Psalm 136 verses 11-12

Isaiah's vision of the destruction of Babylon
Gustave Dore

The final verses of Psalm 136 are perhaps most importantly interpreted for the Christian as relating to the spiritual warfare we must all wage against the world, the flesh and the devil, as the commentaries below explain.

11	V	Fília babylónis mísera: * beátus, qui retríbuet tibi retributiónem tuam, quam retribuísti nobis.
	NV	Filia Babylonis devastans, beatus, qui retribuet tibi retributionem tuam, quam retribuisti nobis;
	JH	Filia Babylonis uastata ; beatus qui retribuet tibi uicissitudinem tuam quam retribuisti nobis.
		θυγάτηρ Βαβυλῶνος ἡ ταλαίπωρος μακάριος ὃς ἀνταποδώσει σοι τὸ ἀνταπόδομά σου ὃ ἀνταπέδωκας ἡμῖν

Filia (the daughter) Babylonis (of Babylon) misera (miserable)! beatus (happy/blessed) qui (who) retribuet (he shall repay) tibi (to you) retributionem (the reward/recompense) tuam (you) quam (which) retribuisti (you have rendered) nobis (to us) 

miser, era, erum, wretched, miserable

beatus, a, um happy, blessed ,fortunate

retribuo, tribui, tributum, ere 3, to repay, requite, reward, recompense, render; give back, return; make requital for

retributio, onis, f.  reward, recompense, requital, either as a reward or punishment

DR	O daughter of Babylon, miserable: blessed shall he be who shall repay you your payment which you have paid us.
Cover	O daughter of Babylon, wasted with misery, yea, happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
Brenton	Wretched daughter of Babylon! blessed shall he be who shall reward thee as thou hast rewarded us.
Knox	Babylon, pitiless queen, blessed be the man who deals out to thee the measure thou hast dealt to us;

Cassiodorus comments:

"Our flesh is aptly called the daughter of Babylon, for it is known to heap confusion of sins upon us. The appropriate epithet is bestowed upon her; she is called wretched. What more wretched outcome could there be than that our frail possession should wax haughty after deeds so monstrous, and by means of unlawful lusts should pierce our souls with the wounds of sins? As Paul says: The flesh lusteth against the spirit.' But having mentioned the daughter of Babylon, they maintain that a most just repayment is to be rendered to her, so that just as unbridled living rouses us to vices, so when the flesh is subdued by fasting and afflictions, we can make it subject to the virtues. We render a worthy repayment to the flesh so that it may perform under compulsion what it neglects to fulfil in its pleasures. It is the blessed who render such retribution to the flesh, so that after it has impelled them to sin it may by God's help be guided to glory."

12	V/NV	Beátus qui tenébit, * et allídet párvulos tuos ad petram.
	JH	Beatus qui tenebit et allidet paruulos tuos ad petram.
		μακάριος ὃς κρατήσει καὶ ἐδαφιεῖ τὰ νήπιά σου πρὸς τὴν πέτραν

Beatus (blessed/happy) qui (who) tenebit (he will hold/seize), et (and) allidet (he will strike/dash against) parvulos (the little ones/children) tuos (your) ad (at/against) petram (the rock)

teneo, ui, tentum, ere 2, to hold, hold fast, seize.

allido lisi lisum ere 3 1. to strike or dash against 2. to cast down through misfortune or affliction

parvulus, a, um , small, little. Of age: little, youthful, young. children, little ones,  the simple, the guileless,

petra -ae f 1.  rock 2. place of safety

DR	Blessed be he that shall take and dash your little ones against the rock.
Cover	Blessed shall he be that taketh thy children, and throweth them against the stones.
Brenton	Blessed shall he be who shall seize and dash thine infants against the rock.
Knox	blessed be the man who will catch up thy children, and dash them against the rocks!
RSV	Happy shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!

I noted in the introduction to this psalm that St Benedict cites this verse in teaching us how to deal with temptations.  He was here, I suspect, drawing particularly on St Augustine's exposition which sees the 'children' in question as evil thoughts or temptations:

"What are the little ones of Babylon? Evil desires at their birth. For there are, who have to fight with inveterate lusts. When lust is born, before evil habit gives it strength against you, when lust is little, by no means let it gain the strength of evil habit; when it is little, dash it. But you fear, lest though dashed it die not; Dash it against the Rock; and that Rock is Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:4"

And it is this interpretation, I think, that makes this psalm so appropriate for Wednesday in the Office: we are all potential Judas'; our salvation lies in resisting evil with the help of Christ, not succumbing to it.

All the same, we shouldn't altogether lose sight of its literal meaning, for St Robert Bellarmine's commentary should put us in mind of the dreadful fate of Judas, as a prototype of all those who seek to tear down the Church:

"All this has a spiritual meaning. First, in an allegorical sense, looking upon the Idumeans as the Jews, and the Babylonians as the pagans; for, in point of fact, it was the pagans that principally sought to tear up the Church of Christ from its very foundations, and that on the suggestion, counsel, and exhortation of the Jews; for it was upon the charges made by the Jews, that the pagans passed sentence of death on Christ. Herod put St. James to death, and bound St. Peter with chains, "seeing it was agreeable to the Jews;" and the same Jews did all that in them lay, to get the Romans to put St. Paul to death. In various other places, and at various other times, the same Jews "stirred up and incensed the minds of the Gentiles against the brethren," as we read in the Acts; but God "remembered" both Jews and Gentiles, to punish the one and the other. He razed their chief city, upset their kingdom, and scattered themselves all over the world..."

Psalm 136 – Super flumina

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Psalmus David, Jeremiæ
1 Super flúmina Babylónis, illic sédimus et flévimus: * cum recordarémur Sion:	Upon the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept: when we remembered Sion:
2  In salícibus in médio ejus, * suspéndimus órgana nostra.	2 On the willows in the midst thereof we hung up our instruments.
3  Quia illic interrogavérunt nos, qui captívos duxérunt nos, * verba cantiónum.	3 For there they that led us into captivity required of us the words of songs.
4  Et qui abduxérunt nos: * Hymnum cantáte nobis de cánticis Sion.	And they that carried us away, said: Sing to us a hymn of the songs of Sion.
5  Quómodo cantábimus cánticum Dómini * in terra aliéna?	4 How shall we sing the song of the Lord in a strange land?
6  Si oblítus fúero tui, Jerúsalem, * oblivióni detur déxtera mea.	5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten.
7  Adhæreat lingua mea fáucibus meis, * si non memínero tui.	6 Let my tongue cleave to my jaws, if I do not remember you:
8  Si non proposúero Jerúsalem, * in princípio lætítiæ meæ.	If I make not Jerusalem the beginning of my joy.
9  Memor esto, Dómine, filiórum Edom, * in die Jerúsalem.	7 Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom, in the day of Jerusalem:
10  Qui dicunt: Exinaníte, exinaníte * usque ad fundaméntum in ea.	Who say: Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
11  Fília Babylónis mísera: * beátus, qui retríbuet tibi retributiónem tuam, quam retribuísti nobis.	8 O daughter of Babylon, miserable: blessed shall he be who shall repay you your payment which you have paid us.
12  Beátus qui tenébit, * et allídet párvulos tuos ad petram.	9 Blessed be he that shall take and dash your little ones against the rock.

And that is the last post on Psalm 136.  You can find some notes on the final psalm of Wednesday Vespers, Psalm 137, here.

Psalm 136 verses 9-10

Destruction of Jerusalem
c1413 - 1415

In the previous verses of Psalm 136, the exiles gave a rather reluctant hymn of praise to Jerusalem, cursing themselves if they don't put the things of God above all else.  Here though they turn back to the memory of what was done to that city, and that fate of all those who seek to destroy the true and good.

9	V	Memor esto, Dómine, filiórum edom, * in die jerúsalem.
	NV	Memor esto, Domine, adversus filios Edom diei Ierusalem;
	JH	Memento, Domine, filiorum Edom in die Hierusalem;
		μνήσθητι κύριε τῶν υἱῶν Εδωμ τὴν ἡμέραν Ιερουσαλημ

Memor (mindful of) esto (be), Domine (O Lord), filiorum (of the sons) Edom, in die (in the day) Jerusalem

The Edomites were one of Israel's traditional foes - for their hostility at the time of the fall of Jerusalem see for example Ezekiel 25:14 &14: 35.

memor, oris  mindful of, thoughtful of; to remember, call to mind, think of, take thought for, recall, recount, etc.

dies, ei, m. and f fem.   a day, the natural day

DR	Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom, in the day of Jerusalem:
Cover	Remember the children of Edom, O Lord, in the day of Jerusalem
Brenton	Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem

'Remember' is an injunction to God, a call for justice to be done.  And indeed, where now are the Babylonians?

10	V	Qui dicunt: exinaníte, exinaníte * usque ad fundaméntum in ea.
	NV	qui dicebant: “ Exinanite, exinanite usque ad fundamentum in ea ”.
	JH	dicentium, Euacuate, euacuate usque ad fundamentum eius.
		τῶν λεγόντων ἐκκενοῦτε ἐκκενοῦτεἕως ὁ θεμέλιος ἐν αὐτῇ

qui (who) dicunt (they said): Exinanite (exterminate/destroy), exinanite usque (as far as) ad (to) fundamentum  the foundations) in ea (in it). 

exinanio ivi itum ire 1. to empty, exhaust 2. to rase, destroy, ruin utterly

usque, adv., to, up to, as far as; till, as far as; to express an extreme degree

fundamentum, i, n., that upon which anything is founded or stands, a foundation

DR	Who say: Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
Cover	how they said, Down with it, down with it, even to the ground.
Brenton	who said, Rase it, rase it, even to its foundations.

These foes of the city were not, it is clear, proponents of 'tolerance' in any sense: rather, we are reminded that however evil might dress itself up, it is utterly at odds with the heavenly city, for evil never 'tolerates' the good.

Psalm 136 – Super flumina

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Psalmus David, Jeremiæ
1 Super flúmina Babylónis, illic sédimus et flévimus: * cum recordarémur Sion:	Upon the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept: when we remembered Sion:
2  In salícibus in médio ejus, * suspéndimus órgana nostra.	2 On the willows in the midst thereof we hung up our instruments.
3  Quia illic interrogavérunt nos, qui captívos duxérunt nos, * verba cantiónum.	3 For there they that led us into captivity required of us the words of songs.
4  Et qui abduxérunt nos: * Hymnum cantáte nobis de cánticis Sion.	And they that carried us away, said: Sing to us a hymn of the songs of Sion.
5  Quómodo cantábimus cánticum Dómini * in terra aliéna?	4 How shall we sing the song of the Lord in a strange land?
6  Si oblítus fúero tui, Jerúsalem, * oblivióni detur déxtera mea.	5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten.
7  Adhæreat lingua mea fáucibus meis, * si non memínero tui.	6 Let my tongue cleave to my jaws, if I do not remember you:
8  Si non proposúero Jerúsalem, * in princípio lætítiæ meæ.	If I make not Jerusalem the beginning of my joy.
9  Memor esto, Dómine, filiórum Edom, * in die Jerúsalem.	7 Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom, in the day of Jerusalem:
10  Qui dicunt: Exinaníte, exinaníte * usque ad fundaméntum in ea.	Who say: Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
11  Fília Babylónis mísera: * beátus, qui retríbuet tibi retributiónem tuam, quam retribuísti nobis.	8 O daughter of Babylon, miserable: blessed shall he be who shall repay you your payment which you have paid us.
12  Beátus qui tenébit, * et allídet párvulos tuos ad petram.	9 Blessed be he that shall take and dash your little ones against the rock.

The next part of this series can be found here.

Psalm 136 verses 5-8

Delacroix

Verses 5-8 of Psalm 136 remind us of where our priorities must lie.

5	V/NV	Quómodo cantábimus cánticum dómini * in terra aliéna?
		πῶς ᾄσωμεν τὴν ᾠδὴν κυρίου ἐπὶ γῆς ἀλλοτρίας

Quomodo (how) cantabimus (we shall sing) canticum (a/the song) Domini (of the Lord) in terra (on land) aliena (alien/strange)?

quomodo, adv. interrog., how? in what manner? in what way?, how greatly!

alienus i m 1. strange, not one's own  2. a stranger in a hostile, unfriendly sense; a proud or insolent enemy

DR	How shall we sing the song of the Lord in a strange land?
Cover	How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?
Brenton	How should we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?

The initial response of the exiles is to reject their captors request for a song: how can they, who are so heartsick possibly sing as if they are happy; how can they expose their worship to ridicule?  We as sinners in exile from our heavenly home might similarly feel reluctant to share our faith lest we be thought hypocrites, or made fun of.

6	V/NV	Si oblítus fúero tui, jerúsalem, * oblivióni detur déxtera mea.
	JH	Si oblitus fuero tui, Hierusalem, in obliuione sit dextera mea.
		ἐὰν ἐπιλάθωμαί σου Ιερουσαλημ ἐπιλησθείη ἡ δεξιά μου

Si (if) oblitus fuero (I will forget) tui (you), Jerusalem, oblivioni (forgotten) detur dextera (right hand) mea (my)

ie Should the person give in to his captures and play, let his hand become paralyzed so it cannot play any more.

obliviscor, oblitus sum, oblivisci to forget

oblivio, onis, f oblivion, a state of being forgotten;  forgetfulness, i.e., aptness to forget, or a being forgotten
dexter, tera, terum; the right hand.

DR	If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten.
Cover	If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
Brenton	If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill

Some commentators see it as paradoxical, in the light of the previous verses, that the exiles now do indeed sing of Sion.  In reality though this is surely our proper response: even though we may feel far from God, even though the Church around us may seem to be in ruins, we must be more fervent than ever in asserting our attachment to heaven.

7	V/NV	Adhæreat lingua mea fáucibus meis, * si non memínero tui.
	JH	Adhaereat lingua mea gutturi meo, si non recordatus fuero tui,
		κολληθείη ἡ γλῶσσά μου τῷ λάρυγγί μου ἐὰν μή σου μνησθῶ ἐὰν

Adhæreat (let it cling/adhere) lingua (the tongue) mea (my) faucibus (jaws) meis (to me), si (if) non (not) meminero (I will remember) tui (you)

adhaereo, haesi, haesum, ere 2, to adhere to, cleave to;  to cling to, hold fast to.

lingua, ae, f., the tongue; language, speech, tongue; plan, council

fauces, ium f.  throat; jaws

guttur, is, n., the throat

memini, nisse  to remember, be mindful of;

DR	Let my tongue cleave to my jaws, if I do not remember you:
Cover	If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth
Brenton	May my tongue cleave to my throat, if I do not remember thee

The Navarre Commentary notes that there is something of a play on words here:

"To forget Jerusalem would be the same thing as to forget the Lord. The Hebrew has a play on words (not evident here): the psalmist expresses the wish that if he should forget Zion, then "let my right hand wither", that is, be deprived of God's strength and be unable to play the lyre. He also wants to be struck dumb, to be prevented from singing the songs of the Lord, if he was ever to forget the mercy He manifested in the temple. These words remind us of the need to have a lively desire to reach the happiness of heaven; there we will find all the consolation we desire..."

8	V/JH	Si non proposúero jerúsalem, * in princípio lætítiæ meæ.
	NV	si non praeposuero Ierusalem in capite laetitiae meae.
		μὴ προανατάξωμαιτὴν Ιερουσαλημ ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς εὐφροσύνης μου

si (if) non (not) proposuero (I will prefer) Jerusalem in principio (in the beginning/summation) lætitiæ (of the joy) meæ (of me)

propono posui positum ere 3 1. to set or place before 2.  to prefer, give preference to

principium, ii, n.  the beginning; the sum, substance, content; sovereignty, princely, power, dominion

laetitia, ae, f. joy, gladness

DR	If I make not Jerusalem the beginning of my joy.
Cover	yea, if I prefer not Jerusalem in my mirth.
Brenton	if I do not prefer Jerusalem as the chief of my joy.

Joy is our protection against persecution, humiliation, sin and false worship.

Psalm 136 – Super flumina

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Psalmus David, Jeremiæ
1 Super flúmina Babylónis, illic sédimus et flévimus: * cum recordarémur Sion:	Upon the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept: when we remembered Sion:
2  In salícibus in médio ejus, * suspéndimus órgana nostra.	2 On the willows in the midst thereof we hung up our instruments.
3  Quia illic interrogavérunt nos, qui captívos duxérunt nos, * verba cantiónum.	3 For there they that led us into captivity required of us the words of songs.
4  Et qui abduxérunt nos: * Hymnum cantáte nobis de cánticis Sion.	And they that carried us away, said: Sing to us a hymn of the songs of Sion.
5  Quómodo cantábimus cánticum Dómini * in terra aliéna?	4 How shall we sing the song of the Lord in a strange land?
6  Si oblítus fúero tui, Jerúsalem, * oblivióni detur déxtera mea.	5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten.
7  Adhæreat lingua mea fáucibus meis, * si non memínero tui.	6 Let my tongue cleave to my jaws, if I do not remember you:
8  Si non proposúero Jerúsalem, * in princípio lætítiæ meæ.	If I make not Jerusalem the beginning of my joy.
9  Memor esto, Dómine, filiórum Edom, * in die Jerúsalem.	7 Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom, in the day of Jerusalem:
10  Qui dicunt: Exinaníte, exinaníte * usque ad fundaméntum in ea.	Who say: Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
11  Fília Babylónis mísera: * beátus, qui retríbuet tibi retributiónem tuam, quam retribuísti nobis.	8 O daughter of Babylon, miserable: blessed shall he be who shall repay you your payment which you have paid us.
12  Beátus qui tenébit, * et allídet párvulos tuos ad petram.	9 Blessed be he that shall take and dash your little ones against the rock.

You can find the next part in this series here.