By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. Psalms 137:1.-Israel's sad state in Babylon; her inability to sing Zion's songs in a strange land: her indelible remembrance of Jerusalem (Psalms 137:1); Edom's doom for her spite against Jerusalem in her calamity... [ Continue Reading ]
We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. WE HANGED OUR HARPS UPON THE WILLOWS IN THE MIDST THEREOF - in the midst of the land of Babylon. We no longer could use our harps, which are the accompaniment of joyous song (; ). For we were away from Zion, where God reveals His presenc... [ Continue Reading ]
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 THEY THAT CARRIED US AWAY CAPTIVE REQUIRED OF US A SONG - literally, 'words of a song'-a joyous song (Hebrew, Shir). However well-m... [ Continue Reading ]
How shall we sing the LORD's song in a strange land? HOW SHALL WE SING THE LORD'S SONG IN A STRANGE LAND? To do so would be virtually to renounce Zion, our native city and spiritual home. How can we sang the joyful song of the Lord in the land of the stranger, where we ought rather to weep?... [ Continue Reading ]
If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. IF I FORGET THEE, O JERUSALEM, LET MY RIGHT HAND FORGET (HER CUNNING) - let my right hand no longer perform its function of playing the harp (cf. , close; ). A fit retribution-that my right hand should be deprived altogether of... [ Continue Reading ]
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. IF I DO NOT REMEMBER THEE, LET MY TONGUE CLEAVE TO THE ROOF OF MY MOUTH - a fit retribution ... that it; should be struck speechless, as having abused speech to sing joyous stra... [ Continue Reading ]
Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof. REMEMBER, O LORD, THE CHILDREN OF EDOM IN THE DAY OF JERUSALEM. So the Septuagint, Syriac, Arabic, Ethiopic, Vulgate - i:e., 'Remember the malice of the children of Edom in... [ Continue Reading ]
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 ART TO BE DESTROYED - literally, 'who art destroyed.;' i:e., who art surely doomed to destruction (cf. the same idiom, ). Orosius said, 'It seemed almost incr... [ Continue Reading ]
Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. HAPPY SHALL HE BE THAT TAKETH AND DASHETH THY LITTLE ONES AGAINST THE STONES - (; Kin. 8:12.) Prideaux, 'Connection' B. 3:, says, 'The Babylonians, to make their provisions last the longer, agreed to cut off all unnec... [ Continue Reading ]