Psalms 137:7 Meaning: A Cry for God's Justice on Edom
Remember, Yahweh, against the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem, who said, “Raze it! Raze it even to its foundation!”
Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
Remember, O Jehovah, against the children of Edom The day of Jerusalem; Who said, Rase it, rase it, Even to the foundation thereof.
Remember, Jehovah, for the sons of Edom, The day of Jerusalem, Those saying, `Rase, rase to its foundation!'
Remember, O Jehovah, against the sons of Edom, the day of Jerusalem; who said, Lay [it] bare, Lay [it] bare, down to its foundation!
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 137:7 calls on God to remember Edom's cruelty at Jerusalem's fall.
Context
Psalm 137 is one of the rawest songs in Scripture. Jewish exiles in Babylon, their homeland in ashes, sit by the rivers and weep. They hang their harps on willows, unable to sing joyful songs in a foreign land. In the first six verses the psalmist vows never to forget Jerusalem. Then verse 7 turns to Edom.
Edom was Israel's relative, descendants of Esau, brother of Jacob. But when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC, the Edomites didn't just watch. They cheered. They called for the city to be razed to its foundation. This prayer is a cry from deep pain, not a calm reflection. The psalmist brings that cruelty before God and asks Him to remember.
Key Words
Two Hebrew words carry the weight here. The first is zakhar, to remember. In the Old Testament, when God remembers, He acts. He remembers His covenant and delivers; He remembers sin and judges. So when the psalmist says “Remember, Yahweh,” he is not asking God to pull up a memory. He is begging God to step into history and set things right.
The second word is arah, to lay bare, to make naked. The Edomites did not just want Jerusalem conquered. They wanted it scraped down to nothing. The word echoes their violence: uncover the city, expose it, leave it helpless. The psalmist uses their own harsh words as evidence before God. He does not add anything. He simply holds up what they said and asks God to see.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have read this verse with different eyes. Some early interpreters, like Augustine, saw the prayer as pointing beyond human enemies to the spiritual city of the world that opposes God. Reformers such as John Calvin understood it as a legitimate appeal for God to vindicate His covenant people. Many modern believers feel a tension between this cry for judgment and Jesus’ command to love enemies.
Yet across traditions, a common thread appears: the psalmist takes his pain to God rather than acting on his own. He hands the matter over. This verse invites us to bring even our hardest feelings into God’s presence, trusting Him to be the just Judge who sees all and will make all things right.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading assumes this verse is a personal curse, the psalmist taking revenge into his own hands. In fact, he does the opposite. He does not shout at Edom or try to harm them. He turns to God and says, “You remember.” He entrusts the injustice to the only One who sees completely and judges rightly. This is a cry of faith, not a license for personal vengeance.
Main takeaway: We can bring our deepest pain and anger to God, trusting His justice instead of taking revenge into our own hands.
Questions People Ask
What does 'remember' mean in Psalm 137:7?
In Hebrew, the word zakhar means more than mental recall. It implies action, God seeing, acknowledging, and responding. When the psalmist asks God to remember Edom, he is calling on God to bring justice for what they did.
Why is the psalmist praying against Edom specifically?
Edom was Israel’s neighbor and relative through Esau. When Babylon destroyed Jerusalem, the Edomites not only rejoiced but actively urged the destruction and helped the Babylonians. The prophets, like Obadiah, had already condemned them. The psalmist calls on God to hold Edom accountable for their cruelty.
How does this verse fit with Jesus' command to love our enemies?
This is a challenging question. The psalm expresses real pain and a desire for God’s justice. Jesus’ teaching to love enemies does not forbid us from being honest about wrongs or from asking God to intervene. The key difference is that the psalmist entrusts vengeance to God rather than taking it himself. Christians have understood imprecatory psalms as a way to bring raw emotions to God while trusting His timing and mercy.
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