Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” New Living Translation For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn: “Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!” English Standard Version For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” Berean Standard Bible for there our captors requested a song; our tormentors demanded songs of joy: “Sing us a song of Zion.” King James Bible 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. New King James Version For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, And those who plundered us requested mirth, Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” New American Standard Bible For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors, jubilation, saying, “Sing for us one of the songs of Zion!” NASB 1995 For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” NASB 1977 For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” Legacy Standard Bible For there our captors asked us about the words of a song, And our tormentors asked joyfully, saying, “Sing for us one of the songs of Zion.” Amplified Bible For there they who took us captive demanded of us a song with words, And our tormentors [who made a mockery of us demanded] amusement, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” Christian Standard Bible for our captors there asked us for songs, and our tormentors, for rejoicing: “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” Holman Christian Standard Bible for our captors there asked us for songs, and our tormentors, for rejoicing:” Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” American Standard Version For there they that led us captive required of us songs, And they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. Contemporary English Version Our enemies had brought us here as their prisoners; now they wanted us to sing and entertain them. They insulted us and shouted, "Sing about Zion!" English Revised Version For there they that led us captive required of us songs, and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. GOD'S WORD® Translation It was there that those who had captured us demanded that we sing. Those who guarded us wanted us to entertain them. [They said,] "Sing a song from Zion for us!" Good News Translation Those who captured us told us to sing; they told us to entertain them: "Sing us a song about Zion." International Standard Version for it was there that our captors asked us for songs and our torturers demanded joy from us, "Sing us one of the songs about Zion!" Majority Standard Bible for there our captors requested a song; our tormentors demanded songs of joy: ?Sing us a song of Zion.? NET Bible for there our captors ask us to compose songs; those who mock us demand that we be happy, saying: "Sing for us a song about Zion!" New Heart English Bible For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs. Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy: "Sing us one of the songs of Zion." Webster's Bible Translation 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. World English Bible For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs. Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy: “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionFor there our captors asked us the words of a song, "" And our spoilers—joy: “Sing to us of a song of Zion.” Young's Literal Translation For there our captors asked us the words of a song, And our spoilers -- joy: 'Sing ye to us of a song of Zion.' Smith's Literal Translation For there they carrying us away captive asked us the words of a song; and they heaping us up gladness; Sing to us from the song of Zion. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleFor there they that led us into captivity required of us the words of songs. And they that carried us away, said: Sing ye to us a hymn of the songs of Sion. Catholic Public Domain Version New American Bible For there our captors asked us for the words of a song; Our tormentors, for joy: “Sing for us a song of Zion!” New Revised Standard Version For there our captors asked us for songs, and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleFor there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and our captors said to us, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Because there they asked and they wanted the words of songs, and those leading us said to us, "Sing to us of the songs of Zion.” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917For there they that led us captive asked of us words of song, And our tormentors asked of us mirth: 'Sing us one of the songs of Zion.' Brenton Septuagint Translation For there they that had taken us captive asked of us the words of a song; and they that had carried us away asked a hymn, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Sion. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context By the Rivers of Babylon…2There on the willows we hung our harps, 3for there our captors requested a song; our tormentors demanded songs of joy: “Sing us a song of Zion.” 4How can we sing a song of the LORD in a foreign land?… Cross References Lamentations 2:15 All who pass by clap their hands at you in scorn. They hiss and shake their heads at the Daughter of Jerusalem: “Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth?” Lamentations 1:7 In the days of her affliction and wandering Jerusalem remembers all the treasures that were hers in days of old. When her people fell into enemy hands she received no help. Her enemies looked upon her, laughing at her downfall. Isaiah 24:8-9 The joyful tambourines have ceased; the noise of revelers has stopped; the joyful harp is silent. / They no longer sing and drink wine; strong drink is bitter to those who consume it. Jeremiah 51:11 Sharpen the arrows! Fill the quivers! The LORD has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His plan is aimed at Babylon to destroy her, for it is the vengeance of the LORD—vengeance for His temple. Ezekiel 26:13 So I will silence the sound of your songs, and the music of your lyres will no longer be heard. Job 30:9 And now they mock me in song; I have become a byword among them. Nehemiah 4:2 before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?” 2 Kings 19:21 This is the word that the LORD has spoken against him: ‘The Virgin Daughter of Zion despises you and mocks you; the Daughter of Jerusalem shakes her head behind you. Isaiah 47:6 I was angry with My people; I profaned My heritage, and I placed them under your control. You showed them no mercy; even on the elderly you laid a most heavy yoke. Micah 4:11 But now many nations have assembled against you, saying, “Let her be defiled, and let us feast our eyes on Zion.” Matthew 27:29-30 And they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand, knelt down before Him, and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” / Then they spit on Him and took the staff and struck Him on the head repeatedly. Luke 23:36-37 The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine. / “If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!” Revelation 18:22 And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never ring out in you again. Nor will any craftsmen of any trade be found in you again, nor the sound of a millstone be heard in you again. Matthew 5:11-12 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. / Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you. Hebrews 11:36 Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. Treasury of Scripture 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. for there Psalm 123:3,4 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt… Lamentations 2:15,16 All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth? … a song. Psalm 79:1 A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps. Nehemiah 4:2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Jeremiah 9:11 And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant. the song of Zion Psalm 9:14 That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation. Psalm 65:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm and Song of David. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed. 1 Chronicles 15:27 And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen. Jump to Previous Captive Captors Carried Demanded Joy Led Mirth Orders Prisoners Required Sing Song Songs Spoilers Tormented Tormentors Wasted Words ZionJump to Next Captive Captors Carried Demanded Joy Led Mirth Orders Prisoners Required Sing Song Songs Spoilers Tormented Tormentors Wasted Words ZionPsalm 137 1. The constancy of the Jews in captivity7. The prophet curses Edom and Babel For there This phrase sets the scene in a foreign land, specifically Babylon, where the Israelites found themselves in exile. The word "there" signifies a place of displacement and sorrow, far from their homeland. Historically, this was a period of great suffering for the Israelites, as they were removed from Jerusalem, the center of their worship and identity. Theologically, it represents a spiritual and physical separation from God’s promises. our captors requested a song our tormentors demanded songs of joy Sing us one of the songs of Zion They that wasted us.--A peculiar Hebrew word which the LXX. and Vulg. take as synonymous with the verb in the first clause. The modern explanation, "they that make us howl," is far preferable. Those whose oppression had raised the wild Oriental scream of lamentation, now asked for mirth. Songs of Zion--or, as in the next verse, songs of Jehovah, were of course the liturgical hymns. Nothing is more characteristic than this of the Hebrew feeling. The captors asked for a national song, as the Philistines asked for sport from Samson, to amuse them. The Hebrew can think only of one kind of song, that to which the genius of the race was dedicated. Verse 3. - For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; literally, words of song. The oppressors break into the retired gathering of their captives, and "require of them a song" - demand roughly and rudely to be entertained with the foreign music, which is perhaps sweeter than their own, or at any rate more of a novelty. And they that wasted us required us mirth. Not only was "a song" wanted but a joyous song - one that would wake feelings of mirth and gladness in those who heard it. Saying, sing us one of the songs of Zion; literally, sing us frown a song of Zion. The captives had, no doubt, spoken of the joyous strains which they had been wont to pour forth in their own city upon festive occasions. Their conquerors demand a specimen, but are repulsed with the words of the next verse.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew forכִּ֤י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction there שָׁ֨ם (šām) Adverb Strong's 8033: There, then, thither our captors שׁוֹבֵ֡ינוּ (šō·w·ḇê·nū) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Strong's 7617: To transport into captivity requested שְֽׁאֵל֪וּנוּ (šə·’ê·lū·nū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | first person common plural Strong's 7592: To inquire, to request, to demand a song, שִׁ֭יר (r) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7892: A song, singing and our tormentors demanded וְתוֹלָלֵ֣ינוּ (wə·ṯō·w·lā·lê·nū) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Strong's 8437: Causing to howl, an oppressor songs of joy: שִׂמְחָ֑ה (śim·ḥāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 8057: Blithesomeness, glee “Sing שִׁ֥ירוּ (šî·rū) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 7891: To sing us לָ֝֗נוּ (lā·nū) Preposition | first person common plural Strong's Hebrew a song מִשִּׁ֥יר (miš·šîr) Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 7892: A song, singing of Zion.” צִיּֽוֹן׃ (ṣî·yō·wn) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 6726: Zion -- a mountain in Jerusalem, also a name for Jerusalem Links Psalm 137:3 NIVPsalm 137:3 NLT Psalm 137:3 ESV Psalm 137:3 NASB Psalm 137:3 KJV Psalm 137:3 BibleApps.com Psalm 137:3 Biblia Paralela Psalm 137:3 Chinese Bible Psalm 137:3 French Bible Psalm 137:3 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Psalm 137:3 For there those who led us captive (Psalm Ps Psa.) |
    |