What Bible verse is by the rivers of Babylon?
Chloe Ramirez
Updated on March 12, 2026
Psalm 137. While in captivity, the Jews wept by the rivers of Babylon—Because of sorrow, they could not bear to sing the songs of Zion. 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.
Which Psalm is the Rivers of Babylon?
Psalm 137 is the 137th psalm of the Book of Psalms in the Tanakh. In English it is generally known as "By the rivers of Babylon", which is how its first words are translated in the King James Version of the Bible.What is Psalms 137 talking about?
In Ps 137:8-9, the psalmist prays for the destruction of Babylon. He wants Babylon to experience the same treatment that they gave Israel. Therefore, the basis for imprecations in vv. 8-9 is divine retribution and not the psalmist's or the captives' hatred toward the Babylonians.What book of the Bible is by the rivers of Babylon?
Psalm 137 is only one out of 150 psalms in the Bible to be set in a particular time and place. Its nine verses paint a scene of captives mourning “by the rivers of Babylon,” mocked by their captors. It expresses a vow to remember Jerusalem even in exile, and closes with fantasies of vengeance against the oppressors.What does by the waters of Babylon refer to?
''By the Waters of Babylon'' TitleIn this verse, the Israelites in exile lament the loss of the promised land. The title is appropriate for Benet's futuristic short story that focuses on a society eradicated by nuclear war.
PSALM 137 - By the Rivers of Babylon.
What is the meaning of the title of the story By the Waters of Babylon and how does it connect to the story?
The title of this selection is an allusion, or reference, to Psalm 137 in the Bible. The psalm expresses the sorrow of the Jews over their enslavement in Babylon and the destruction of Zion, their homeland. The psalm begins: “By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered thee, O Zion.”What can we learn from By the Waters of Babylon?
By the Waters of Babylon
- The Pursuit of Knowledge.
- The Coming of Age Quest.
- Superstition, Magic, and Technology.
- Rivalry, War, and Destruction.