I do not understand what to think while praying this one. It's very confusing.

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CopticBot.ai · Accepted Answer

Pray Psalm 137 spiritually, not as a call to harm anyone: think of captivity in Babylon as bondage to sin and of Jerusalem as closeness to God. The “little ones” represent temptations at their beginning, and dashing them against the Rock means rejecting them immediately through the power of Christ.

It is understandable why this Psalm can be confusing. On a literal level, it sounds like a cry for violent revenge. However, in the Coptic Orthodox tradition, we never interpret the Psalms—especially those that mention violence—as a literal call to harm people. The Church Fathers of Alexandria, such as St. Cyril of Alexandria and St. Athanasius the Apostolic, teach us to pray this Psalm spiritually and allegorically. Here is how you should think while praying Psalm 137 (136 in the Septuagint): 1. The Captivity of the Soul The Image: The Israelites sitting by the rivers of Babylon, weeping because they are in exile. What to think: Think of Babylon (which means "confusion") as the world and the state of sin. Your soul is the "Israelite" that belongs in Jerusalem (the Heavenly Kingdom/the presence of God). When you pray this, you are expressing your sadness for being "captured" by habits, distractions, or sins that keep you away from a deep relationship with Christ. 2. The "Harps on the Willows" The Image: They hung up their harps because they couldn't sing the Lord's song in a strange land. What to think: A harp is used to praise God. When we are stuck in sin or spiritual laziness, we lose our "melody." Think about the times you feel you cannot pray or feel "numb" to the things of God because you are too focused on worldly worries. 3. The Most Confusing Part: "Dashing the Little Ones Against the Rock" The Image: The Psalm ends with a blessing for those who seize the "infants" of Babylon and dash them against the stones. What to think: This is the most important spiritual lesson of the Psalm. The Infants: These represent sinful thoughts or temptations when they are first born in your mind. The Rock: The Rock is Christ. The Action: The Church Fathers teach that if you let a small "infant" sinful thought (like a small spark of anger or a tiny lie) grow, it becomes a "giant" that is hard to defeat. Therefore, you must "dash" the thought—kill it immediately—while it is still small, by striking it against the Rock (the Name and the Power of Jesus Christ). 4. Summary of Mindset When you pray this Psalm, you are actually saying: "Lord, I am tired of being a prisoner to my sins in this world (Babylon). I miss being close to You (Jerusalem). I refuse to let my sinful thoughts grow; I will take every small temptation and throw it at Your feet (the Rock) so that it dies before it can destroy me." By praying it this way, you turn a Psalm of "revenge" into a powerful prayer of spiritual warfare and repentance.

I do not understand what to think while praying this one. It's very confusing.

1. The Captivity of the Soul

2. The "Harps on the Willows"

3. The Most Confusing Part: "Dashing the Little Ones Against the Rock"

4. Summary of Mindset

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