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King James Version
Psalms 137:9
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Happy is he who takes your little onesand dashes them against the rocks.
Happy shall he be, Who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock.
Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!
They will grab your babies and throw them against the rocks.
How blessed will be the one who grabs your babies and smashes them on a rock!
How blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones Against the rock.
Blessed will be one who seizes and dashes your children Against the rock.
Happy shall he be, Who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock.
Blessed shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy children against the stones.
How blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your infantsAgainst the cliff.
Blessed is he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.
May the Lord bless everyone who beats your children against the rocks!
A blessing on anyone who seizes your babies and smashes them against a rock!
Happy he that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock.
Bless the one who grabs your babies and smashes them against a rock.
Blessed shall he be who takes and dashes your little ones against the stones.
who take your babies and smash them against a rock.
Happy shall be he who seizes and smashes your children against the rock.
Blessed is he who seizes your little ones and dashes them against the stone!
Blessed shal he be, that taketh thy children, and throweth them agaynst the stones
Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones Against the rock.
Happy is the man who takes your little ones, crushing them against the rocks.
Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock.
Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
Blessed shall he be: that taketh & throweth thy litle children against the stone.
Blessed shall he be who shall seize and dash thine infants against the rock.
Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock.
He is blessid, that schal holde; and hurtle doun hise litle children at a stoon.
Happy he shall be, that takes and dashes your little ones Against the rock.
Happy [shall he be], that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
Happy the one who takes and dashes Your little ones against the rock!
Happy is the one who takes your babies and smashes them against the rocks!
How honored will be the one who catches your children and throws them against the rock!
Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!
How happy the man who shall snatch away and dash thy children against the crag.
(136-9) Blessed be he that shall take and dash thy little ones against the rock.
Happy shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!
O the happiness of him who doth seize, And hath dashed thy sucklings on the rock!
How blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones Against the rock.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
and dasheth: Isaiah 13:16, Hosea 10:14, Hosea 13:16
the stones: Heb. the rock
Reciprocal: Numbers 31:15 - General Joshua 6:21 - utterly 2 Kings 8:12 - dash Ezra 6:12 - destroy Psalms 48:11 - because Psalms 87:4 - Babylon Psalms 109:12 - favour Psalms 149:7 - General Isaiah 13:12 - General Isaiah 14:20 - the seed Isaiah 47:3 - I will take Jeremiah 27:7 - until Jeremiah 30:16 - General Jeremiah 48:4 - her Jeremiah 50:1 - against Babylon Jeremiah 50:15 - as she Jeremiah 50:29 - recompense Jeremiah 50:42 - they are cruel Jeremiah 51:3 - spare Jeremiah 51:24 - General Jeremiah 51:35 - The violence Jeremiah 51:49 - As Babylon Lamentations 1:21 - they shall Micah 7:10 - she that
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Happy [shall he be] that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. That takes the infants from their mothers' breasts, or out of their arms, and dashes out their brains against a "rock", as the word k signifies; which, though it may seem a piece of cruelty, was but a just retaliation; the Babylonians having done the same to the Jewish children, and is foretold elsewhere should be done to theirs, Isaiah 13:16. Nor is this desired from a spirit of revenge, but for the glory of divine justice, and that such a generation of cruel creatures might be rooted out of the earth; see Revelation 2:2. Some allegorically understand this of crushing and mortifying the first motions of sin in the heart; but such a sense seems to have no place here.
k אל סלע "ad petram", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, &c. "ad repem", Cocceius.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Happy shall he be that taketh ... - Margin, as in Hebrew, rock. This refers to what was not uncommon in ancient warfare, as it is now among savage tribes - the indiscriminate slaughter of those of all ages, and of both sexes, in war. It was expressly foretold of Babylon that this would occur (see Isaiah 13:16, and the notes at that place), and there may be a reference here to that prediction, and the psalmist may mean to say that the man would be accounted happy, or would be happy, who wreaked vengeance on Babylon in carrying out that prophecy. The idea is, “This will certainly occur, for it is foretold, and happy or fortunate will he be who is the instrument in fulfilling it.” Compare 2 Kings 8:12; Nahum 3:10; Hosea 13:16. See also Homer, II xxii. 63,373, following It is impossible to reconcile such barbarous customs with the idex of “honorable war,” or with the principles of war as carried on among “civilized” nations now.
It should be added, however, that there is much - very much - that is practiced in war by “civilized” nations still, which it is equally impossible to reconcile with any just notions of morality or humanity, and which in coming ages, and when people shall come to view things aright, will seem to the people of those times to be not less monstrous, strange, and barbarous. In regard to this passage, we are not necessarily to suppose that the author of the psalm approved of this, or desired it, or prayed for it. He looked forward to the fulfillment of a prediction; he saw that a just and terrible judgment would certainly come upon Babylon; he expressed that in the common language of the times, and states the manner in which it would occur; he described the feelings - the gratification - of those who would execute the divine purpose in the overthrow of Babylon; he referred to the estimate in which the conqueror would be held by people, and the glory of the achievement as giving him fame among people.
It must be admitted that the feelings of the author of the psalm appear to accord with this; that he considers it proper that the city should be destroyed; and that he regards its overthrow as a righteous judgment, and as a thing to be desired in the divine administration. It is true that he might approve of such an overthrow, and see it to be right - he might describe the feelings of those by whom it would be done, their joy, their exultation, and even their barbarity, without himself approving of their barbarity, or sympathizing with their feelings, or partaking of their spirit; but still it cannot in fairness be denied that there is an apparent approval of the act here referred to, which savors more of imprecation than forgiveness, and which is apparently prompted more by the spirit of revenge than by a desire of just punishment. On this subject, however, see the General Introduction, Section 6 (4); and the notes at Psalms 109:10. A correct record may be made, whether of facts or of feelings, without any design of expressing either approbation or disapprobation on the part of the historian, the prophet, or the poet.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Psalms 137:9. Happy - that taketh and dasheth thy little ones — That is, So oppressive hast thou been to all under thy domination, as to become universally hated and detested; so that those who may have the last hand in thy destruction, and the total extermination of thy inhabitants, shall be reputed happy - shall be celebrated and extolled as those who have rid the world of a curse so grievous. These prophetic declarations contain no excitement to any person or persons to commit acts of cruelty and barbarity; but are simply declarative of what would take place in the order of the retributive providence and justice of God, and the general opinion that should in consequence be expressed on the subject; therefore praying for the destruction of our enemies is totally out of the question. It should not be omitted that the Chaldee considers this Psalm a dialogue, which it thus divides: - The three first verses are supposed to have been spoken by the psalmist, By the rivers, c. The Levites answer from the porch of the temple, in Psalms 137:4, How shall we sing, c. The voice of the Holy Spirit responds in Psalms 137:5-6, If I forget thee, c. Michael, the prince of Jerusalem, answers in Psalms 137:7, Remember, O Lord, &c. Gabriel, the prince of Zion, then addresses the destroyer of the Babylonish nation, in Psalms 137:8-9, Happy shall be he that rewardeth thee, c. To slay all when a city was sacked, both male and female, old and young, was a common practice in ancient times. Homer describes this in words almost similar to those of the psalmist: -
Υἱας τ' ολλυμενους, ἑλκυσθεισας τε θυγατρας,
Και θαλαμους κεραΐζομενους, και νηπια τεκνα
Βαλλομενα προτι γαιῃ εν αινῃ δηΐοτητι,
Ἑλκομενας τε νυους ολοης ὑπο χερσιν Αχαιων.
Il. lib. xxii., ver. 62.
My heroes slain, my bridal bed o'erturned
My daughters ravished, and my city burned:
My bleeding infants dashed against the floor
These I have yet to see; perhaps yet more.
POPE.
These excesses were common in all barbarous nations, and are only prophetically declared here. He shall be reputed happy, prosperous, and highly commendable, who shall destroy Babylon.
ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SEVENTH PSALM
When this Psalm was composed, the Jews were in captivity in Babylon, far from their own country, the temple, and the public exercises of religion; and the scoff and scorn of their enemies; and they contrast what they were with what they are. This Psalm has two parts: -
I. The complaint of Israel. Because of the insults of the Babylonians, they deplore their sad condition, long for the temple, and their return to Jerusalem, Psalms 137:1-7.
II. An imprecation or prayer for vengeance, on their persecutors, Psalms 137:7-9.
I. Their complaint arises from their captivity, and it is aggravated. -
1. From the place, Babylon: "By the rivers of Babylon." A place far from their country; who were aliens from the covenant made by God with Abraham, scorners of their religion, had laid waste their city and forced them to base and servile labour.
2. From the continuance of their captivity and misery: "There we sat down," c. Took up the seats allotted to us, and that for seventy years.
3. From the effects it produced: "Yea, we wept," &c.
4. From the cause which drew these tears. The remembrance of what they had enjoyed, (now lost,) the services of religion: "We wept when we remembered Zion," &c.
5. From the intenseness of their grief, which was so great that they could not even tune their harps: "We hung our harps," &c.
That which increased their grief was the joy their enemies manifested at it.
1. THERE, in a strange land, the place of our captivity.
2. "THEY that carried us away captive."
3. "They required of us a song." They quired of us mirth, saying,
4. O thou Jew or captive, come now, "sing us one of the songs of Zion."
To this sarcasm the captive Jews return a double answer.
"How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" You are aliens, and this is a strange land we cannot sing God's service there, which is destined to his honour, to you, or in this place without offending our God.
They reply by a protestation of their hope and constancy in religion, and accurse themselves if they do not continue in it.
1. "If I forget thee," c. Forget the worship and feasts I kept there.
2. "If I do not remember thee," &c. If I do not prefer and make mention of Jerusalem, then "let my tongue cleave," &c. Let me no more have the use of that excellent organ of God's glory. It would be unworthy of my religion, and a dishonour to my God to sing the songs of Zion thus circumstanced, and to scoffers and aliens.
II. This seems to be the sense of the first part of the Psalm. The second part has reference to the imprecations poured out against Edom and Babylon, both persecutors of God's people. The Babylonians carried them away captive, and the Edomites persecuted their brethren with the sword, Amos 1:12.
1. Against Edom.
(1) "Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom,'' &c. How they carried themselves towards thy people on that day when thy anger smote against them, and the Babylonians carried us away.
(2) Remember how they added to our affliction, saying, "Rase it," &c.
2. Against Babylon. To her he turns his speech by an apostrophe but at the same time foretells her ruin: "O daughter of Babylon," c. Thou seemest to thyself to be most happy but thy ruin approaches. Shortly after, the Medes, led by Cyrus destroyed them.
(1) "Happy shall he be that rewardeth," &c. [See the notes.]
(2) "Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones," &c. [See the notes.]
