Изъяснение псалма 136-го.

This psalm was not inscribed among the Jews, but some, having decided on a bold deed, inscribed: “To David by Jeremiah,” and added: not inscribed among the Jews. But the very composition of the inscription proclaims the foolishness of those who wrote it; because Jeremiah was not taken with the captives to Babylon, and after spending some time in Jerusalem, forced by the lawless Jews, he had to go with them to Egypt. Therefore, is it proper for Jeremiah to say: “on the rivers of Babylon, there I sat and wept?” But how is it clear from what has been said that the psalm does not belong in the least to the Prophet Jeremiah? so the content of the psalm is clear. Those who were taken into captivity and then returned tell in it what happened in Babylon. Ps.136:1. By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. “On the rivers of Babylon, there weeping and lamenting, we will never remember Zion.” Those who give themselves up to grief usually go to desert places, and there they mourn their own misfortunes. Therefore, the Jews, sitting on the rocky banks of the rivers, and reflecting on the desolation of their capital city, shed abundant tears, likened to river streams. Ps.136:2. On the willow trees, in the middle of it, we hung our harps. “In the middle of both of them are our organs”; because they have become completely useless to them. The law prescribed that Divine services should be held in only one place. Ps.137:3. There those who captivated us demanded words of song from us, and our oppressors demanded joy: “Sing to us from the songs of Zion.” “For there we asked, captivating us about the words of the songs, and leading us about the singing: sing to us from the songs of Zion.” Mocking us, mocking our misfortunes, they ordered us to sing and delight them with our songs, not in order to receive any benefit from this, but to laugh at us. Ps.137:4. How can we sing the song of the Lord in a foreign land? “How shall we sing the song of the Lord in foreign lands?” But knowing that what was commanded was contrary to the law, we did not yield to the wishes of those who ordered. And this serves as a denunciation of the lawless Jews, who are zealous for the fulfillment of the law, and fulfill what is prescribed by the law outside of legal places. Ps.136:5. If I forget you, O Jerusalem, forget me, my right hand. “If I forget Teda, Jerusalem, my right hand will be forgotten.” “Close my tongue to my throat, lest I remember you.” The Prophet teaches them to say this in order to unforgettably remember them about the sacred city, and, encouraging themselves with the hope of return, not to learn the wickedness of those who captivated. Therefore they say: and being far from you, Jerusalem, I did not consign the thought of you to oblivion; and if I do this, then let me endure what I said, and not receive help from above. The Prophet calls this help “right hand.” Ps.136:6. Stick my tongue to my throat, if I do not remember you, if I do not put Jerusalem at the head of my joy. “Unless I offer Jerusalem, for it is the beginning of my joy.” The height of joy for me is seeing you, Jerusalem, your renewal, triumph among you; because in them I find true pleasure. Ps.137:7. Remember, O Lord, to the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem, when they said: “Destroy, destroy it to its foundations.” “Lord, remember, O children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem, who said: Exhaust, exhaust, to the foundations thereof.” The Edomites, descended from Esau, continued to retain their fatherly hostility. When Jerusalem was burned and devastated, rejoicing at this they said: “Deplete, exhaust, to the foundations of it”; that is, destroy it completely so that not even a trace of the foundation remains. Ps.136:8. Daughter of Babylon, desolator! blessed is he who repays you for what you have done to us! “The Damned Daughters of Babylon.” Thus, leaving the judgment of the Jews to God, the Prophet and Babylon predict future destruction. He calls him “cursed” because he will be in poverty. Instead of “cursed,” Akila said: plundered. “Blessed is he who will reward you with your reward, which you have rewarded us.” What does it mean? Ps.137:9. Blessed is he who takes and dashes your babies against a stone! “Blessed is he who has and will dash your babies against the stone.” because the Babylonians treated the children of the Jews cruelly; then the Prophet predicts equal punishment for them. Therefore Cyrus, who punished the Babylonians and freed the Jews, is blessed; blessed, not because he was a child of true piety, but because he gave freedom to a pious people and ordered the construction of God's church. God accepts small fruits and rewards them with great rewards. Thus he glorified the widow’s two mites. You might be interested in: