Psalm 137:1-4
“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows in its midst, we hung up our harps. For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs. Those who tormented us demanded mirth, singing, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!" How can we sing Yahweh’s song in a foreign land?”
This psalm is a lament from the Babylonian exile, a time when many Israelites had been forcibly removed from their homeland, Judah, after Jerusalem and its Temple were destroyed. It reflects the deep grief and disorientation of a people far from home, struggling to maintain their identity and faith.
What does it mean to refuse to share something precious when faced with mocking curiosity?