Psalm 137 (136):9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

However, in the new covenant, this is not the case; instead, we are instructed to bless and sustain our adversaries, and to intercede for those who wrong us. We follow this directive according to the law set before us. What is this law? “Unless your righteousness,” said the Lord, “surpasses the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20). Let us strive diligently and uphold truth in its fullness, living on earth as we would in heaven, celebrating alongside the angels. By doing so, we will also experience the future blessings that await all of us, through the grace and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be honor and sovereignty forever. Amen.

The infants of this unrighteousness represent impulsive and naïve thoughts. Whoever conquers these thoughts and shatters them against the rock of faith, which Paul identifies as Christ, is indeed blessed. Theodoret explains that just as the Babylonians acted cruelly towards the Jewish infants, the prophet forecasts a fitting retribution for them. Basil remarks that in this psalm, the blessed individual is not merely one who destroys the children of Babylon—but rather one who hopes for the eradication of the immature thoughts that, if left to mature, might yield significant evil. He desires these thoughts not to vanish but to be broken upon a stone, referring to the one who wields wisdom, born from a disordered mind identified as Babylonian, and commands these thoughts to be shattered against Christ, the Rock. Thus, striking erroneous doctrines with the truth is akin to smashing the offspring of Babylon against the rock. If the children of Babylon symbolize unorthodox teachings that lead the soul into confusion, then it is just to take these unworthy doctrines and crush them against the rock. Cyril points out that Babylon's offspring may also signify sin, as Babylon represents a mixture, resulting in actions that stem from an unstable and altered mind, which succumbs to repeated tendencies toward wickedness. Initially, the soul faces confusion, eventually leading to sinful actions. Saint Dorotheus remarks that sin is deemed miserable because it lacks tangible substance, deriving existence solely from our actions and reverting to nothingness through virtue. Our will has surrendered to this, yielding sin which we must cease to produce. The Babylonian children, struck and shattered against the rock, represent the roots of evil and the origins of convoluted thoughts and sins, which must be eradicated by the life-giving Word—Christ, the Rock—so that they do not proliferate or manifest but are eliminated until they reach perfection. Therefore, we must emerge from a state akin to the barren northern land—from a lifeless and cold mindset—towards Zion, the embodiment of truth, to grasp the essence of Christ's Church. In this sacred community, we will discern what delights God, preventing any opportunity for evil to take root or act within us, while we are blessed to reign over immature and irrational thoughts, shattering and thereby defeating them against the Rock of Faith.

We have offered our will and eradicated sin: this declaration pronounces blessings upon those who have responded rightly, and to repay in this context implies the avoidance of further sin. He continues: Blessed is he who seizes and dashes your offspring against a rock; blessed is he who from the outset rejects entirely what you produce, that is, wicked thoughts, and does not allow them to take root within himself and manifest in harmful actions. Instead, before these thoughts grow and gain strength to oppose him, he will swiftly seize them and shatter them against the Rock, which is Christ (1 Cor. 10:4), thereby obliterating them by turning to Christ.

Rather, subdue your anger swiftly, restraining it as one would a rebellious child, until it is rendered small enough that it cannot proliferate and wreak havoc upon you.

Be vigilant against all sin, for it leads to your ruin. A true Christian cannot exist without a pure conscience. It is preferable for a Christian to face death than to sin and provoke an unsettled conscience. This struggle against sin is vital for all believers seeking salvation. Confront the lawless "infant" of sin while it is still in its infancy, or else it may grow and bring about your downfall. Eradicate lust before it manifests in action; eradicate small annoyances before they morph into wrath. Slay every wicked thought while it remains small, to prevent it from flourishing and leading you to destruction. This endeavor is undeniably challenging, yet it is crucial. Accept this calling, and you too may receive the crown of life from Christ, our exalted Lord.

Therefore, let us strive, dear brethren, to put to death the deeds of the flesh through the Spirit, and let us crucify the flesh along with its desires and cravings, so that we may belong to Christ, that He may dwell within us, and that we may ultimately abide in Him and share in His eternal glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Unlike the Israelites, who, when they attacked neighboring lands, refrained from harming the Idumeans, the Edomites displayed a savage cruelty as they allowed the destruction of their kin, and even assisted in it. This clearly shows that the Idumeans inflicted greater harm upon the Jews than the Babylonians did. Thus, he implores, "Remember, O Lord, the sons of Edom in the day of Jerusalem," which signifies a plea for God to recognize the actions of the Edomites during that tragic moment when Jerusalem, His cherished city, faced devastation by the Babylonians.

Thereafter, he recounts the Edomites' taunts to the Babylonians, urging them to "lay it bare," meaning to completely ravage Jerusalem and dig it up to its very foundations. Turning his focus to Babylon, he pronounces a curse, declaring, "O cursed Babylon, though you currently appear to be thriving, the kings of the Persians and Medes shall bring you to ruin, exacting the same cruelty upon you that you have shown us; they will crush your infants against the stones." This prophecy aligns with the events described in Daniel 5 and Isaiah 13, which foretold how the Medes and Persians would assault the Babylonians with such ferocity that even their infants would not be spared, being mercilessly killed. Yet, the Prophet conveys this message to bring solace to the weary souls of the Babylonian captives: it may have appeared that Israel's election was futile if their children were mistreated at the hands of the descendants of Esau. However, when he refers to those who execute such severe vengeance on the Babylonians as blessed, he does not imply that the actions of the Persians and Medes were righteous in the eyes of God. Their motivations stemmed from pride, insatiable greed, and envy, driving them to warfare. Instead, since this conflict was ordained by God, the Prophet assures that it would culminate in success. Just as God aimed to punish the Babylonians, He granted favor to Cyrus and Darius. In contrast, the prophet Jeremiah, in a similar context, denounces individuals who carry out God's commands thoughtlessly (Jeremiah 48:10), that is, those who assist in God’s purposes without true commitment, tasked with delivering judgment upon the wicked. Although it may seem harsh to wish even the most innocent infants should suffer such treatment, we should not be shocked. As he does not speak of his own volition but conveys what God has proclaimed, this reflects the outcomes of divine justice, echoing the Lord’s decree: "In the measure you use, it will be measured to you" (Matthew 7:2).