1 BY the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?
5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
7 Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

1By the riuers of Babylon, there wee sate downe, yea we wept: when we remembred Zion.

2Wee hanged our harpes vpon the willowes, in the midst thereof.

3For there they that carried vs away captiue, required of vs a song, and they that wasted vs, required of vs mirth: saying, Sing vs one of the songs of Zion.

4How shall we sing the Lords song: in a strange land?

5If I forget thee, O Ierusalem: let my right hand forget her cunning.

6If I doe not remember thee, let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth; if I preferre not Ierusalem aboue my chiefe ioy.

7Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom, in the day of Ierusalem; who sayd, rase it, rase it: euen to the foundation thereof.

8O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed: happy shall he be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast serued vs.

9Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

III == Ps 79:1

VI == Ezek 3:26

VII == Jer 49:7 ; Lam 4:22 ; Ezek 25:12 ; Obad 1:10

VIII == Isa 13:1 , 6 ; 47:1 ; Jer 25:12 ; 50:2 , 15 . 29 ; Rev 18:6

IX == Isa 13:16

1 By the rivers of Babylon there we sat weeping when we remembered Zion.

2 On the poplars in its midst we hung up our harps.

3 For there our captors asked us for the words of a song; Our tormentors, for joy: “Sing for us a song of Zion!”

4 But how could we sing a song of the LORD in a foreign land?

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

6 May my tongue stick to my palate if I do not remember you, If I do not exalt Jerusalem

beyond all my delights.

7 Remember, LORD, against Edom that day at Jerusalem. They said: “Level it, level it down to its foundations!”

8 Desolate Daughter Babylon, you shall be destroyed, blessed the one who pays you back what you have done us!

9 Blessed the one who seizes your children and smashes them against the rock.

v 1. Babylonians ran low on supplies and each man had one wife and one servant, all other wives and children were killed. Israelites went to the river for solitude, and Darius eventually took the city by way of the river.

v 2. Willows from there eventually ended up in our own country.

v 3. Their captors came to the river to make fun of them, asking them to sing sons of their homeland,  much as Philistines taunted Samson to make sport for them.

v 4. They wouldn’t dishonor God by doing that.

v 5,6. They would not make light of Jerusalem, but they would remember it.

v 7-9. They call for God’s vengeance on Edom and their captors. Edomites had ignored what Israel had done for them and rejoiced while Israel was being destroyed, much as some Muslims cheer over the harm they have done in America in spite of all the good we have done for them. Babylon deserved to have their little ones killed as they had killed Jewish little ones.