The Meaning of Psalms 137:7 Explained

Psalms 137:7

KJV: Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.

YLT: Remember, Jehovah, for the sons of Edom, The day of Jerusalem, Those saying, 'Rase, rase to its foundation!'

Darby: Remember, O Jehovah, against the sons of Edom, the day of Jerusalem; who said, Lay it bare, Lay it bare, down to its foundation!

ASV: Remember, O Jehovah, against the children of Edom The day of Jerusalem; Who said, Rase it, rase it, Even to the foundation thereof.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Remember,  O LORD,  the children  of Edom  in the day  of Jerusalem;  who said,  Rase  [it], rase  [it, even] to the foundation  thereof. 

What does Psalms 137:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The psalmist had previously said that he would remember Jerusalem. Now he called God to remember Jerusalem"s destroyers. The Edomites had encouraged the Babylonians as they besieged and devastated the city (cf. Ezekiel 25:12; Joel 3:19).

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It seems as if the exiles had withdrawn from the city, with its distractions, to some natural retreat beside the Euphrates.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 137:7 mean?

Remember Yahweh against the sons of Edom - the day of Jerusalem who said Raze [it] raze [it] to very foundation its
זְכֹ֤ר יְהוָ֨ה ׀ לִבְנֵ֬י אֱד֗וֹם אֵת֮ י֤וֹם יְֽרוּשָׁ֫לִָ֥ם הָ֭אֹ֣מְרִים עָ֤רוּ ׀ עָ֑רוּ עַ֝֗ד הַיְס֥וֹד בָּֽהּ

זְכֹ֤ר  Remember 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
יְהוָ֨ה ׀  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לִבְנֵ֬י  against  the  sons 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אֱד֗וֹם  of  Edom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱדֹום 
Sense: Edom.
אֵת֮  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
י֤וֹם  the  day 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
יְֽרוּשָׁ֫לִָ֥ם  of  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
הָ֭אֹ֣מְרִים  who  said 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
עָ֤רוּ ׀  Raze  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: עָרָה  
Sense: to be bare, be nude, uncover, leave destitute, discover, empty, raze, pour out.
עָ֑רוּ  raze  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: עָרָה  
Sense: to be bare, be nude, uncover, leave destitute, discover, empty, raze, pour out.
הַיְס֥וֹד  very  foundation 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְסׄוד  
Sense: foundation, base.
בָּֽהּ  its 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular