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Psalm 137 WEB Audio Bible

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ParaphraseNot recommended for deep study

1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
2 On the willows in that land, we hung up our harps.
3 For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs. Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy: “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
4 How can we sing Yahweh’s song in a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill.
6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you; if I don’t prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.
7 Remember, Yahweh, against the children of Edom, the day of Jerusalem; who said, “Raze it! Raze it even to its foundation!”
8 Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, he will be happy who rewards you, as you have served us.
9 Happy shall he be, who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock.
Chapter information and study resources

Listen to Psalms 137 with verse-by-verse audio highlighting.

Study tools for Psalm 137

Cross-references, Hebrew word study, and what the Early Church wrote about Psalm 137. Tap any section to expand — or right-click any verse for the full interactive study panel.

Psalm 137 study resources: word-by-word Hebrew interlinear with Strong's numbers, 14 cross-references.

Cross-references in Psalm 137 (14)

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Hebrew interlinear — Psalm 137:1–9 (82 words)
1
  1. עַ֥לʿal`al: above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of...H5921
  2. נַהֲר֨וֹת׀nahărôtnahar: a stream (including the sea; expec. the Nile, Euphrates, etc.)H5104
  3. בָּבֶ֗לbābelBabel: confusion; Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empireH894
  4. שָׁ֣םšāmsham: there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thenceH8033
  5. יָ֭שַׁבְנוּyāšabnûyashab: (properly) to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet)H3427
  6. גַּםgamgam: (properly) assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, thoughH1571
  7. בָּכִ֑ינוּbākînûbakah: to weep; (generally) to bemoanH1058
  8. בְּ֝זָכְרֵ֗נוּbĕzokrēnûzakar: (properly) to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to rememberH2142
  9. אֶתʾeteth: (properly) self; (generally) used to point out the object of a verb (or preposition) more definitelyH853
  10. צִיּֽוֹן׃ṣiyyônTsiyown: Tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of JerusalemH6726
2
  1. עַֽלʿal`al: above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of...H5921
  2. עֲרָבִ֥יםʿărābîm`arab: a willow (from the use of osiers as wattles)H6155
  3. בְּתוֹכָ֑הּbĕtôkāhtavek: a bisection; (by implication) the centreH8432
  4. תָּ֝לִ֗ינוּtālînûtalah: to suspend (especially to gibbet)H8518
  5. כִּנֹּרוֹתֵֽינוּ׃kinnōrôtênûkinnowr: a harpH3658
3
  1. כִּ֤יkîkiy: (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below)H3588
  2. שָׁ֨םšāmsham: there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thenceH8033
  3. שְֽׁאֵל֪וּנוּšĕʾēlûnûsha'al: to inquire; (by implication) to requestH7592
  4. שׁוֹבֵ֡ינוּšôbênûshabah: to transport into captivityH7617
  5. דִּבְרֵיdibrêdabar: a word; (by implication) a matter (as spoken of) or thingH1697
  6. שִׁ֭ירšîrshiyr: a song; abstractly, singingH7892
  7. וְתוֹלָלֵ֣ינוּwĕtôlālênûtowlal: causing to howl, i.e. an oppressorH8437
  8. שִׂמְחָ֑הśimḥâsimchah: blithesomeness or glee, (religious or festival)H8057
  9. שִׁ֥ירוּšîrûshiyr: to singH7891
  10. לָ֝֗נוּlānû
  11. מִשִּׁ֥ירmiššîrshiyr: a song; abstractly, singingH7892
  12. צִיּֽוֹן׃ṣiyyônTsiyown: Tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of JerusalemH6726
4
  1. אֵ֗יךְʾêkeyk: how? or how!; (also) where?H349
  2. נָשִׁ֥ירnāšîrshiyr: to singH7891
  3. אֶתʾeteth: (properly) self; (generally) used to point out the object of a verb (or preposition) more definitelyH853
  4. שִׁירšîrshiyr: a song; abstractly, singingH7892
  5. יְהוָ֑הyĕhwâYhovah: (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodH3068
  6. עַ֝֗לʿal`al: above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of...H5921
  7. אַדְמַ֥תʾadmatadamah: soil (from its general redness)H127
  8. נֵכָֽר׃nēkārnekar: foreign, or (concretely) a foreigner, or (abstractly) heathendomH5236
5
  1. אִֽםʾimim: (used very widely as demonstrative) lo!; (interrogatively) whether?H518
  2. אֶשְׁכָּחֵ֥ךְʾeškāḥēkshakach: to mislay, i.e. to be oblivious of, from want of memory or attentionH7911
  3. יְֽרוּשָׁלִָ֗םyĕrûšālāimYruwshalaim: founded peaceful; Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of IsraelH3389
  4. תִּשְׁכַּ֥חtiškaḥshakach: to mislay, i.e. to be oblivious of, from want of memory or attentionH7911
  5. יְמִינִֽי׃yĕmînîyamiyn: the right hand or side (leg, eye) of a person or other object (as the stronger and more dexterous)H3225
6
  1. תִּדְבַּ֥קtidbaqdabaq: (properly) to impinge, i.e. cling or adhereH1692
  2. לְשׁוֹנִ֨י׀lĕšônîlashown: the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and...H3956
  3. לְחִכִּי֮lĕḥikkiychek: (properly) the palate or inside of the mouthH2441
  4. אִםʾimim: (used very widely as demonstrative) lo!; (interrogatively) whether?H518
  5. לֹ֪אlōʾlo': (the simple or absolute negation) not; (by implication) noH3808
  6. אֶ֫זְכְּרֵ֥כִיʾezkĕrēkîzakar: (properly) to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to rememberH2142
  7. אִםʾimim: (used very widely as demonstrative) lo!; (interrogatively) whether?H518
  8. לֹ֣אlōʾlo': (the simple or absolute negation) not; (by implication) noH3808
  9. אַ֭עֲלֶהʾaʿăle`alah: to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount)H5927
  10. אֶתʾeteth: (properly) self; (generally) used to point out the object of a verb (or preposition) more definitelyH853
  11. יְרוּשָׁלִַ֑םyĕrûšālaimYruwshalaim: founded peaceful; Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of IsraelH3389
  12. עַ֝֗לʿal`al: above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of...H5921
  13. רֹ֣אשׁrōšro'sh: the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank...H7218
  14. שִׂמְחָתִֽי׃śimḥātîsimchah: blithesomeness or glee, (religious or festival)H8057
7
  1. זְכֹ֤רzĕkōrzakar: (properly) to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to rememberH2142
  2. יְהוָ֨ה׀yĕhwâYhovah: (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodH3068
  3. לִבְנֵ֬יlibnêben: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including...H1121
  4. אֱד֗וֹםʾĕdômEdom: red (see Gen. 25; Edom, the elder twin-brother of JacobH123
  5. אֵת֮ʾēteth: (properly) self; (generally) used to point out the object of a verb (or preposition) more definitelyH853
  6. י֤וֹםyômyowm: a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or...H3117
  7. יְֽרוּשָׁ֫לִָ֥םyĕrûšālāimYruwshalaim: founded peaceful; Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of IsraelH3389
  8. הָ֭אֹ֣מְרִיםhāʾōmĕrîmamar: to say (used with great latitude)H559
  9. עָ֤רוּ׀ʿārû`arah: to be (causatively, make) bare; (hence) to empty, pour out, demolishH6168
  10. עָ֑רוּʿārû`arah: to be (causatively, make) bare; (hence) to empty, pour out, demolishH6168
  11. עַ֝֗דʿad`ad: (properly) a (peremptory) terminusH5704
  12. הַיְס֥וֹדhaysôdycowd: a foundation (literally or figuratively)H3247
8
  1. בַּתbatbath: a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)H1323
  2. בָּבֶ֗לbābelBabel: confusion; Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empireH894
  3. הַשְּׁד֫וּדָ֥הhaššĕdûdâshadad: (properly) to be burly; (figuratively) to be powerfulH7703
  4. אַשְׁרֵ֥יʾašrêesher: happiness; only in masculine plural construction as interjection, how happy!H835
  5. שֶׁיְשַׁלֶּםšêšallemshalam: to be safe (in mind, body or estate); (figuratively) to be completedH7999
  6. לָ֑ךְlāk
  7. אֶתʾeteth: (properly) self; (generally) used to point out the object of a verb (or preposition) more definitelyH853
  8. גְּ֝מוּלֵ֗ךְgĕmûlēkgmuwl: treatment, i.e. an act (of good or ill); (by implication) service or requitalH1576
  9. שֶׁגָּמַ֥לְתְּšeggāmalĕtgamal: to treat a person (well or ill), i.e. benefit or requiteH1580
9
  1. אַשְׁרֵ֤י׀ʾašrêesher: happiness; only in masculine plural construction as interjection, how happy!H835
  2. שֶׁיֹּאחֵ֓זšeyyōʾḥēzachaz: to seize (often with the accessory idea of holding in possession)H270
  3. וְנִפֵּ֬ץwĕnippēṣnaphats: to dash to pieces, or scatterH5310
  4. אֶֽתʾeteth: (properly) self; (generally) used to point out the object of a verb (or preposition) more definitelyH853
  5. עֹ֝לָלַ֗יִךְʿōlālayik`owlel: a sucklingH5768
  6. אֶלʾelel: (properly) denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or amongH413
  7. הַסָּֽלַע׃hassālaʿcela`: a craggy rock, literally or figuratively (a fortress)H5553

View the full Hebrew interlinear for Psalm 137 →

Strong's words in Psalm 137 (6)
Strong's H2142 — בְּ֝זָכְרֵ֗נוּ (bĕzokrēnû)
zakar (zaw-kar') v. 1. (properly) to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember 2. (by implication) to mention 3. (also, as denominative from H2145) to be male [a primitive root] KJV: X burn (incense), X earnestly, be male, (make) mention (of), be mindful, recount, record(-er), remember, make to be remembered, bring (call, come, keep, put) to (in) remembrance, X still, think on, X well. See also: H2145. Appears 3 times in Psalm 137.
Strong's H3389 — יְֽרוּשָׁלִָ֗ם (yĕrûšālāim)
Yruwshalaim (yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im) (rarely Yruwshalayim {yer-oo- shaw-lah'-yim}) n/l. 1. founded peaceful 2. Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Israel [a dual (in allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of the former reading, seems to be that of H3390)); probably from (the passive participle of) H3384 and H7999] KJV: Jerusalem. Root(s): H3390, H3384, H7999. Appears 3 times in Psalm 137.
Strong's H518 — אִֽם (ʾim)
im (eem) prt. 1. (used very widely as demonstrative) lo! 2. (interrogatively) whether? 3. (conditionally), if, although 4. (also) Oh that!, when 5. (hence, as a negative) not [a primitive particle] KJV: (and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, + more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, + save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more, none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when, whereas, whether, while, + yet.. Appears 3 times in Psalm 137.
Strong's H7892 — שִׁ֭יר (šîr)
shiyr (sheer) (or feminine shiyrah {shee-raw'}) n-f. 1. a song 2. abstractly, singing [from H7891] KJV: musical(-ick), X sing(-er, -ing), song. Root(s): H7891. Appears 3 times in Psalm 137.
Strong's H3068 — יְהוָ֑ה (yĕhwâ)
Yhovah (yeh-ho-vaw') n/p. 1. (the) self-Existent or Eternal 2. Jehovah, Jewish national name of God [from H1961] KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Root(s): H1961 Compare: H3050, H3069. Appears 2 times in Psalm 137.
Strong's H6168 — עָ֤רוּ׀ (ʿārû)
`arah (aw-raw') v. 1. to be (causatively, make) bare 2. (hence) to empty, pour out, demolish [a primitive root] KJV: leave destitute, discover, empty, make naked, pour (out), rase, spread self, uncover.. Appears 2 times in Psalm 137.

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