What does Psalm 137:4 mean?
ESV: How shall we sing the Lord 's song in a foreign land?
NIV: How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?
NASB: How can we sing the Lord’S song In a foreign land?
CSB: How can we sing the Lord’s song on foreign soil?
NLT: But how can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a pagan land?
KJV: How shall we sing the Lord'S song in a strange land?
NKJV: How shall we sing the Lord’s song In a foreign land?
Verse Commentary:
The people of Israel were carried into captivity by Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:17–21). The people are depicted as mourning by canals and setting aside their instruments in sorrow (Psalm 137:1–2). Adding insult to injury, the Babylonian abductors mock the Israelites, asking them to sing about their homeland (Psalm 137:3) of Zion—another name for Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Kings 8:1).
Beyond the misery of being captives, being asked to sing songs about Zion was a stinging reminder of why Israel was in this situation. Many of "the LORD'S songs" celebrated God's protection (Psalm 9:3–6; 44:7–8; 76:1–3). Yet the Lord also told Israel that if they rejected or disobeyed Him, they would be taken into exile (Deuteronomy 28:1, 64; Jeremiah 29:10–14). It would have been difficult to sing those familiar songs knowing that Jerusalem was destroyed and the people were exiled—on account of their own sin.
There is probably an element of resistance here, as well. The request to sing is not sincere; it's about ridicule. Performing songs about the glory of God so that others can mock them is not honoring to the Lord. The purpose of praise and worship is not entertainment (Colossians 3:16). The captives probably had the sense that singing godly songs to pagan captors would be a waste of time (Matthew 7:6).
Verse Context:
Psalm 137:1–6 mourns for Israel's captivity in Babylon, identified with the Euphrates river system. Israel's new masters tease them, asking for songs about the Jewish homeland. But the people cannot sing while in such misery. Instead, they set their instruments aside and vow to remember what has happened to their people.
Chapter Summary:
After being captured by Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:17–21), the people of Israel are teased by their new masters. The Babylonians ask the Jews to perform songs from their homeland. But the Israelites cannot bring themselves to sing. They vow to remember what happened to their city and their people. The psalmist prays that God would bring harsh vengeance on Edom and Babylon. He hopes they suffer the same gruesome evils which they inflicted upon Israel.
Chapter Context:
After years of warning (Deuteronomy 28:1, 64), Israel was conquered and the people taken away into Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:17–21). After seventy years (Jeremiah 29:10–14) they were allowed to rebuild Jerusalem (Ezra 2:1). This psalm expresses a grieving desire for enemies such as Babylon (Daniel 1:1–3) and Edom (Obadiah 1:10–11, 14) to suffer the same evils they committed on Israel. This is perhaps the most notorious of the "imprecatory" psalms (Psalms 5; 10; 17; 35; 58—59; 69—70; 79; 83, 109; 129; 137; 140).
Book Summary:
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
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