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. 3 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. a song: Heb. the words of a song wasted…: Heb. laid us on heaps 4 How shall we sing the ✡LORD’s✡ song in a strange land? strange…: Heb. land of a stranger? 5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. 6 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. my chief…: Heb. the head of my joy
7 Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof. Rase it: Heb. Make bare 8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. destroyed: Heb. wasted rewardeth…: Heb. recompenseth unto thee thy deed which thou didst to us 9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. the stones: Heb. the rock