Psalm 137

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General Information

• See An_Wasserflüssen_Babylon for the metrical paraphrase of this psalm by Wolfgang Dachstein

Settings by composers

Note: In Latin, unless otherwise indicated:

Abel SATB (French metrical version by Clément Marot) Johann Kaspar Aiblinger SATB (v. 1, Latin) Samuel Babcock STB (English, Thomas Carew's paraphrase) Daniel Belknap SATB (English, Joel Barlow paraphrase) Asahel Benham SATB (English, Joel Barlow paraphrase) William Billings SATB (English metrical New Version) Pierre Bonhomme SSAATTBB (vv. 1-4, Latin) William Boyce SATB (vv. 1-8, English, BCP) Clifford Boyd SATB (vv. 1-5, English) John Broderip SATB (English metrical New Version) Christoph Buel SATB (vv. 1-3, German) William Byrd SSAATTBB (vv. 4-7a, Latin) Thomas Campion SATB (English metrical version by the composer) Marc-Antoine Charpentier SSB (Latin) Michel-Richard de Lalande SATTB (vv. 1-9, Latin) Michael J. Drake, Jr. SATB/Chant (vv 1-9, Latin) Benedictus Ducis 3vv SST (German) 4vv (German) Jacob French (English, Joel Barlow paraphrase) Charles H. Giffen SATB (vv. 1-6, English) Alexander Gillet SATB (English, Joel Barlow paraphrase) Nicolas Gombert SATB Claude Goudimel Etans assis aux rives SATB (Marot's French, & Dutch) Au bord des eaux SATB (Ory's French) Charles Gounod SATB (French paraphrase by A. Quételart) Francisco Guerrero AATBB (vv. 4-6a, Latin) Marco Antonio Ingegneri SSAATTBB (vv. 1-4, Latin) Walter Janes SATB (English, Tate & Brady New Version, st. 1)

Petar Konjović SSAATTBB (Church Slavonic) Orlando di Lasso a 4 SATB (v. 1, Latin) a 5 ATTBarB (v. 1, Latin) All editions withdrawn Boris Ledkovsky SATB and SSAA (Church Slavonic) Paschal de L'Estocart SATB (Marot's French) Luca Marenzio SATB.SATB.SATB (Latin) Philippe de Monte SATB.SATB Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina a 4 SATB or ATBarB (vv. 1-2, Latin) a 5 SAATB (v. 1, Latin) William Parsons SATB (vv. 1-2, English, metrical Old Version) Amos Pilsbury SATB (English, Tate & Brady New Version) Michael Praetorius (both Dachstein's paraphrase of vv. 1-2) An Wasserflüssen Babylon a 3 TTB An Wasserflüssen Babylon a 8 SATB.SATB Jeffrey Quick ATTB or SATB (Latin) Salamone Rossi ATTB (Hebrew) Antonio Savetta SSAATTBB (vv. 1-6, Latin) Heinrich Schütz An den Wassern zu Babel, SWV 37 SATB.SATB (in Psalmen Davids op. 2) An Wasserflüssen Babylon, SWV 242 (Becker psalter) SATB Timothy Swan SATB (English, Joel Barlow paraphrase) Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck SSATB (vv. 1-2, Marot's French) Tomás Luis de Victoria SATB.ATTB (vv. 1-4, Latin) Melchior Vulpius SSSAATTT or AAATTTBB (vv. 1-4, Latin) Samuel Webbe SATB (vv. 1-5, Latin) Christopher Upton SATB (Double Anglican chant)

See also Super flumina Babylonis (Offertory) for settings of v. 1 as the Offertory for Pentecost XX.

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

• Elkanah Dare — Babylonian Captivity
• Alexander Gillet — Babylon (1786)
• Charles Gounod — Près du fleuve étranger (By Babylon's wave)
• Israel Holdroyd — Psalm 137
• V. Krupitsky — By the waters of Babylon
• Cristoforo Montemayor — Super flumina Babylonis a 8
• Didier Poncet — Assis le long des eaux
• Richard Quesnel — By the rivers of Babylon

Text and translations

Clementine Vulgate (Psalm 136) Latin text 1  Psalmus David, Jeremiae. Super flumina Babylonis illic sedimus et flevimus, cum recordaremur Sion. 2  In salicibus in medio ejus suspendimus organa nostra: 3  quia illic interrogaverunt nos, qui captivos duxerunt nos, verba cantionum; et qui abduxerunt nos: Hymnum cantate nobis de canticis Sion. 4  Quomodo cantabimus canticum Domini in terra aliena? 5  Si oblitus fuero tui, Jerusalem, oblivioni detur dextera mea. 6  Adhaereat lingua mea faucibus meis, si non meminero tui; si non proposuero Jerusalem in principio laetitiae meae. 7  Memor esto, Domine, filiorum Edom, in die Jerusalem: qui dicunt: Exinanite, exinanite usque ad fundamentum in ea. 8  Filia Babylonis misera! beatus qui retribuet tibi retributionem tuam quam retribuisti nobis. 9  Beatus qui tenebit, et allidet parvulos tuos ad petram.

Church of England 1662 Book of Common Prayer English text 1  By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept: when we remembered thee, O Sion. 2  As for our harps, we hanged them up: upon the trees that are therein. 3  For they that led us away captive required of us then a song, and melody in our heaviness: Sing us one of the songs of Sion. 4  How shall we sing the Lord's song: in a strange land? 5  If I forget thee, O Jerusalem: let my right hand forget her cunning. 6  If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth: yea, if I prefer not Jerusalem in my mirth. 7  Remember the children of Edom, O Lord, in the day of Jerusalem: how they said, Down with it, down with it, even to the ground. 8  O daughter of Babylon, wasted with misery: yea, happy shall he be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast served us. 9  Blessed shall he be that taketh thy children: and throweth them against the stones.

French metrical version by Clément Marot French text Estans assis aux rives aquatiques De Babylon, plorions mélancholiques, Nous souvenant du païs de Syon: Et au milieu de l'habitation, Où de regret tant de pleurs espandismes, Aux saules vers nos harpes nous pendismes Lors, ceulx qui là captifs nous emmenèrent, de les sonner fort nous importunèrent, Et de Syon les chansons réciter: Las, dismes nous, qui pourroit inciter Nos tristes cueurs à chanter la louange, De nostre Dieu, en une Terre estrange ? Or toutefoys, puisse oublier ma dextre L'art de harper, avant qu'on te voye estre Ierusalem, hors de mon souvenir: Ma langue puisse à mon palais tenir St je t'oublie, et si jamais ay joye, Tant que premier ta délivrance j'oye.

French version (A. Ory) French text Au bord des eaux de la cité païenne, Dans notre exil, nous partagions nos peines, Nous souvenant de toi, Jerusalem. Comment chanter tes psaumes immortels ? Aux peupliers nous suspendions nos harpes Peuple sans voix, brisé par tant de larmes.

French version (A. Quételart) French text Près du fleuve étranger, conduits par nos vainqueurs, Nous nous sommes assis, lassés de tant d'alarmes, Ton souvenir, Sion, a vibré dans nos cœurs, Et nous tournons vers toi nos yeux remplis de larmes ! Au saule incliné sur le bord Notre harpe qui se balance Mêle à nos pleurs, dans le silence, La voix de son plaintif accord. Au sein de leurs impures fêtes, Parmi leurs autels détestés, Nos tyrans nous ont dit : Chantez, chantez les chants sacrés de vos prophètes ! Seigneur, sous ce joug odieux, Séparés de nos lois antiques, Comment chanter tes saints cantiques Loin du temple de nos aïeux ! Jérusalem, chère patrie ! Que mon sang se glace en mes doigts, Que ma lèvre reste sans voix, Jérusalem ! Jérusalem ! Jérusalem ! Que ma lèvre reste sans voix, Jérusalem ! si je t'oublie. Malheur à toi ! fille de Babylone, Nous fuirons ton impur séjour ! Et l’Éternel brisant ton trône Fera pâlir ton dernier jour ! Tes ennemis, dans leur colère, Viendront, de leurs bras triomphants, A tes yeux, briser sur la pierre, Le front maudit de tes enfants. Malheur à toi, fille de Babylone, Malheur ! Malheur ! Malheur !

German text (Wolfgang Dachstein, modernized spelling) German text 1. An Wasserflüssen Babylon da saßen wir mit Schmerzen als wir gedachten an Zion, da weinten wir von Herzen. Wir hingen auf mit schwerem Mut die Harfen und die Orgeln gut an ihre Bäum der Weiden, die drinnen sind in ihrem Land; da mußten wir viel Schmach und Schand täglich von ihnen leiden. 2. Die uns gefangen hielten lang So hart an selben Orten Begehrten von uns ein Gesang Mit gar spöttlichen Worten Und suchten in der Traurigkeit Ein fröhlichn Gsang in unserm Leid Ach lieber tut uns singen Ein Lobgesang, ein Liedlein schon Von den Gedichten aus Zion, Das fröhlich tut erklingen. 3. Wie sollen wir in solchem Zwang Und Elend, jetzt vorhanden, Dem Herren singen ein Gesang Sogar in fremden Landen ? Jerusalem, vergiss ich dein, So wolle Gott, der G'rechte, mein Vergessen in meim Leben, Wenn ich nicht dein bleib eingedenk Mein Zunge sich oben ane häng Und bleib am Rachen kleben. 4. Ja, wenn ich nicht mit ganzem Fleiss, Jerusalem, dich ehre, Im Anfang meiner Freude Preis Von jetzt und immermehre, Gedenk der Kinder Edom sehr, Am Tag Jerusalem, o Herr, Die in der Bosheit sprechen: Reiss ab, reiss ab zu aller Stund, Vertilg sie gar bis auf den Grund, Den Boden wolln wir brechen! 5. Die schnöde Tochter Babylon, Zerbrochen und zerstöret, Wohl dem, der wird dir gebn den Lohn Und dir, das wiederkehret, Dein Übermut und Schalkheit gross, Und misst dir auch mit solchem Mass, Wie du uns hast gemessen; Wohl dem, der deine Kinder klein Erfasst und schlägt sie an ein Stein, Damit dein wird vergessen!

Hebrew text Hebrew text `Al naharót bavel sham yashavnu gam bachinu b'zochrénu et tsiyyón. `Al `aravim b'tóchah talinu kinnóróteinu. Ki sham sh'elunu shóveinu divrei shir v'tólaleinu simcha shiru lanu mishshir tsiyyón. Ech nashir et shir adónai `al admat néchar. Im eshkachéch y'rushalayim tishkach y'mini. Tidbaq l'shóni 1'chiki im ló ezk'réchi im ló a`ale et y'rushalayim `al rósh simchati. Z'chor adónai livnei edóm et yóm y'rushalayim haóm'rim `aru `aru `ad hay'sód bah. Bat bavel hashsh'duda ashrei shey'shallém lach et g'muléch shegamalt lanu. Ashrei sheyóchéz v'nipéts et `ólalayich el hassala!

Káldi fordítás Hungarian text A fogságban lévők siralom-éneke. Dávid (vagy) Jeremiás zsoltára. Babilon folyóvizei mellett, ott ültünk és sírtunk, midőn Sionról emlékezénk. A fűzfákra függesztettük benne hangszereinket. Mert ott, kik elvittek és fogságban tartottak minket, énekszót kivántak tőlünk: „Zengjetek nekünk éneket Sion énekeiből.“ Hogyan énekeljük az Úr énekét idegen földön? Ha elfeledkezem rólad, Jerusalem! legyen elfeledve jobb kezem. Torkomhoz ragadjon nyelvem, ha meg nem emlékezem rólad, ha nem teszem Jerusalemet fővígaságomnak. Emlékezzél meg, Uram! Édom fiairól Jerusalem napján, kik mondák: Pusztítsátok el, pusztítsátok el azt alapjáig. Babilon inséges leánya! boldog, ki visszaadja neked fizetésedet, melylyel te nekünk fizettél. Boldog, ki megragadja s a kősziklához csapja kisdedeidet.

Metrical 'Old Version' (William Whittingham) English text 1  When we did sit in Babylon The rivers round about, Then in remembrance of Zion The tears for grief burst out. 2  We hanged our harps and instruments The willow trees upon: For in that place men for their use Had planted many one. 3  Then they to whom we pris'ners were Said to us tauntingly, Now let us hear your Hebrew songs And pleasant melody. 4  Alas! said we, who can once frame His heavy heart to sing The praises of our living God, Thus under a strange king? 5  But yet if I Jerusalem Out of my heart let slide; Then let my fingers quite forget The warbling harp to guide: 6  And let my tongue within my mouth Be tied for ever fast, If I rejoice before I see Thy full deliv'rance past. 7  Therefore, O Lord, remember now The cursèd noise and cry That Edom's sons against us made, When they razed our city. 8  Remember, Lord, their cruel words, When with a mighty sound They cried; Down. yea, down with it Unto the very ground. 9  E'en so shalt thou, O Babylon, At length to dust be brought; And happy shall that man be called, That our revenge hath wrought: 10  Yea, blessèd shall that man be called, That takes thy little ones, And dasheth them in pieces small Against the very stones.

Metrical 'New Version' (Tate/Brady) English text 1  When we, our wearied limbs to rest, Sat down by proud Euphrates' stream, We wept, with doleful thoughts oppress'd, And Sion was our mournful theme. 2  Our harps, that when with joy we sung Were wont their tuneful parts to bear, With silent strings neglected hung On willow trees that wither'd there. 3  Meanwhile our foes, who all conspir'd To triumph in our slavish wrongs, Musick and mirth of us requir'd; Come, sing us one of Sion s songs. 4  How shall we tune our voice to sing Or touch our harps with skilful hands? Shall hymns of joy to God our King Be sung by slaves in foreign lands? 5  O Salem, our once happy seat, When I of thee forgetful prove, Let then my trembling hand forget The speaking strings with art to move! 6  If I to mention thee forbear, Eternal silence seize my tongue; Or if I sing one cheerful air, Till thy deliv'rance is my song! 7  Remember, Lord, how Edom's race, In thy own city's fatal day, Cried out, Her stately walls deface, And with the ground quite level lay. 8  Proud Babel's daughter, doom'd to be Of grief and woe the wretched prey; Bless'd is the man who shall to thee The wrongs thou lay'st on us repay. 9  Thrice blest, who with just rage possest, And deaf to all the parents' moans, Shall snatch thy infants from the breast, And dash their heads against the stones.

Metrical Paraphrase by Joel Barlow, 1785 English text 1. Along the banks where Babel's current flows, Our captive bands in deep despondence strayed; While Zion's fall in sad remembrance rose, Her friends, her children, mingled with the dead. 2. The tuneless harp that once with joy we strung, When praise employed and mirth inspired the lay, In mournful silence on the willows hung, And growing grief prolonged the tedious day. 3. The barbarous tyrants, to increase the woe, With taunting smiles a song of Zion claim: Bid sacred praise in strains melodious flow, While they blaspheme the great Jehovah's name. 4. But how, in heathen chains and lands unknown, Shall Israel's sons a song of Zion raise? O hapless Salem, God's terrestrial throne, Thou land of glory, sacred mount of praise. 5. If ever my memory lose thy lovely name, If my cold heart neglect my kindred race, Let dire destruction seize this guilty frame: My hand shall perish, and my voice shall cease. 6. Yet shall the Lord, who hears when Zion calls, O'ertake her foes with terror and dismay, His arm avenge her desolated walls, And raise her children to eternal day.

Paraphrase by Thomas Carew, ca. 1640

English text Sitting by the streams that glide Down by Babel’s towering wall, With our tears we filled the tide, While our mindful thoughts recall Thee, O Zion, and thy fall. Our neglected harps unstrung, Not acquainted with the hand Of the skillful tuner, hung On the willow trees that stand Planted in the neighbor land. Yet the spiteful foe commands Songs of mirth, and bids us lay To dumb harps our captive hands, And to scoff our sorrows, say, Sing us some sweet Hebrew lay.

But, say we, our holy strain Is too pure for heathen land, Nor may we God's hymns profane, Or move either voice or hand To delight a savage band. Holy Salem, if thy love Fall from my forgetful heart, May the skill by which I move Strings of music, tuned with art, From my withered hand depart. May my speechless tongue give sound To no accents, but remain To my prison roof fast bound, If my sad soul entertain Mirth, till thou rejoice again.

In that day remember, Lord, Edom's breed, that in our groans They triumph—with fire and sword Burn their city, hearse their bones, And make all one heap of stones. Cruel Babel, thou shalt feel The revenger of our groans, When the happy victor's steel, As thine our's, shall hew thy bones, And make all one heap of stones. Men shall bless the hand that tears From the mother's soft embraces Sucking infants, and besmears, With their brains, the rugged faces Of the rocks, and stony places.