Psalms 137:7 (KJV)

What does Psalms 137:7 mean?

Psalms 137:7 is a prayer asking God to remember how the people of Edom acted during Jerusalem’s destruction, specifically recalling that the Edomites encouraged the city’s complete ruin. The verse highlights the bitterness felt by the exiles toward those who cheered on Jerusalem’s downfall.

The speaker is one of the Israelites exiled in Babylon, addressing God directly. The verse refers to the time when Jerusalem was attacked and destroyed, and the Edomites—neighbors and relatives of Israel—urged the attackers to “Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof,” meaning to tear the city down completely. This memory is brought up as part of the psalmist’s deep sorrow and longing for justice.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 137:7

• "Remember" (זָכַר, zakar): This word is often used in the Hebrew Bible for calling God’s attention to something important, not just recalling it mentally but asking for action or response.
• "Rase" (עָרָה, ‘arah): This verb means to lay bare or demolish. The repetition in the verse (“rase it, rase it”) intensifies the Edomites’ call for total destruction, showing their eagerness for Jerusalem’s ruin.
• "Foundation" (יָסוֹד, yasod): This word refers to the very base or lowest part of a building. The Edomites’ wish was not just for the city’s defeat, but for its complete erasure.

Why Psalms 137:7 matters

• Psalms 137:7 clarifies that the Edomites were not passive bystanders but active encouragers of Jerusalem’s destruction, which deepened the pain of the exiles.
• The verse shows how the memory of betrayal by close neighbors can be as bitter as the loss itself, adding a layer of personal hurt to the national tragedy.
• This verse connects to the rest of Psalm 137, which is a lament about exile and loss, by showing that the trauma was not only caused by foreign enemies but also by those who should have been allies.