Question 1

Why were the Israelites weeping by the rivers of Babylon?

Accepted Answer

The Israelites were far from home, carried away as captives after Jerusalem was destroyed. Sitting by the rivers of Babylon, they remembered Zion, the city where God’s temple had been and where they once worshiped freely. The land of exile might have been pleasant, but it could not comfort them. Their tears came from sorrow over their sins, the loss of God’s city, and the feeling of being cut off from the place where they had met with God and his people.

Question 2

What does it mean that they hung their harps on the willows?

Accepted Answer

Hanging their harps on the willows shows how deep their grief was. Harps were used for worship and joyful songs in Zion. In Babylon they could not bring themselves to sing those holy songs just for entertainment. The harps left hanging in the trees picture praise put on hold, hearts too heavy to play, and a firm choice not to turn God’s worship into a joke for their captors. It also hints that no other joy could replace the joy of true worship in God’s place.

Question 3

Why did they say, “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?”

Accepted Answer

Their captors wanted them to sing “one of the songs of Zion” for amusement. But those songs belonged to God and were meant to be sung in faith, among God’s people, not as a show in a foreign land for mocking enemies. By asking, “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” they were saying they would not cheapen holy things. It shows they still feared God, guarded their identity as his people, and refused to let their pain or pressure make them treat worship lightly.

Question 4

What does the vow about forgetting Jerusalem teach us?

Accepted Answer

The singer says, “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her skill,” and asks that his tongue stick to the roof of his mouth if he does not put Jerusalem above his greatest joy. This shows that the loss of God’s city and worship hurt more than any private sorrow. Remembering Jerusalem meant holding on to God’s promises and their calling as his people. For them, to forget Zion would be like losing who they were. It teaches that God’s presence and people should matter more than comfort.

Question 5

Who are the children of Edom in this passage?

Accepted Answer

The children of Edom were neighbors and relatives of Israel, descended from Esau. Instead of helping when Jerusalem fell, they sided against it. They said, “Tear it down, tear it down, even to its foundations,” rejoicing over the ruin of the city. So the singer prays, “Remember, Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem,” asking God to notice what they did. It is not a call for personal revenge but a plea that God’s justice would deal with those who cheered on the destruction.

Question 6

Why does the psalm speak of dashing little ones against the stones?

Accepted Answer

These words are hard to read, and they are meant to be. They echo the kind of cruelty Babylon showed when it attacked other nations. The singer is not planning a personal attack but speaking of the coming judgment on Babylon: that those who treated others with such violence would one day face the same. It is a cry that God would repay Babylon as it has treated others. This shows how deep the wound of exile is and how strongly the exiles long for God’s justice, not a blessing on revenge.

Question 7

What does this passage show about worship in exile?

Accepted Answer

Worship in exile here is full of tears and tension. The people miss the temple and sacrifices, and even though they have their harps, they choose silence rather than turning worship into a show. Yet they are still worshiping in another way: they remember Zion, they speak to God, and they promise never to forget his city. Their grief itself becomes a kind of prayer. This shows that worship is not only about music or place, but about hearts that stay faithful to God even in hard surroundings.

Question 8

How can this lament speak to people today who feel far from God?

Accepted Answer

Many people today feel like they are in a kind of exile, far from how things used to be or how they hoped life would go. This passage gives words for that ache. It shows that it is honest to weep, to feel out of place, and to miss times when faith felt strong. At the same time, it points to holding on to God’s promises, refusing to treat holy things lightly, and pouring out pain to God instead of hiding it. It encourages patience and hope for his justice and restoration.

Psalm 137:1

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

By the Rivers of Babylon

By the Rivers of Babylon

Cross References

Psalm 137:1

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

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By the Rivers of Babylon

By the Rivers of Babylon

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