psalm-137:7

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 137:7

(7) Remember . . .—Remember, Jehovah, for the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem. The prophecy of Obadiah gives the best comment on this verse: “For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever. In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. But thou shouldest not have looked on... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Psalms 137:1-9

Psalms 137:1 There are many causes which may well bring the Psalmist's sad words to our lips, 'By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept when we remembered Thee, O Zion'. I. The present condition of the Christian Church is a spectacle which must arouse sad thoughts as we contrast what is with what was. Is there any greater obstacle to the triumph of Christianity at the present day than the miserable fact that Christians are not agreed among themselves as to what Christianity means? As we... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Psalms 137:1-9

Psalms 137:1-9THE captivity is past, as the tenses in Psalms 137:1-3 show, and as is manifest from the very fact that its miseries have become themes for a psalm. Grief must be somewhat removed before it can be sung. But the strains of triumph heard in other psalms are wanting in this, which breathes passionate love for Jerusalem, tinged with sadness still. The date of the psalm is apparently the early days of the Return, when true-hearted patriots still felt the smart of recent bondage and... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Psalms 137:1-9

Psalms 137:0 Remembering the Exile This Psalm is in remembrance of the Babylonian captivity written by an unknown person. Some have named Jeremiah, but he was not in Babylon. The Psalm expresseth the never dying love for Zion in the heart of Israel. The same love is alive today after an exile of almost two thousand years. “If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its cunning. Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I remember thee not; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Psalms 137:7

137:7 Remember, O LORD, the children of {f} Edom in the {g} day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase [it], rase [it, even] to the foundation thereof.(f) As was prophesied in Ezekiel 25:13,Jeremiah 49:7,Obadiah 1:10, showing that the Edomites who came from Esau, conspired with the Babylonians against their brethren and kinsfolk.(g) When you visited Jerusalem. read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Psalms 137:1-9

Psalms 135:0 Praises God for choosing Jacob (Psalms 135:1-4 ), extols His power in the natural world (Psalms 135:5-7 ), and in the deliverance of His people from Egypt (Psalms 135:8-9 ) and bringing them into the promised land (Psalms 135:10-12 ). All this is in contrast to the vanity of idols (Psalms 135:13-18 ). Psalms 136:0 Is of the same character as the preceding, but is notable for the chorus attached to each verse a chorus with which we have become familiar in other psalms (Psalms 106:1... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Psalms 137:7-9

These words are both a prayer and a prophecy. Edom is the seed of Esau, and as such there was, and is, and ever will be, the same hatred subsisting. But the Church looketh forward to the hour, when Edom shall be ruined; Babylon must fall; Israel shall be delivered. And as these events were typical of the Gospel Church in after ages; so the Babylon spoken of in the New Testament shall be destroyed. Revelation 18:2-10 . read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Psalms 137:7

Wilt quicken me. And not otherwise. (St. Augustine) --- There is no going to heaven without crosses. (Haydock) --- Wrath. Most furious and cruel enemies. (Calmet) read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 137:5-9

5-9 What we love, we love to think of. Those that rejoice in God, for his sake make Jerusalem their joy. They stedfastly resolved to keep up this affection. When suffering, we should recollect with godly sorrow our forfeited mercies, and our sins by which we lost them. If temporal advantages ever render a profession, the worst calamity has befallen him. Far be it from us to avenge ourselves; we will leave it to Him who has said, Vengeance is mine. Those that are glad at calamities, especially... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Psalms 137:1-9

Song of Grief of the Captive Jews. The unknown poet here records the deep grief and mourning of the Jews during the Babylonian captivity and includes a prayer for the destruction of their enemies, since their enmity was a challenge to the God of Israel. v. 1. By the rivers of Babylon, along the banks of which many of the Jews had settled for the period of the captivity, there we sat down, their deep grief having driven them away into the solitude of the country, yea, we wept when we... read more