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Expanded Comments | Additional Comments |
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| 1 By the rivers of Babylon, there, we sat down, yea we wept–when we remembered Zion: |
Rivers of Babylon – Defiled by the mire of worldliness and error. R497:6
Yea, we wept – Fleshly Israel, after the overturn of their kingdom. B83
Remembered Zion – God's favor to Zion in the past. R497:6
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| 2 Upon the willows–in the midst thereof, hanged we our lyres: |
Hanged our harps – Laid aside the harps of God. R497:6
Take down your harps; flee from Babylon into full liberty of thought and expression; tune your harps and sing the song of Moses and the Lamb. R497:6
Upon the willows – Weeping over the grave of truth. R497:6
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| 3 For, there, our captors asked of us words of song, and our plunderers–gladness,–Sing us of the songs of Zion! |
They that carried – The Babylonian system. R497:6
Required of us mirth – Babylon would like to see Zion's captives happy in the midst of her worldliness. R497:6
Songs of Zion – That she might boast of the Lord's favor. R497:6
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| 4 How shall we sing the song of Yahweh, on a foreign soil? |
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| 5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, Let my right-hand forget: |
If I forget thee – It is pleasing to note that in the land of their captivity Israel was reclaimed from idolatry so thoroughly as never to return to it again. R1483:3
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| 6 Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember thee! if I do not lift up Jerusalem above the head of mine own gladness. |
Remember thee – The spirit of praise is cultivated by calling to mind and recounting what the Lord has done. R2031:5
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| 7 Remember, O Yahweh, against the sons of Edom, the day of Jerusalem,–how they continued to say–Overthrow! Overthrow! unto the foundation within it. |
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| 8 O ruined daughter of Babylon,–how happy the man who shall repay thee thy dealing, wherewith thou didst deal with us! |
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| 9 How happy the man who shall snatch away and dash thy children against the crag. |
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