Fits tune: Hanover
('O worship the King')
Psalm 137
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1. By rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
Not joyful, but sad, beneath enemy's frown
Yes, we wept when we Zion's city recalled
Sat grieving, mourning, our faces were appalled
2. We hung up our harps on sad willow's tree
It bowed its poor boughs, no joys would there be
Yet they our captors requested a song bright
E'en though our souls heavy, encased in the night
3. They desired us be so mirthful and free
Sing us Zion's song, that their taunting plea
But how shall we sing the LORD's song in land strange?
Our homeland desolate, out of our sight's range
4. If I forget you, Jerusalem true
Let my hand forget its skills, not renew
If I not remember you, city of God great
Let tongue cleave to my mouth, let that be my fate
5. For I should esteem city of God high
Be it my chief joy, for there God is nigh
Remember, O LORD, our pains, enemies sore
Who would raze Jerusalem e'en to the floor
6. Edom, Babylon, you to be destroyed
With righteous judgements to you we have toyed
Though severe punishments, yet they just and fair
For this your reward be, in it you shall share
7. Happy they shall be, who do take and dash
Your little ones against stones, though seems rash
Yet this your reward, even as you us served
Justly and fairly disaster you deserved
- Author: orchidee ( Offline)
- Published: June 6th, 2017 08:44
- Comment from author about the poem: A hymn-poem in 10.10.11.11. Not as joyful as the words of the original hymn, but the Jews are recalling their time in captivity in Babylon in this Psalm. The last verse is quite ghastly, yet that was the sort of thing their enemies seemed to be doing to them. Child-murders, chucking little children against rocks to kill them (gasp!).
- Category: Spiritual
- Views: 39
Comments5
The children of Isreal are a stiffnecked peope the Lord said to Moses .
Thanks Swing. Oohh, it's educational here too, innit?! What we can learn of one another. heehee. I admit it may be a bit of an odd tune for this hymn-poem. I tried to choose one not too joyful, but neither too lamentable, as there is the remembrance also of Zion, the hill on which Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel was built, and where God was said to 'dwell' in a special sense. The Jews had that seed of hope still, in that they longed to return to their homeland still.
So well drafted as always but - yes - very dark.
Thanks M. From a maybe not particularly religious view, you may remember Boney M's song 'By the rivers of Babylon'. They made it seem a bit more joyful, I think, but did not trivialise it. For who would b joyful being in exile, with what seems like terrorist-type people - or at least some of the Babylonians seemed to be. The weeping willows symbolised the Jews state of no songs; harps for music hung up on the willow trees, not making any music.
A dark but powerful write.
Thanks Fay. I expect folk know that 'dark' isn't my usual style. Yet we know it' unreal to say life is always sweetness and light, or 'nice'.
This is truly beautiful and powerful. " "let my hand forget its skills. Let tongue cleave to mouth." Enjoyed.
Thanks A. Many of the words and phrases are taken from the Authorised/King James Version of the Bible -sos they're not 'original' to me in that sense.
Another fine write Orchi.
Thanks G.
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