By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

PSALMS 137:1KJV
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Psalms 137:1 (KJV)

What does Psalms 137:1 mean?

Psalms 137:1 describes the deep sorrow of the Israelites as they sat by the rivers of Babylon, mourning and weeping when they remembered their homeland, Zion. The verse captures a moment of exile, homesickness, and longing for Jerusalem after being taken captive.

The speaker is a member of the Israelite community, reflecting on their experience in Babylon after Jerusalem was conquered. The setting is by the rivers (likely the canals around Babylon), where the exiles gathered. Remembering Zion (another name for Jerusalem) brings them to tears, showing how much they missed their home and the spiritual center of their faith.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 137:1

  • בָּבֶל (Bavel, "Babylon"): This word points to the place of exile, a foreign land far from Jerusalem, highlighting the pain of being uprooted.
  • נָהָר (nahar, "rivers"): Refers to the canals or waterways of Babylon, which were very different from the hills of Jerusalem, emphasizing the strangeness and distance from home.
  • יָשַׁב (yashav, "sat down"): Often used for settling or dwelling, here it suggests a forced pause and a sense of resignation in exile.
  • בָּכָה (bakah, "wept"): This word carries the sense of open, heartfelt crying, not just silent sadness, showing the depth of their grief.
  • זָכַר (zakar, "remembered"): Implies more than just recalling; it means to actively call to mind, which stirs up strong emotions.
  • צִיּוֹן (Tziyon, "Zion"): Refers specifically to Jerusalem, the spiritual and cultural heart of Israel, making their longing personal and profound.

Why Psalms 137:1 matters

  • Psalms 137:1 shows that the pain of exile was not just physical displacement but also deep emotional and spiritual loss, helping readers understand the intensity of the Israelites’ longing for home.
  • The verse sets the tone for the rest of the psalm, which continues to express the sorrow and struggles of living in a foreign land.
  • By naming Zion, the verse highlights the central place Jerusalem held in the hearts of the people, clarifying why its loss was so devastating.

Where else these words appear

“wept” Hebrew H1058 · used in 100 verses

  • Genesis 21:16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
  • Judges 20:26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
  • Nehemiah 8:9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

“rivers” Hebrew H5104 · used in 109 verses

  • Genesis 2:10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
  • Ezra 8:31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way.
  • Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.