Three weeks before the start of the Great Pentecost, special fast chants begin to sound - “Open the doors of repentance for me” and “On the rivers of Babylon.” They set us up and prepare us for days of repentance, which we must spend with deep contrition for our sins.
On the rivers of Babylon, where we ride and weep, we will sometimes remember Zion. On the willows in the middle of it are our organs. For there you asked us captive about the words of the songs and led us about the singing: sing to us from the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the song of the Lord in a foreign land? If I forget you, Jerusalem, my right hand will be forgotten. Let my tongue cleave to my throat, lest I remember you, lest I offer Jerusalem, as at the beginning of my joy. Remember, O Lord, sons of Edom, on the day of Jerusalem those who said: exhaust, exhaust it to its foundations. Accursed daughter of Babylon, blessed is she who will reward you with what you have rewarded us. Blessed is he who has and will dash your babies against the stone.
҆҆ Pало́мъ рл҃ѕ: На рѣка́хъ вавѷлѡ́нскихъ: со а҆ллилꙋ́їею
На рѣка́хъ вавѷлѡ́нскихъ, та́мѡ сѣдо́хомъ и҆ пла́кахомъ, внегда̀ помѧнꙋ́ти на́мъ сїѡ́на. Ґллилꙋ́їа. На ве́рбїихъ посредѣ̀ є҆гѡ̀ ѡ҆бѣ́сихомъ ѻ҆рга́ны на́шѧ. Ґллилꙋ́їа.
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
Ꙗ҆́кѡ та́мѡ вопроси́ша ны̀ плѣ́ншїи на́съ ѡ҆ словесѣ́хъ пѣ́сней, и҆ ве́дшїи на́съ ѡ҆ пѣ́нїи. Ґллилꙋ́їа.
For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
Воспо́йте на́мъ ѿ пѣ́сней сїѡ́нскихъ. Ґллилꙋ́їа.
Ка́кѡ воспое́мъ пѣ́снь гдⷭ҇ню на землѝ чꙋжде́й; Ґллилꙋ́їа.
How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?
А҆́ще забꙋ́дꙋ тебѐ, і҆ерⷭ҇ли́ме, забве́на бꙋ́ди десни́ца моѧ̀. Ґллилꙋ́їа.
If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
Прильпнѝ ѧ҆зы́къ мо́й горта́ни моемꙋ̀, а҆́ще не помѧнꙋ̀ тебє̀. Ґллилꙋ́їа.
If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
А҆́ще не предложꙋ̀ і҆ерⷭ҇ли́ма, ꙗ҆́кѡ въ нача́лѣ весе́лїѧ моегѡ̀. Ґллилꙋ́їа.
Помѧнѝ, гдⷭ҇и, сы́ны є҆дѡ̑мскїѧ въ де́нь і҆ерⷭ҇ли́мль̀. Ґллилꙋ́їа.
Глаго́лющыѧ: и҆стоща́йте, и҆стоща́йте до ѡ҆снова́нїй є҆гѡ̀. Ґллилꙋ́їа.
Дщѝ вавѷлѡ́нѧ ѡ҆каѧ́ннаѧ. Ґллилꙋ́їа. Бл҃же́нъ, и҆́же возда́стъ тебѣ̀ воздаѧ́нїе твоѐ, є҆́же воздала̀ є҆сѝ на́мъ. Ґллилꙋ́їа. Бл҃же́нъ, и҆́же и҆́метъ и҆ разбїе́тъ младе́нцы твоѧ̑ ѡ҆ ка́мень. Ґллилꙋ́їа.
“On the Rivers of Babylon” notes of chants for mixed and female choirs
According to our Rules, Psalm 136 is sung on the three preliminary Sundays before Great Lent (the week of the Prodigal Son, the week of Meat and Cheese) after Polyeleos. Moreover, it is always sung, it is not canceled even if the Presentation of the Lord or a temple holiday happens in one of these weeks.
Historically, the singing of Psalm 136 arose as part of the singing of the 1st “Glory” of the 19th Kathisma. In the early practice of the Studite monastery in the 9th-10th centuries. Psalms 134, 135 and 136 were sung on Friday as part of the 19th Kathisma; then they separated and began to be called polyeleos. In the early period there was a practice of singing the entire polyeleos (together with Psalm 136), including on holidays throughout the year. In the 13th century, instead of Psalm 136, the so-called selected psalm appeared (a combined chant composed of verses from different psalms), which became the third psalm of the polyeleos. Subsequently, magnification was added to the chosen psalm. At the same time, Psalm 136 was removed from the polyeleos and left only for the preliminary period of Lent.
Why was Psalm 136 preserved only in the preliminary period? Perhaps conservatism in relation to Great Lent played a role (Lent retained many of the features of the ancient rite), but it is likely that ideological considerations had an influence: Psalm 136, in which Jews in a foreign land grieve for distant Jerusalem, can be compared with the feelings of a person who cries for a lost paradise (the expulsion of Adam from paradise is the theme of the service of the last resurrection of the preliminary period - the week of the raw waste).