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Election 2026

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Psalm 137 in Hebrew and English

9 verses, about 1 minute to read aloud. The Hebrew has its vowel points and the English stands under each verse.

The text of the psalm

עַל נַהֲרוֹת בָּבֶל שָׁם יָשַׁבְנוּ גַּם־בָּכִינוּ בְּזָכְרֵנוּ אֶת־צִיּֽוֹן׃

By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept, When we remembered Zion.

עַל־עֲרָבִים בְּתוֹכָהּ תָּלִינוּ כִּנֹּרוֹתֵֽינוּ׃

Upon the willows in the midst thereof We hanged up our harps.

כִּי שָׁם שְׁאֵלוּנוּ שׁוֹבֵינוּ דִּבְרֵי־שִׁיר וְתוֹלָלֵינוּ שִׂמְחָה שִׁירוּ לָנוּ מִשִּׁיר צִיּֽוֹן׃

For there they that led us captive asked of us words of song, And our tormentors asked of us mirth: ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion.'

אֵיךְ נָשִׁיר אֶת־שִׁיר־יְהוָה עַל אַדְמַת נֵכָֽר׃

How shall we sing the LORD’S song In a foreign land?

אִם־אֶשְׁכָּחֵךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָם תִּשְׁכַּח יְמִינִֽי׃

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget her cunning.

תִּדְבַּק־לְשׁוֹנִי לְחִכִּי אִם־לֹא אֶזְכְּרֵכִי אִם־לֹא אַעֲלֶה אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַם עַל רֹאשׁ שִׂמְחָתִֽי׃

Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, If I remember thee not; If I set not Jerusalem Above my chiefest joy.

זְכֹר יְהוָה לִבְנֵי אֱדוֹם אֵת יוֹם יְרוּשָׁלִָם הָאֹמְרִים עָרוּ עָרוּ עָד הַיְסוֹד בָּֽהּ׃

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

בַּת־בָּבֶל הַשְּׁדוּדָה אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁיְשַׁלֶּם־לָךְ אֶת־גְּמוּלֵךְ שֶׁגָּמַלְתְּ לָֽנוּ׃

O daughter of Babylon, that art to be destroyed; Happy shall he be, that repayeth thee As thou hast served us.

אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁיֹּאחֵז וְנִפֵּץ אֶת־עֹלָלַיִךְ אֶל־הַסָּֽלַע׃

Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones Against the rock.

The Hebrew is the Leningrad Codex, compared with a second edition letter by letter. The English is the Jewish Publication Society translation of 1917, in the public domain.

Where this psalm is read

  • The fifth of the five books of Psalms
  • Read in the monthly cycle on day 28 of the Hebrew month
  • Read in the weekly cycle on Shabbat
  • Part of the Tikkun HaKlali
  • 9 verses, 84 words, about 1 minute to read

Psalms that are read with this one

All 150 psalms and today's reading·Prayers by the time they are said

Questions about this psalm

How many verses does Psalm 137 have?

Psalm 137 has 9 verses and 84 words.

On which day is Psalm 137 read in the monthly and weekly cycles?

In the monthly cycle it is read on day 28 of the Hebrew month, and in the weekly cycle on Shabbat.

Whose name is in the heading of Psalm 137?

Psalm 137 has no heading in the Hebrew text. It opens straight into its first verse.

How long does it take to read Psalm 137?

About 1 minute, at a steady pace.