The Meaning of Psalms 137:3 Explained

Psalms 137:3

KJV: For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

YLT: For there our captors asked us the words of a song, And our spoilers -- joy: 'Sing ye to us of a song of Zion.'

Darby: For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that made us wail required mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

ASV: For there they that led us captive required of us songs, And they that wasted us required of us mirth,'saying , Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For there they that carried us away captive  required  of us a song;  and they that wasted  us [required of us] mirth,  [saying], Sing  us [one] of the songs  of Zion. 

What does Psalms 137:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 137:1-9 - Loyalty In Adversity
It seems as if the exiles had withdrawn from the city, with its distractions, to some natural retreat beside the Euphrates. They had brought their harps with them, but had not the heart to touch their chords. Songs were choked by sobs. Suddenly a band of insolent revelers broke in on the scene, demanding one of those Temple songs for which Hebrew minstrelsy was famed.
But the Lord's song was possible only in the Lord's house. To be separated from the Temple seemed to the Jews like separation from God. When we have been led captive by our sins and have lost the sense of God's presence, we, too, lose the spring of holy joy. Let us make not Jerusalem, but the glory and interests of Christ's kingdom, our chief joy. The closing imprecation on Edom reminds one of Jeremiah 49:7-22; Lamentations 4:2; Lamentations 4:22; Ezekiel 25:12-14. We can understand it, but we must remember that we belong to another covenant. See Luke 9:54, r.v., margin; Romans 12:20. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 137

1  The constancy of the Jews in captivity
7  The prophet curses Edom and Babel

What do the individual words in Psalms 137:3 mean?

For there asked of us those who carried us away captive of us a song a song and those who plundered us [requested] mirth [Saying] Sing us [one] of the songs of Zion
כִּ֤י שָׁ֨ם שְֽׁאֵל֪וּנוּ שׁוֹבֵ֡ינוּ דִּבְרֵי־ שִׁ֭יר וְתוֹלָלֵ֣ינוּ שִׂמְחָ֑ה שִׁ֥ירוּ לָ֝֗נוּ מִשִּׁ֥יר צִיּֽוֹן

שְֽׁאֵל֪וּנוּ  asked  of  us 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural, first person common plural
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
שׁוֹבֵ֡ינוּ  those  who  carried  us  away  captive 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: שָׁבָה  
Sense: to take captive.
דִּבְרֵי־  of  us  a  song 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
שִׁ֭יר  a  song 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁיר 
Sense: song.
וְתוֹלָלֵ֣ינוּ  and  those  who  plundered  us  [requested] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: תֹּולָל  
Sense: tormentor, plunderer.
שִׂמְחָ֑ה  mirth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׂמְחָה  
Sense: joy, mirth, gladness.
שִׁ֥ירוּ  [Saying]  Sing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שִׁיר  
Sense: to sing.
לָ֝֗נוּ  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
מִשִּׁ֥יר  [one]  of  the  songs 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שִׁיר 
Sense: song.
צִיּֽוֹן  of  Zion 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִיּׄון  
Sense: another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books.