Can someone please explain Psalm 137 to me?

Question

This is a violent passage that leaves me feeling a bit sick.

in 137:9
It refers to a "them". Who are the people this passage is referring to?

Answer 1

The psalm is a hymn expressing the yearnings of the Jewish people in exile following the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The rivers of Babylon are the Euphrates river, its tributaries, and the Chebar river. In its whole form, the psalm reflects the yearning for Jerusalem as well as hatred for the Holy City's enemies with sometimes violent imagery. Rabbinical sources attributed the poem to the prophet Jeremiah

Answer 2

In 137:9 it is crossed referenced to Isaiah 13:16 that chapter is talking about the LORD'S vengeance on a nation holding his people as slaves. That is what is referred to. Everyone, including children are destroyed in a wicked nation of that time. And it refers that they shall keep the spoil, or the best of the livestock. Them refers to the Babylonians.

Answer 3

This Psalm was written after the Babylonians had conquered Israel and had done the very things described in the Psalm. That period of history came to be called the Exile and is often referred to in Jewish literature. But why are you sick? You see worse things than that in movies and television.

Answer 4

This is speaking about "Babylon" which most consider to be "today" those who are against God- The dragon woman is the symbolism in Revelation- she represents the corporate evil of all times-
Revelation 14:8
A second angel followed and said, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries."

Revelation 16:19
The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath.

Revelation 17:5
This title was written on her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREATTHE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTESAND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Answer 5

Psa 137:9 -
Happy shall he be that taketh ... - Margin, as in Hebrew, rock. This refers to what was not uncommon in ancient warfare, as it is now among savage tribes - the indiscriminate slaughter of those of all ages, and of both sexes, in war. It was expressly foretold of Babylon that this would occur (see Isa_13:16), and there may be a reference here to that prediction, and the psalmist may mean to say that the man would be accounted happy, or would be happy, who wreaked vengeance on Babylon in carrying out that prophecy. The idea is, “This will certainly occur, for it is foretold, and happy or fortunate will he be who is the instrument in fulfilling it.” Compare 2Ki_8:12; Nah_3:10; Hos_13:16. See also Homer, II xxii. 63,373, following It is impossible to reconcile such barbarous customs with the idex of “honorable war,” or with the principles of war as carried on among “civilized” nations now.
It should be added, however, that there is much - very much - that is practiced in war by “civilized” nations still, which it is equally impossible to reconcile with any just notions of morality or humanity, and which in coming ages, and when people shall come to view things aright, will seem to the people of those times to be not less monstrous, strange, and barbarous. In regard to this passage, we are not necessarily to suppose that the author of the psalm approved of this, or desired it, or prayed for it. He looked forward to the fulfillment of a prediction; he saw that a just and terrible judgment would certainly come upon Babylon; he expressed that in the common language of the times, and states the manner in which it would occur; he described the feelings - the gratification - of those who would execute the divine purpose in the overthrow of Babylon; he referred to the estimate in which the conqueror would be held by people, and the glory of the achievement as giving him fame among people.
It must be admitted that the feelings of the author of the psalm appear to accord with this; that he considers it proper that the city should be destroyed; and that he regards its overthrow as a righteous judgment, and as a thing to be desired in the divine administration. It is true that he might approve of such an overthrow, and see it to be right - he might describe the feelings of those by whom it would be done, their joy, their exultation, and even their barbarity, without himself approving of their barbarity, or sympathizing with their feelings, or partaking of their spirit; but still it cannot in fairness be denied that there is an apparent approval of the act here referred to, which savors more of imprecation than forgiveness, and which is apparently prompted more by the spirit of revenge than by a desire of just punishment.

Answer 6

Verse 3 refers to " our captors" and "our tormentors". That is the "them" you asked about.

Answer 7

ah, my favorite passage.

KJV: Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
http://bible.cc/psalms/137-9.htm