Psalms 137:7
Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The word "lay it bare" is a powerful, raw image, not just about destruction, but a visceral desire to strip away everything, leaving nothing behind but the stark, exposed foundations. This wasn't just demolition; it was a call for utter annihilation, a profound, almost celebratory, act of making the city naked and vulnerable.
This psalm is sung by the exiled Israelites in Babylon, deeply lamenting their captivity and longing for Jerusalem. Here, they recall the brutal destruction of their city, specifically naming the Edomites for their cruel participation and encouragement of Babylon's forces as Jerusalem was torn down to its very foundations. The prayer for remembrance and retribution against these enemies sets the stage for the imprecations against Babylon itself that follow in the psalm.
Have you ever felt betrayed by someone you expected kindness from? This verse points to a deep wound inflicted not just by enemies, but by those who should have been kin.
Psalm 137:7 cries out to God about the Edomites, who were descendants of Esau, Jacob's twin brother. Their actions during Jerusalem's fall were particularly brutal and gleeful.
A Shared Heritage, A Bitter Betrayal
The call to 'remember' can sound harsh. What does it truly mean when a believer asks God to remember the wrong done to them?
When the Psalmist cries, 'Remember, O LORD,' it’s not a plea for petty, personal revenge. It's a prayer for divine justice and a recognition of God's sovereign right to judge.
God's Justice and Our Hope
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God revealed to Israel. It signifies His eternal self-existence, His faithfulness to His promises, and His intimate relationship with His people.
'Ĕdōm · Hebrew Noun
The descendants of Esau, brother of Jacob; they represent a historical rival and hostile neighbor to Israel. In prophetic literature, they are often used as an archetype of those who despise God's people and rejoice in their suffering.
The Psalmist's cry in Psalm 137:7 is deeply rooted in the historical animosity between the Edomites and Israelites. The Edomites, descendants of Esau (Jacob's brother), actively participated in and even encouraged the brutal destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, a betrayal that the Psalmist remembers and calls God to judge.
c. 845 BC
Prophecy Against Edom
The prophet Obadiah delivers a prophecy denouncing the Edomites for their actions against Judah and predicting their future destruction.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon begins deporting Judeans to Babylon, including members of the royal family and elite. This marks the start of the Babylonian exile.
587/586 BC— this verse
Fall and Destruction of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar's armies destroy Jerusalem and its temple, exiling most of the remaining population to Babylon. The Edomites are noted for their active participation and hostility during this event.
c. 540 BC
Exile Songs Composed
During the Babylonian exile, the people of Judah compose laments and songs, such as Psalm 137, reflecting on their loss and expressing their deep sorrow and anger.
This passage directly calls out the Edomites for their cruelty and betrayal against their own kin, the Israelites, during Jerusalem's fall, echoing the sentiment of Psalm 137:7.
Lamentations 4:21-22Similar to Psalm 137, Lamentations speaks of Edom's exultation over Judah's downfall and prophesies their own judgment, highlighting the deep-seated animosity mentioned in the verse.
Ezekiel 25:12-13God pronounces judgment on Edom for their vengeful actions against Judah, stating that He will lay His hand on them and make them a desolation, aligning with the Psalmist's prayer for remembrance and retribution.
Jeremiah 49:7-10This prophecy addresses Edom directly, questioning their wisdom and foretelling their destruction, which resonates with the judgment invoked in Psalm 137:7 against their hostile actions.
ellicottPsalms 137:7: "Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof."
(7) Remember . . .— Remember, Jehovah, for the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem. The prophecy of Obadiah gives the best comment on this verse: “For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever. In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his for…
clarkePsalms 137:7: "Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof."
Remember - the children of Edom - It appears from Jeremiah 12:6 ; Jeremiah 25:14 ; Lamentations 4:21 , Lamentations 4:22 ; Ezekiel 25:12 ; Obadiah 1:11-14 ; that the Idumeans joined the army of Nebuchadnezzar against their brethren the Jews; and that they were main instruments in rasing the walls of Jerusalem even to the ground.
The word "lay it bare" is a powerful, raw image, not just about destruction, but a visceral desire to strip away everything, leaving nothing behind but the stark, exposed foundations. This wasn't just demolition; it was a call for utter annihilation, a profound, almost celebratory, act of making the city naked and vulnerable.
This psalm is sung by the exiled Israelites in Babylon, deeply lamenting their captivity and longing for Jerusalem. Here, they recall the brutal destruction of their city, specifically naming the Edomites for their cruel participation and encouragement of Babylon's forces as Jerusalem was torn down to its very foundations. The prayer for remembrance and retribution against these enemies sets the stage for the imprecations against Babylon itself that follow in the psalm.
This psalm is sung by the exiled Israelites in Babylon, deeply lamenting their captivity and longing for Jerusalem. Here, they recall the brutal destruction of their city, specifically naming the Edomites for their cruel participation and encouragement of Babylon's forces as Jerusalem was torn down to its very foundations. The prayer for remembrance and retribution against these enemies sets the stage for the imprecations against Babylon itself that follow in the psalm.
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539 BC
Fall of Babylon
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylon, ending the Babylonian Empire. This event paves the way for the return of the exiles to Jerusalem.
"Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”" — The word "lay it bare" is a powerful, raw image, not just about destruction, but a visceral desire to strip away everything, leaving nothing behind but the stark, exposed foundations. This wasn't jus…
