The Prophet describeth how lamentably the people in captivity of Babylon, will bewail the want of means to serve God, and of their native soil: 7. with just desire of their enemies' punishment.The Prophet deſcribeth how lamentably the people in captiuitie of Babylon, wil bewaile the want of meanes to ſerue God, and of their natiue ſoyle : 7. with iuſt deſire of their enimies puniſhment.✦

A Psalm of David for Jeremy. Upon the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept: whiles we remembered Sion.A Pſalme of Dauid a for Ieremie. VPON the riuers b of Babylon, there we c ſate and wept : whiles we d remembred Sion.Psalmus David, Jeremiæ. Super flumina Babylonis illic sedimus et flevimus, cum recordaremur Sion.

1609 marginJeremy. By adding to this title [for Jeremy] the Septuagint Interpreters signify that this Psalm treateth of the same captivity, in which Jeremias wrote his Lamentations. · Babylon. Near the rivers in Chaldea; whereof Babylon was the head city, · sat. the Jews remained mourning, · remembered. remembering the holy rites and service of God, which had been in Sion, whereof they were deprived in the captivity.The Iewes lamentation in captiuitie. the 4. key. · a By adding to this title [ for Ieremie ] the Septuagint Interpreters ſignifie that this Pſalme treateth of the ſame captiuitie, in which Ieremias writte his Lamentations. · b Nere the riuers in Chaldea; wherof Babylon was the head citie, c the Iewes remained mourning, d remembring the holie rites and ſeruice of God, which had bene in Sion, wherof they were depriued in the captiuitie.

2On the willows in the midst thereof, we hanged up our instruments.On the willowes in the middes therof, we hanged vp e our inſtrumentes.In salicibus in medio ejus suspendimus organa nostra :

3Because there they that led us captive, demanded of us words of songs. And they that led us away: Sing ye an hymn to us of the songs of Sion.Becauſe there they that led vs captiue, f demanded of vs wordes of ſonges. And they that led vs away : Sing ye an hymne to vs of the ſonges of Sion.quia illic interrogaverunt nos, qui captivos duxerunt nos, verba cantionum ; et qui abduxerunt nos : Hymnum cantate nobis de canticis Sion.

4How shall we sing the song of our Lord in a strange land?g How ſhal we ſing the ſong of our Lord in a ſtrange land ?Quomodo cantabimus canticum Domini in terra aliena ?

5If I shall forget thee O Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten.h If I ſhal forget thee ô Ieruſalem, let my right hand be forgotten.Si oblitus fuero tui, Jerusalem, oblivioni detur dextera mea.

6Let my tongue cleave to my jaws, if I do not remember thee: If I shall not set Jerusalem in the beginning of my joy.i Let my tongue cleaue to my iawes, if I doe not remember thee : If I ſhal not ſet Ieruſalem in the beginning of my ioy.Adhæreat lingua mea faucibus meis, si non meminero tui ; si non proposuero Jerusalem in principio lætitiæ meæ.

7Be mindful O Lord of the children of Edom, in the day of Jerusalem: That say: it, rase it, even unto the foundation thereof.Be mindful ô Lord of k the childrem of Edom, in l the day of Ieruſalem : m That ſay : Raſe it, raſe it, euen vnto the foundation therof.Memor esto, Domine, filiorum Edom, in die Jerusalem : qui dicunt : Exinanite, exinanite usque ad fundamentum in ea.

8Daughter of Babylon miserable: blessed is he, that shall repay thee thy payment, which thou hast paid us.n Daugther of Babylon miſerable : bleſſed is he, that ſhal repay thee thy payment, which thou haſt payed vs.Filia Babylonis misera ! beatus qui retribuet tibi retributionem tuam quam retribuisti nobis.

9Blessed is he, that shall hold, and shall dash thy little ones against the rock.Bleſſed is he, o that ſhal hold, and p ſhal daſh thy litle ones againſt the rocke.Beatus qui tenebit, et allidet parvulos tuos ad petram.

The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.

St. Robert Bellarmine’s commentary on Psalms 136 — verse-by-verse exposition→

Chapter 136 of 150