Psalm 137 is one of my favorite Psalms despite how dark it is. I guarantee that has largely to do with two different arrangements of it into a song, one by Boney M and one by Sinead O'Connor. Look them up if you are interested, it helps you memorize a portion of the Psalm. What follows is an exegesis I did for a hermeneutics course, I hope it blesses you and helps you wrestle with this particular Psalm.
Psalm
137[1]
1 By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down and wept,
When we remembered Zion.
2 Upon the willows in the midst
of it
We hung our harps.
3 For there our captors demanded
of us songs,
And our tormentors mirth, saying,
“Sing us one of the songs of
Zion.”
4 How can we sing the Lord’s song
In a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
May my right hand forget her skill.
6 May my tongue cling to the
roof of my mouth
If I do not remember you,
If I do not exalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.
7 Remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom
The day of Jerusalem,
Who said, “Raze it, raze it
To its very foundation.”
8 O daughter of Babylon, you
devastated one,
How blessed will be the one who
repays you
With the recompense with which
you have repaid us.
9 How blessed will be the one
who seizes and dashes your little ones
Against the rock.
The
psalmist of Psalm 137 appeals to Yahweh to bring about retributive justice by
means of offering a curse to his enemies while he and his community remember
the days of their past. Written during the Babylonian exile, they communally
remember the glory of Zion and weep due to overwhelming grief (v. 1-2).
Their captors mock them, demanding that they sing (v.3), but their grief is too
great to sing songs full of happiness as they are held captive (v. 4).
Therefore, they vow not to forget their home (v. 5-6),
and they remember the pain they endured at the hands of their captors, asking
Yahweh to remember as well (v. 7). The psalm ends with a plea for justice
against the Babylonians, equal to that which was done to them (v. 8-9).
Introduction
Psalm 137 has been interpreted in numerous ways in an attempt
to account for the horrific and shockingly violent ending. Both C.S. Lewis and
Augustine tried to account for this by means of allegorical interpretation.[2]
It was proposed by Sigmund Mowinckel “that [the imprecatory] psalms were cut
out of the fabric of a world [of] black magic,”[3]
but this would be counter to Old Testament law. Others have thrown out the
“offensive verses” of this psalm altogether (v. 8-9),[4]
or deemed them unnecessary under the new covenant and “antithetical to what
Christians are called to be.”[5]
These interpretations all miss the original meaning of the psalm.
This psalm is often classified among a group of psalms
referred to as imprecatory psalms.[6]
This psalm is not alone in presenting challenges for Christian interpreters,
but imprecatory psalms in general have this effect, leading to the above
misinterpretations in addition to many others. C. Hassel Bullock writes that in
light of the New Testament a particular challenge of this psalm comes when
readers find themselves asking, “How can one love one’s enemies and pray at the
same time that tragedy will suddenly strike them?”[7]
Although readers can almost taste the anger felt by the psalmist
and the rest of the community, this curse is not to be taken as a vindictive
threat on the part of the psalmist. Ultimately, the psalmist, through his pain and
grief, is pleading to Yahweh for Him to carry out retributive justice.
Context
Historical-Cultural
Context
The
psalmist is not named, but due to context, he is likely among the Levitical
musicians (vv. 2-4).[8]
It can be said that this psalm was written for the community as a lament as
well as a curse, but it is also a plea lifted to Yahweh as the psalmist
releases his anger to Him that His will be done and justice prevail.
This psalm was
almost assuredly composed while Israel was in exile (vv. 1-4).
The fact that the psalm points to “a particular historical occasion for the
composition”[9]
is not typical for the psalms, rather, Tremper Longman III notes, “[M]ost
psalms are historically vague in order to be applied again and again.”[10]
Some scholars dispute this
historical setting, arguing that opening verses actually “lie in the past for
the psalmist.”[11]
It is suggested that “[t]he early years of return from exile . . . were . . .
the period in which the psalm was composed.”[12]
Furthermore, Leslie C. Allen indicates some scholars find it unnecessary for
the psalmist to have ever been a captive in Babylon.[13]
This psalm features many aspects of
communal laments. The communal laments in particular “arose out of crises
facing the whole nation.”[14]
Psalm 137 follows a military defeat, specifically the fall of Jerusalem, and
the psalmist “cries out for vindication.”[15]
Walter Brueggemann insists that this psalm is written not on “immediate,
impulsive reactions,” but in wisdom of “knowing that hope for change can be
sustained for the long term. The psalm does not despair. Hope is resilient
here.”[16]
He further suggests the psalm is a benefit to future generations of dislocated
Jews that must never forget the hatred felt and desire to return to Zion, while
providing hope of “a homecoming to peace, justice, and freedom,”[17]
even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
For God’s people,
Zion was the ultimate association with the presence of Yahweh¾”God’s
earthly home and the capital of his realm.”[18]
They would go to the temple to praise Yahweh, and to offer sacrifices. Therefore,
the fall of Jerusalem was a heartbreaking defeat for them. In the midst of this
heartbreak, their captors demanded they sing joyous songs of Zion in order to
ridicule and torment them further.
Literary Context
Psalms do
not contain the literary context that is native to other genres of biblical
literature, where the preceding and proceeding content is often critical to
understanding the content of the present material. However, there is much about
this psalm that makes it fit well within its literary context.[19]
It is set among other Psalms that “relate to the crisis of exile,” and is
followed by a collection of other laments.[20]
Allen points out that when this psalm is read in its literary context, the enemy’s
taunts and seeming nullification of the Songs of Zion are “conveyed in even
more poignant tones than when the psalm is read in isolation.”[21]
This is a
somewhat unusual psalm as it presents with numerous psalm types. These include
aspects of communal lament, imprecation, as well as consideration among the
Songs of Zion.[22]
In comparing this psalm to other communal laments, it does feature a problem,
complaint, and petition, but lacks other common aspects of communal laments. In
addition, the complaint is only against enemies, something it has in common
with only three other communal laments, whereas eight communal laments offer
complaints against Yahweh.[23]
When looking at aspects shared with Songs of Zion, there is a trilogy of subjects,
but not the typical “trilogy of Yahweh, Zion and defeated foe,” rather this
trilogy has been replaced by “the victorious enemy, Zion and the defeated
nation, with Yahweh very conspicuous by his absence, except as a figure of past
tradition.”[24]
The unusual characteristics of the psalm add to the difficulty of
interpretation.
Content
This psalm is rich in powerful
emotions; emotions of grief, anger, and longing. For most modern readers, it is
difficult for them to place themselves in the shoes of the psalmist and his
fellow captives, as they have not experienced similar grief, defeat, or
captivity; nor do Christians grasp the importance of Jerusalem like Jewish
audiences do. However, these emotions are to be expected from the Israelites as
they are led away from their home.
Pain in Exile (vv. 1-4)
The
psalmist begins his psalm in an emotionally wrought lament. If indeed among the
Levitical musicians, as is probable, the psalmist’s act of putting his
instruments down along with his fellow musicians (v. 2), is an expression of
the enormous pain and grief felt by the psalmist and his fellow captives. To
even hold the instruments these musicians hold so near and dear to their hearts
is unfathomable, as they are used to express praise and worship to Yahweh.
Beyond this, their captors insist upon tormenting them by demanding they sing
for them, songs that are meant for Yahweh’s delight. They are not even in their
home, let alone the temple mount where these praises are meant to be sung.
Instead, they are being held captive in a foreign land (v. 4).
If it is
not enough that the Babylonians mock the Israelites, in the eyes of the
psalmist, they are actually mocking Yahweh.[25]
It is as though they are saying, “Where is your God now? You sing of how great
and mighty he is; remind us with one of your songs of praise to him. Maybe he
will even come and save you. Ha! He will not come! We have destroyed his home
and you are our captives.”
Never Forget (vv. 5-6)
The second
section of this psalm features a vow never to forget Zion and what is to follow
lest they forget. “May my right hand forget her
skill, May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth” (v. 5-6). John N. Day proposes verse five be translated
without supplying the seemingly missing word for what it may be that the right
hand might forget. He writes, “The lack of an explicit object here . . . has led to several conjectures. . . .
however, the theme of ‘remembering’ (Ps 137:6-7) and ‘forgetting’ (v. 5)
pervasive in the surrounding verses of this psalm lends weight to the MT as it
stands, with the expected meaning ‘to forget,’ with poetic ellipsis.”[26]
Allen
writes of the vow that there is a “present relative joy of self-committing
loyalty to Jerusalem.”[27]
This joy is found in the hope Israel still clings to through faith in Yahweh’s
love, mercy, and justice. In addition, the vow of loyalty to Jerusalem
represents an unwavering loyalty to Yahweh.[28]
Plea for Retributive
Justice (vv. 7-9)
These verses present the greatest
challenge for most interpreters, as the violence of the language here drips
like the blood of the Israelites killed by their captors when they were
violently defeated. How can this violence be accounted for? Bullock concludes,
“the Babylonians had dashed the Israelite infants against the rocks, and the
psalmist prays that they will be repaid measure for measure.”[29]
Indeed, Day notes,
[T]he most
brutal¾and
all-too-common¾practice
of city conquerors was the killing of infants inside the womb or the dashing of
infants against the rocks in the fury and totality of war’s carnage. This
barbarous slaughter of the most helpless noncombatants ‘effected total
destruction by making war upon the next generation.’[30]
Rather than asking Yahweh to bring a greater punishment upon
the Israelite’s captors, the psalmist is asking for justice, specifically,
retributive justice.
Day further
directs readers to the theological principle of divine justice, justice
expressed through the lex talionis. He writes, “The lex talionis is a law of equal and direct retribution; ‘an eye for
an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life.’”[31]
Not only does the lex talionis have references in the Old Testament, but in the
New Testament as well, including two instances by Paul (Acts 13:6-12, 2
Tm 4:14) and John’s account in Revelation revealing a “voice from heaven,
saying, . . . ‘Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds.’” (Rv
18:4, 6). Day also writes concerning this, “Not only did God institute the lex talionis in the law code of Israel,
but ‘it was . . . based upon the very nature
of God. Yahweh, although a God of love, is also a God of retribution.’”[32]
Application
As
previously mentioned, many attempt to throw out this psalm entirely, along with
other imprecatory psalms. W. H. Bellinger, Jr. writes that ignoring the
imprecatory psalms “would mean missing a significant part of the Hebrew Bible.
These texts seek justice for a worshiper who has been wronged.”[33]
The inspiration of this psalm cannot be ignored. Bullock writes, “God . . .
spoke through the psalmist, providing a perspective that highlighted the human
need for justice and divine commitment to it.”[34]
There are numerous applications that can stem from the underlying meaning of
the text, which include the concrete hope of faith in Yahweh and a reminder
that vengeance belongs to Yahweh.
Concrete Hope
Walter
Brueggemann implores modern Christian readers to “embrace [the] Jewishness” of
the psalm.[35]
If the modern reader does not embrace the Jewishness of the psalm, it is
difficult to grasp the historical impact that Zion had upon the Jews. Without a
good handle on the meaning to the original audience, it is impossible to
decipher the principle of the text, and therefore readers cannot apply it to
their lives today.
However,
when Christian readers take the time to understand Zionism, and look to the
greater biblical context of Jerusalem, a “concreteness of our faith” is
uncovered in this psalm. Brueggemann writes of Revelation 21:2, “And I saw the
holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.” He writes
concerning this verse, “[I]t is still Jerusalem, focus of peace and vision of
one world.”[36]
With this, Christians ought find Psalm 137 to further build up the hope they
have in God’s mercy throughout all time, not only through Jesus Christ under
the new covenant.
Vengeance Belongs to
Yahweh
An
important insight to gain from this psalm is a reminder that vengeance belongs
to Yahweh alone.[37]
The psalmist is not seeking to carry out justice by his own hands, rather he
implores Yahweh to remember, and asks a blessing for those who carry out
retributive justice by the will of Yahweh.
The
psalmist is not merely expressing anger, but he is giving his anger over to
Yahweh, setting a precedent for future generations to do the same. He does “not
ask God for the resources and opportunity to take vengeance [but asks] God to
do so [while acknowledging] his freedom to act or not act as is sees fit.”[38]
The application regarding vengeance here is to leave room for Yahweh and give
one’s anger to Him, rather than taking matters into one’s own hands. God is
constant, unchanging in His character and nature, and with this in mind,
readers can rest assured that “the principle of divine justice based on that
nature . . . must remain fundamentally constant” as well.[39]
Conclusion
There is no need to
make excuses for this psalm, and certainly, it must not be thrown out for its
violence, which some find difficult to swallow. It absolutely must be embraced
as part of God’s inspired Word. More than that, there are numerous valid
applications gained from this psalm, with a primary application of allowing
room for Yahweh’s vengeance, found amidst the violent imagery of babies’ skulls
being crushed against the rock.
Retributive justice is to be delivered by Yahweh. Whether He
delivered justice as the psalmist asked here is unknown, but John reveals in
Revelation a promise that “God has pronounced judgment . . . against [Babylon]”
(Rv 18:20), and this judgement appears to be “double according to her deeds”
(Rv 18:6). Though this Babylon is an eschatological Babylon, readers can gain
from this that Yahweh is a God of justice.
Make room for Yahweh. Do not be afraid to lay emotions before
Him, whether they be at the height of fury or the depths of grief. Yahweh wants
His people to bring things to Him in prayer, even as Jesus brought His
challenges before the Father when He asked, “My father, if it is possible, let
this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will” (Mt 26:39). This
psalm fits within the biblical context of bringing everything to Yahweh and
helps readers to know this includes even the greatest of atrocities. Retributive
justice is unlike the model for justice seen in the world today, with an upward
trend toward restorative justice occurring. Instead of restoring the
relationship between victim and offender, it is old-fashioned life for life
justice, which can be seen as vengeful, yet is according to the lex talionis. Ultimately,
justice, like vengeance, belongs to Yahweh, and He will do according to His
perfect and holy will.
Bibliography
Allen,
Leslie C. Psalms 101–150. Word
Biblical Commentary. Waco, Texas:
Word Books, 1983.
Bellinger,
W. H. Jr. Psalms: Reading and Studying
the Book of Praises. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1990.
Brueggemann,
Walter. The Message of the Psalms: A
Theological Commentary. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1984.
Brueggemann,
Walter, and William H. Bellinger, Jr. Psalms.
New York: Cambridge University Press, 2014.
Bullock,
C. Hassell. Encountering the Book of
Psalms: A Literary and Theological Introduction. In Encountering Biblical Studies. Edited by Eugene H. Merrill. Grand
Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001.
Day,
John N. Crying for Justice: What the
Psalms Teach Us about Mercy and Vengeance in an Age of Terrorism. Grand
Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2005.
Kidner,
Derek. Psalms 1–72. Downers Grove:
Intervarsity, 2008.
—. Psalms 73–150. Downers
Grove: Intervarsity, 2008.
Klein,
William W., Craig L. Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard, Jr. Introduction to Biblical Interpretation Revised and Updated.
Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2004.
Longman,
Tremper III. Psalms: An Introduction and
Commentary. Downers Grove: Intervarsity, 2014.
Merrill,
Eugene H., Mark E. Rooker, and Michael A. Grisanti. The World and the Word: An Introduction to the Old Testament. Nashville:
B&H Academic, 2011.
Todd,
James M. III. Remember, O Yahweh: The
Poetry and Context of Psalms 135–137. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock,
2015. Kindle.
Travers,
Michael E. Encountering God in the
Psalms. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2003.
[1]
Unless otherwise noted, all biblical references are in NASB (The Lockman
Foundation, 1995).
[2]
John N. Day, Crying for Justice: What the
Psalms Teach Us about Mercy and Vengeance in an Age of Terrorism (Grand
Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2005), 64, 152.
[3]
C. Hassell Bullock, Encountering the Book
of Psalms: A Literary and Theological
Introduction, in Encountering
Biblical Studies, ed. by Eugene H. Merrill (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic,
2001), 229.
[4]
Bullock addresses a particularly startling misinterpretation of the imprecatory
psalms, he writes, “Some have simply written the imprecatory psalms off the
ledger of divine inspiration. They insist . . . God had nothing to do with
inspiring their words.” See Bullock, Encountering
the Book of Psalms, 231.
[5]
Day, Crying for Justice, 63.
[6]
Bullock suggests that this term is too strong, and “‘psalms of anger’ or
‘psalms of wrath,’” ought to work better to classify them. However, the fact
remains that the term imprecatory psalms has become the standard. See Bullock, Encountering the Book of Psalms, 228.
[7]
Ibid.
[8]
Tremper Longman III, Psalms: An
Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove: Intervarsity, 2014, 448.
[9] Ibid.
[10]
Ibid.
[11]
Leslie C. Allen,
Psalms 101–150, Word Biblical Commentary (Waco,
Texas: Word Books, 1983), 239.
[12]
Ibid.
[13]
Ibid.
[14]
W. H. Bellinger, Jr., Psalms:
Reading and Studying the Book of Praises (Peabody, Massachusetts:
Hendrickson Publishers, 1990), 47.
[15]
Ibid.
[16]
Walter
Brueggemann, The Message of the Psalms: A
Theological Commentary (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1984),
75.
[17]
Ibid.
[18]
Allen, Psalms 101-150,
241.
[19]
Walter Brueggemann and William H. Bellinger, Jr., Psalms (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2014), 573.
[20]
Ibid.
[21]
Allen, Psalms 101-150,
241.
[22]
Brueggemann and Bellinger, Jr., Psalms, 573.
[23]
Bullock, Encountering the Book of Psalms,
146.
[24]
Allen, Psalms 101-150,
241.
[25]
Brueggemann and Bellinger, Jr., Psalms, 574.
[26]
Day, Crying for Justice, 151.
[27]
Allen,
Psalms 101–150, 238.
[28]
Ibid., 242.
[29]
Bullock, Encountering the Book of Psalms,
235.
[30]
Day, Crying for Justice, 65.
[31]
Ibid., 67.
[32]
Ibid., 68.
[33]
Bellinger, Jr., Psalms, 54.
[34]
Bullock, Encountering the Book of Psalms,
231.
[35]
Brueggemann, The Message of the Psalms,
74.
[36]
Ibid.
[37]
See also Dt 32:35, Rom 12:19, Heb 10:30.
[38]
Longman III, Psalms, 52.
[39]
Day, Crying for Justice, 69.
Comments
Post a Comment