Psalms

Psalm 137:1–6

¹By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept

when we remembered Zion.

²There on the willows^a

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?

⁵If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

may my right hand cease to function.

⁶May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth

if I do not remember you,

if I do not exalt Jerusalem

as my greatest joy!

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
By	עַ֥ל	‘al	Preposition	H5921 height
the rivers	נַהֲר֨וֹת׀	na·hă·rō·wṯ	Noun - masculine plural construct	H5104 stream, river
of Babylon	בָּבֶ֗ל	bā·ḇel	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H894 Babel, Babylon
we sat	יָ֭שַׁבְנוּ	yā·šaḇ·nū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
and	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
wept	בָּכִ֑ינוּ	bā·ḵî·nū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural	H1058 weep, bewail
when we remembered	בְּ֝זָכְרֵ֗נוּ	bə·zā·ḵə·rê·nū	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; first person common plural	H2142 remember
Zion	צִיּֽוֹן׃	ṣî·yō·wn	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H6726 Zion

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
There on	עַֽל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the willows	עֲרָבִ֥ים	‘ă·rā·ḇîm	Noun - feminine plural	H6155 willow
we hung	תָּ֝לִ֗ינוּ	tā·lî·nū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural	H8518 hang
our harps	כִּנֹּרוֹתֵֽינוּ׃	kin·nō·rō·w·ṯê·nū	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H3658 lyre

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
for	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
there	שָׁ֨ם	šām	Adverb	H8033 there, thither
our captors	שׁוֹבֵ֡ינוּ	šō·w·ḇê·nū	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H7617 take captive
requested	שְֽׁאֵל֪וּנוּ	šə·’ê·lū·nū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural; first person common plural	H7592 ask, inquire
a song	שִׁ֭יר	šîr	Noun - masculine singular	H7892 song
our tormentors demanded	וְתוֹלָלֵ֣ינוּ	wə·ṯō·w·lā·lê·nū	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H8437 causing to howl, oppressor
songs of joy	שִׂמְחָ֑ה	śim·ḥāh	Noun - feminine singular	H8057 joy, gladness, mirth
Sing	שִׁ֥ירוּ	šî·rū	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H7891 sing
us	לָ֝֗נוּ	lā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural
a song	מִשִּׁ֥יר	miš·šîr	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7892 song
of Zion	צִיּֽוֹן׃	ṣî·yō·wn	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H6726 Zion

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
How	אֵ֗יךְ	’êḵ	Interjection	H349 How?
can we sing	נָשִׁ֥יר	nā·šîr	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural	H7891 sing
a song	שִׁיר־	šîr-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H7892 song
of the LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
in	עַ֝֗ל	‘al	Preposition	H5921 height
a foreign	נֵכָֽר׃	nê·ḵār	Noun - masculine singular	H5236 that which is foreign, foreignness
land	אַדְמַ֥ת	’aḏ·maṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H127 ground, land

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If	אִֽם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
I forget you	אֶשְׁכָּחֵ֥ךְ	’eš·kā·ḥêḵ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular; second person feminine singular	H7911 forget
O Jerusalem	יְֽרוּשָׁלִָ֗ם	yə·rū·šā·lim	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3389 Jerusalem
may my right hand	יְמִינִֽי׃	yə·mî·nî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H3225 right hand
cease to function	תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח	tiš·kaḥ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H7911 forget

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
May my tongue	לְשׁוֹנִ֨י׀	lə·šō·w·nî	Noun - common singular construct; first person common singular	H3956 tongue
cling	תִּדְבַּ֥ק־	tiḏ·baq-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H1692 cling, cleave, keep close
to the roof of my mouth	לְחִכִּי֮	lə·ḥik·kî	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H2441 palate, roof of mouth, gums
if	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
I do not	לֹ֪א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
remember you	אֶ֫זְכְּרֵ֥כִי	’ez·kə·rê·ḵî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular; second person feminine singular	H2142 remember
if	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
I do not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
exalt	אַ֭עֲלֶה	’a·‘ă·leh	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
Jerusalem	יְרוּשָׁלִַ֑ם	yə·rū·šā·lim	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3389 Jerusalem
as	עַ֝֗ל	‘al	Preposition	H5921 height
my greatest	רֹ֣אשׁ	rōš	Noun - masculine singular construct	H7218 head
joy	שִׂמְחָתִֽי׃	śim·ḥā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H8057 joy, gladness, mirth