Should Psalm 137 Be Revised Out Of The Psalter?
Introduction
The big question regarding Psalm 137 is whether or not this is a sub-Christian element in the Psalter, which contradicts the teaching of Jesus on forgiveness of our enemies; does it rather contain a truly, godly, spiritual, statement as it concludes, which finally oversteps the mark; or should we view it in a more favorable light?
1. Public Enemies
The most obvious fact, on the surface of the text, is that this is not a petty private personal grudge or gripe of concern of an individual Psalmist. It must be heard as corporate grief, sorrow, and lament of the whole of the exilic and post-exilic church:
A. Pronouns
A first thing to notice, for example, is plural personal pronouns such as “we, us, our” and the collective imperatives “you (plural) sing to us”. Clearly it refers, with retrospect, to many or most of the Jews at the rivers of Babylon, who have now come home.
B. Corporate Entities
A second thing that must not be missed is that Edom and Babylon are mentioned, almost in the same breath, as hostile, corporate, entities: it was these kingdoms that attacked the people of God, calling for the destruction of the Church, and had opposed themselves to the redemptive will of God – they were on a military campaign and spiritual crusade to wipe out the Name of Holy Seed. That would, in the end, mean there would have been no Christ or Kingdom or Salvation (if it has succeeded, which could never have been permitted), for any of us. This was an existential threat to saving grace and glory.
C. Anti-Christianity
At risk of sounding anachronistic, a third thing to reflect on is that this aggression targets the people of God, the Flock of Christ: the sons of Abraham had been chosen by God to be a vehicle of light and truth to the entire world – to snuff out this light is an attack on the LORD Himself.
2. God’s Enemies
I hope we have seen that what this whole Psalm relates to is this matter: what shall be done and what shall be sung about those who mock the people of God, cruelly taunt them in their religious or spiritual grief? What can we say about those who seek their dissolution, destruction and annihilation in the world, and find themselves thus opposing God Himself, and Christ His King? Psalm 137 is based on the same reaction that Jesus had to Saul on the Road to Damascus: Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? He took such attacks against His mediatorial realm as a very personal assault. The people of God belong to Jehovah. In His Covenantal purpose, Yah has sworn to protect and defend them. As a matter of loyalty and duty, the LORD must ensure their safety as their in-league ally. After all, what shall be done to those who attempt to damage “the apple of His eye?” Saints’ death is precious in His sight. His Name is on Israel. So, just like in capital punishment the murderer must be put to death for an attack on the image of God - which God takes personally (Genesis 9:5-6), so assailants of the church who seek its demise, invite upon themselves the judgment of God. What this whole song actually points to is deep sorrow at the demise of the Kingdom of God, and deep love for the people of God - this is a very spiritual sentiment and belief indeed. Oh that our concern for the Gospel and People of God was so deep.
3. Judged Enemies.
These enemies are not getting anything from the LORD that they did not dish out to the Jerusalemites, when the forces of Nebuchadnezzar invaded Jerusalem from 601-586BC. They burnt the Temple, deported the nobles, blinded the king, slaughtered the men, savaged the women and dashed the children against granite blocks. This was a standard tactic of brutal, ancient, warfare - it was a terribly wicked crime which the Psalmist in no way condones. It was done, of course, to prevent the next generation growing up. It was an irradicating act of national genocide. What Psalm 137 envisages, then, is the measure of violence that they gave out on the Jews, being measured back to themselves. It is the principle of symmetrical, appropriate, justice being meted out justly: in God’s DOJ, the punishment always fits the crime (believers pangs fell on Christ). To dash kids on rock is horrific. The Babylonian troops did this to wipe the church off the map for good. Such a crime could not go unchecked. And so, these butchers of Babel would receive no mercy that they had denied to others = they themselves would never rise again, but would be deleted forever. The same would apply to Edomites - just as they had sought the tearing down of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, exposing the people of God to never-to-be-rebuilt razing, so they ultimately also would be brought to the ground, and decimated.
4. Destroyed Enemies.
The Psalmist nowhere actually prays that God would dash children against rocks, or that they themselves would put their hands on these children to seize them and smash them. There is nothing of that sort contained in this Psalm: how could that possibly be? the people were captives in that land, the subject of ridicule and taunt, until Cyrus sent them home in BC539; even after that they were, militarily, and politically, a spent, subject, force; they were in no position to fight back, rise up, or cast down Babylon. They knew that they had been justly punished by God. And so, they also realized that the principle of recompense and retribution was at work in the world that Yahweh ruled. They knew, seeing God is just, and loved His Church, that it was only a matter of time before that idolatrous pagan harlot would receive its comeuppance from God - Babylon has exalted herself in pride to ravage His flock, and was now on the downward slide! Their evil mistreatment of the Jews and their hostility against all that is right, in pride, had badly back-fired and currently sealed their fate. Psalm 137, therefore, is simply teaching us that principle that “It is mine to avenge. I will repay says the LORD!”
5. Prophesied Enemies.
Babylon is the “being destroyed one” - the whore had sealed her own doom, and had, by her actions, called down inevitable wrath on her own head. The wrath of God was already at work to seal her doom - the legendary pride of this nation, past, present, and future, exalting itself over all that is right, had already insured here own ruin. The Psalm also taps into earlier predictions revealed by the prophets of the LORD prior to the exile (see Isaiah 13:16). Thus Psalm 137 is actually a prophecy of the Medo-Persian forces, led by their Prince, who would block the moat of Babel, and capture the city by night, and set the Jews free to return (Daniel 5:1-30). What is predicted here is a judgment upon the enemies of God and, simultaneously, salvation for the people of God - that would take place to send the church packing to Zion, to rebuild the Temple, to await the coming of Christ for redemption of the world. For such a political leader, like King Cyrus, to act in that manner would be a wonderful blessing for the world, and a great boon to the people of God. It would glorify His wisdom, power and grace, in the events of exile and return to bring the Saviour to the world. As Allan Hartman notes, two vital facts help us grasp the sense of this “rock-breaking” statement:
“Firstly, the language here echoes that of Isaiah 13:16, and recalls the judicial sentence already pronounced by the prophets against Babylon, the great enemy of Zion. Secondly, many of the biblical and extra-biblical treaties contain curses relating to absence of offspring or the cutting off of succeeding generations. When these facts are combined, they suggest that the Psalm is echoing well-known prophecies already given against Babylon and (using the language of brutal warfare of that time) asking for the destruction of Babylon as a nation. If her children are cut off, then her days as a nation will be numbered.“
Three Applications
Stop Squirming
Psalm 137 should cause blushes in the Church. If it makes us squirm, it is a sign either that we have misread the Bible (most likely), or that we love God, His Christ, the Church, and His Kingdom, far less than the Psalmist did prior to, or just after, the end of its Babylonian Captivity (and that would be embarrassing). His passion for Christ is so great that he just cannot think how it could be right to have the church mocked and to go along with it. It may even be that when we balk at Psalm 137, it is because we personalize the teaching of the Bible far too much, and have a cold indifference to the great public issues of our time.
Keep Calm
Psalm 137 should also give the church great encouragement. Not only does it indicate that there is an inflexible principle of retributive justice in the world, for the LORD is on the throne - and Christ rules on a throne of righteousness and truth: it also reminds us that, since pride always leads to a downfall, sooner or later, the secular forces of wokeism, pluralism, globalism, atheism, and neo-Darwinism, along with the false religions of Islam, Judaism and Catholicism, will, if we wait, be pulled to the ground (or better the pit), and, as we speak, are manifesting the wrath of God, as they have set themselves on their resistance to and decimation of the truth.
Bow Down
Psalm 137 reminds us that the Lord Jesus Christ will be very happy and blessed when all that is demonic, Satanic, and false, will be plunged into the pit of sulphur and smoke, with justice and truth – Happy is the He, the Lamb, who will repay all those who reject our crucified, risen, Saviour: it will not be He Himself, but rather they who cry for rocks to fall on them, to put them out of their misery and torment which will never end, as they come to final day of reckoning in an impenitent state. Before they get a glimpse of His furious face, His sheep must walk close, pray much, stand still, keep vigilant, and to warn others to repent, and seek refuge, life and peace, in Jesus.