Psalms 137

1 By the waters of Babylon there we sat, and we wept at the thought of Zion.

By the riuers of Babel we sate, and there wee wept, when we remembred Zion.

2 There on the poplars we hung our harps.

Wee hanged our harpes vpon the willowes in the middes thereof.

3 For there our captors called for a song: our tormentors, rejoicing, saying: ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion.’

Then they that ledde vs captiues, required of vs songs and mirth, when wee had hanged vp our harpes, saying, Sing vs one of the songs of Zion.

4 How can we sing the Lord’s song in the foreigner’s land?

Howe shall we sing, said we, a song of the Lord in a strange land?

5 If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand wither.

If I forget thee, O Ierusalem, let my right hand forget to play.

6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I am unmindful of you, or don’t set Jerusalem above my chief joy.

If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth: yea, if I preferre not Ierusalem to my chiefe ioy.

7 Remember the Edomites, Lord, the day of Jerusalem’s fall, when they said, ‘Lay her bare, lay her bare, right down to her very foundation.’

Remember the children of Edom, O Lord, in the day of Ierusalem, which saide, Rase it, rase it to the foundation thereof.

8 Babylon, despoiler, happy are those who pay you back for all you have done to us.

O daughter of Babel, worthy to be destroyed, blessed shall he be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast serued vs.

9 Happy are they who seize and dash your children against the rocks.

Blessed shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy children against the stones.