins):

כִּ֤י שָׁ֨ם שְֽׁאֵל֪וּנוּ שׁוֹבֵ֡ינוּ דִּבְרֵי־שִׁ֭יר וְתוֹלָלֵ֣ינוּ שִׂמְחָ֑ה שִׁ֥ירוּ לָ֝֗נוּ מִשִּׁ֥יר צִיּֽוֹן׃

For it was there that are captors asked us

to speak a song and be glad in our ordeals,

“sing to us from Zions’ song”:

אֵ֗יךְ נָשִׁ֥יר אֶת־שִׁיר־ה’ עַ֝֗ל אַדְמַ֥ת נֵכָֽר׃

How can we sing the song of God on alienating grounds?

אִֽם־אֶשְׁכָּחֵ֥ךְ יְֽרוּשָׁלִָ֗ם תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח יְמִינִֽי׃

If I forget you, Jerusalem, I will forget my strength:

תִּדְבַּ֥ק־לְשׁוֹנִ֨י ׀ לְחִכִּי֮ אִם־לֹ֪א אֶ֫זְכְּרֵ֥כִי אִם־לֹ֣א אַ֭עֲלֶה אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֑ם עַ֝֗ל רֹ֣אשׁ שִׂמְחָתִֽי׃

My tongue will cleave to my palate if I will not remember you,

if I don’t elevate Jerusalem above all else that makes me happy:

זְכֹ֤ר ה’ ׀ לִבְנֵ֬י אֱד֗וֹם אֵת֮ י֤וֹם יְֽרוּשָׁ֫לִָ֥ם הָ֭אֹ֣מְרִים עָ֤רוּ ׀ עָ֑רוּ עַ֝֗ד הַיְס֥וֹד בָּֽהּ׃

God, remember for the Edomites the day of Jerusalem,

saying “strip and demolish it to its’ foundation”

בַּת־בָּבֶ֗ל הַשְּׁד֫וּדָ֥ה אַשְׁרֵ֥י שֶׁיְשַׁלֶּם־לָ֑ךְ אֶת־גְּ֝מוּלֵ֗ךְ שֶׁגָּמַ֥לְתְּ לָֽנוּ׃

At once Babylon will become plundered,

happy is he who will repay you your rewards as you awarded to us:

אַשְׁרֵ֤י ׀ שֶׁיֹּאחֵ֓ז וְנִפֵּ֬ץ אֶֽת־עֹ֝לָלַ֗יִךְ אֶל־הַסָּֽלַע׃

Happy I will be,

May He cease and shatter your abusive deeds

towards the shield (the rock).