Psalm 136:4–9

4 How can we sing the songs of the Lord

while in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, Jerusalem,

may my right hand forget its skill.

6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth

if I do not remember you,

if I do not consider Jerusalem

my highest joy.

7 Remember, Lord, what the Edomites did

on the day Jerusalem fell.

“Tear it down,” they cried,

“tear it down to its foundations!”

8 Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction,

happy is the one who repays you

according to what you have done to us.

9 Happy is the one who seizes your infants

and dashes them against the rocks.

4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song

in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

let my right hand forget its skill!

6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,

if I do not remember you,

if I do not set Jerusalem

above my highest joy!

7 Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites

the day of Jerusalem,

how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare,

down to its foundations!”

8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed,

blessed shall he be who repays you

with what you have done to us!

9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones

and dashes them against the rock!

4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song

In a strange land?

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.

7 Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem;

Who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.

8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed;

Happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee

As thou hast served us.

9 Happy shall he be, that taketh

And dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

4 But how can we sing the songs of the Lord

while in a pagan land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

let my right hand forget how to play the harp.

6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth

if I fail to remember you,

if I don’t make Jerusalem my greatest joy.

7 O Lord, remember what the Edomites did

on the day the armies of Babylon captured Jerusalem.

“Destroy it!” they yelled.

“Level it to the ground!”

8 O Babylon, you will be destroyed.

Happy is the one who pays you back

for what you have done to us.

9 Happy is the one who takes your babies

and smashes them against the rocks!

4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song

In a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

Let my right hand forget its skill!

6 If I do not remember you,

Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth—

If I do not exalt Jerusalem

Above my chief joy.

7 Remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom

The day of Jerusalem,

Who said, “Raze it, raze it,

To its very foundation!”

8 O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed,

Happy the one who repays you as you have served us!

9 Happy the one who takes and dashes

Your little ones against the rock!

4 But we cannot sing songs about the Lord

while we are in this foreign country!

5 Jerusalem, if I forget you,

let my right hand lose its skill.

6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth

if I do not remember you,

if I do not think about Jerusalem

as my greatest joy.

7 Lord, remember what the Edomites did

on the day Jerusalem fell.

They said, “Tear it down!

Tear it down to its foundations!”

8 People of Babylon, you will be destroyed.

The people who pay you back for what you did to us will be happy.

9 They will grab your babies

and throw them against the rocks.

4 How shall we sing Jehovah’s song

In a foreign land?

5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem,

Let my right hand forget her skill.

6 Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth,

If I remember thee not;

If I prefer not Jerusalem

Above my chief joy.

7 Remember, O Jehovah, against the children of Edom

The day of Jerusalem;

Who said, Rase it, rase it,

Even to the foundation thereof.

8 O daughter of Babylon, that art to be destroyed,

Happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee

As thou hast served us.

9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones

Against the rock.

4 How should we sing a song of Jehovah’s upon a foreign soil? 5 If I forget thee, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill; 6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to my palate: if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

7 Remember, O Jehovah, against the sons of Edom, the day of Jerusalem; who said, Lay it bare, Lay it bare, down to its foundation! 8 Daughter of Babylon, who art to be laid waste, happy he that rendereth unto thee that which thou hast meted out to us. 9 Happy he that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock.

4 How could we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? 

5 If I forget you, Jerusalem, 

let my right hand forget ⸤how to play the lyre⸥. 

6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth 

if I don’t remember you, 

if I don’t consider Jerusalem my highest joy. 

7 O Lord, remember the people of Edom. 

Remember what they did the day Jerusalem ⸤was captured⸥. 

They said, “Tear it down! Tear it down to its foundation.” 

8 You destructive people of Babylon, 

blessed is the one who pays you back 

with the same treatment you gave us. 

9 Blessed is the one who grabs your little children 

and smashes them against a rock. 

4 How can we sing the Lord’s song

on foreign soil?

5 If I forget you, Jerusalem,

may my right hand forget its skill.

6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth

if I do not remember you,

if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my greatest joy!

7 Remember, Lord, what the Edomites said

that day at Jerusalem:

“Destroy it! Destroy it

down to its foundations!”

8 Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction,

happy is the one who pays you back

what you have done to us.

9 Happy is he who takes your little ones

and dashes them against the rocks.

4 How could we sing the Lord’s song

in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

let my right hand wither!

6 Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth,

if I do not remember you,

if I do not set Jerusalem

above my highest joy.

7 Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites

the day of Jerusalem’s fall,

how they said, “Tear it down! Tear it down!

Down to its foundations!”

8 O daughter Babylon, you devastator!

Happy shall they be who pay you back

what you have done to us!

9 Happy shall they be who take your little ones

and dash them against the rock!

4 How could we sing the song of Yahweh

in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

let my right hand forget.

6 Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth,

if I do not remember you,

if do not I exalt Jerusalem

above my highest joy.

7 Remember, O Yahweh, against the sons of Edom

the day of Jerusalem,

the ones who said, “Lay it bare! Lay it bare

to its foundation!”

8 O daughter of Babylon, about to be devastated,

happy shall be he who pays back to you

what you paid out to us.

9 Happy shall be he who seizes

and smashes your children

against the rock.

4 How can we sing the songs of the Lord

while we are in another land?

5 Jerusalem, if I forget you,

may my right hand never be able to play the harp again.

6 If I don’t remember you,

may my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth so I can’t sing.

May it happen if I don’t consider Jerusalem

to be my greatest joy.

7 Lord, remember what the people of Edom did

on the day Jerusalem fell.

“Tear it down!” they cried.

“Tear it down to the ground!”

8 People of Babylon, you are sentenced to be destroyed.

Happy are those who pay you back

for what you have done to us.

9 Happy are those who grab your babies

and smash them against the rocks.

4 How can we sing the Lord’s song

In a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

May my right hand forget her skill.

6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth

If I do not remember you,

If I do not exalt Jerusalem

Above my chief joy.

7 Remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom

The day of Jerusalem,

Who said, “Raze it, raze it

To its very foundation.”

8 O daughter of Babylon, you devastated one,

How blessed will be the one who repays you

With the recompense with which you have repaid us.

9 How blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones

Against the rock.