Psalms 137

The exiles weep by the rivers of Babylon, unable to sing the songs of Zion in a foreign land while their captors taunt them for a song. The psalmist vows never to forget Jerusalem and pronounces a fierce blessing on the one who repays Babylon for what she did to Israel.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.	By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.
2	We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.	There on the poplars we hung our harps,
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.	for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"
4	How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?	How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land?
5	If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.	If I forget You, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill.
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.	May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember You, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest 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.	Remember, LORD, what the Edomites did on the day Jerusalem fell. "Tear it down," they cried, "tear it down to its foundations!"
8	O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.	O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, happy shall He be who rewards you as you have served us.
9	Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.	Blessed is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.