Psalms 137
A lament of exiles longing for Jerusalem in Babylon.
Psalm 137 opens with one of Scripture's most vivid laments, exiles who "sat down, yea, we wept" beside the rivers of Babylon and hung their harps on the willows. It stands in sharp contrast to the joyful mercy refrain of Psalms 136, shifting from praise to grief.
The `title of the hundrid and seuene and thrittithe salm. `To Dauith him silf. Lord, Y schal knouleche to thee in al myn herte; for thou herdist the wordis of my mouth. Mi God, Y schal singe to thee in the siyt of aungels;
Y schal worschipe to thin hooli temple, and Y schal knouleche to thi name. On thi merci and thi treuthe; for thou hast magnefied thin hooli name aboue al thing.
In what euere dai Y schal inwardli clepe thee, here thou me; thou schalt multipli vertu in my soule.
Lord, alle the kingis of erthe knouleche to thee; for thei herden alle the wordis of thi mouth.
And singe thei in the weies of the Lord; for the glorie of the Lord is greet.
For the Lord is hiy, and biholdith meke thingis; and knowith afer hiy thingis.
If Y schal go in the myddil of tribulacioun, thou schalt quikene me; and thou stretchidist forth thin hond on the ire of myn enemyes, and thi riyt hond made me saaf.
The Lord schal yelde for me, Lord, thi merci is with outen ende; dispise thou not the werkis of thin hondis.