Tehillim · Psalms
Tehillim Chapter 137
- Author:
- King David
- 9 verses
- Book Five
- Reading time:
- 1 min
- Day 27 of monthly cycle
Chapter 137 of Tehillim belongs to Book Five (chapters 107 through 150), and is traditionally attributed to King David. It contains 9 verses in vocalized Hebrew from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, paired with the JPS 1917 English translation (both public domain).
- עַ֥ל נַהֲר֨וֹת ׀ בָּבֶ֗ל שָׁ֣ם יָ֭שַׁבְנוּ גַּם־בָּכִ֑ינוּ בְּ֝זָכְרֵ֗נוּ אֶת־צִיּֽוֹן׃
- עַֽל־עֲרָבִ֥ים בְּתוֹכָ֑הּ תָּ֝לִ֗ינוּ כִּנֹּרוֹתֵֽינוּ׃
- כִּ֤י שָׁ֨ם שְֽׁאֵל֪וּנוּ שׁוֹבֵ֡ינוּ דִּבְרֵי־שִׁ֭יר וְתוֹלָלֵ֣ינוּ שִׂמְחָ֑ה שִׁ֥ירוּ לָ֝֗נוּ מִשִּׁ֥יר צִיּֽוֹן׃
- אֵ֗יךְ נָשִׁ֥יר אֶת־שִׁיר־יְהוָ֑ה עַ֝֗ל אַדְמַ֥ת נֵכָֽר׃
- אִֽם־אֶשְׁכָּחֵ֥ךְ יְֽרוּשָׁלִָ֗ם תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח יְמִינִֽי׃
- תִּדְבַּ֥ק־לְשׁוֹנִ֨י ׀ לְחִכִּי֮ אִם־לֹ֪א אֶ֫זְכְּרֵ֥כִי אִם־לֹ֣א אַ֭עֲלֶה אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֑ם עַ֝֗ל רֹ֣אשׁ שִׂמְחָתִֽי׃
- זְכֹ֤ר יְהוָ֨ה ׀ לִבְנֵ֬י אֱד֗וֹם אֵת֮ י֤וֹם יְֽרוּשָׁ֫לִָ֥ם הָ֭אֹ֣מְרִים עָ֤רוּ ׀ עָ֑רוּ עַ֝֗ד הַיְס֥וֹד בָּֽהּ׃
- בַּת־בָּבֶ֗ל הַשְּׁד֫וּדָ֥ה אַשְׁרֵ֥י שֶׁיְשַׁלֶּם־לָ֑ךְ אֶת־גְּ֝מוּלֵ֗ךְ שֶׁגָּמַ֥לְתְּ לָֽנוּ׃
- אַשְׁרֵ֤י ׀ שֶׁיֹּאחֵ֓ז וְנִפֵּ֬ץ אֶֽת־עֹ֝לָלַ֗יִךְ אֶל־הַסָּֽלַע׃
English translation (JPS 1917)
- By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept, When we remembered Zion.
- Upon the willows in the midst thereof We hanged up our harps.
- For 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.'
- How shall we sing the LORD’S song In a foreign land?
- If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget her cunning.
- Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, If I remember thee not; If I set not Jerusalem Above my chiefest joy.
- Remember, O LORD, against the children of Edom The day of Jerusalem; Who said: 'Rase it, rase it, Even to the foundation thereof.'
- O daughter of Babylon, that art to be destroyed; Happy shall he be, that repayeth thee As thou hast served us.
- Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones Against the rock.
Tehillim Chapter 137: questions and answers
Who wrote Tehillim chapter 137?
According to traditional Jewish attribution, chapter 137 was authored by King David. The book of Tehillim (Psalms) contains 150 chapters compiled by King David, including psalms by ten additional psalmists: Asaph, the sons of Korach, Moses, Heman, Ethan, and others.
How many verses does Psalm 137 have?
Psalm 137 contains 9 verses. The average unhurried reading time is about 1 minute.
Which of the Five Books of Psalms is chapter 137 in?
Chapter 137 belongs to Book Five (chapters 107 through 150). Parallel to Deuteronomy of the Torah's five books.
When is Psalm 137 read in the 30-day cycle?
Following the traditional 30-day cycle for reading the entire Tehillim once a month, Psalm 137 is read on day 27.
Is the Hebrew text of Psalm 137 pointed (with nikud)?
Yes. The Hebrew text comes from the Westminster Leningrad Codex via the Sefaria public-domain project, including full nikud (vowel pointing) and ta'amei mikra (cantillation marks).
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