In my twenties I often signed a note to a friend (when I wrote one) with my name and underneath added a verse reference—Psalm 137:9. Rarely did anyone look up the verse references that appeared in various letters, so I got creative. I received few comments on this one, confirming my hunch.

So what does Psalm 137:9 actually say?

Blessed is he who seizes your little ones and dashes them against the rocks.

Wait—that’s in the Bible?

Psalm 137 is a song of lament. It starts, by the waters of Babylon, we sat and wept. The writer describes the agony of being conquered and enslaved. After living through the destruction of the city, the rape and murder of loved ones, the weary march into Babylon, their captors gleefully forced a chorus of happy songs.

The writer retaliated with his pen, wishing the same cruelty on his new masters.

Does God really condone smashing babies? No, but the Lord does allow us to express our pain in as honest a way as possible. There’s no need to tiptoe. Frustrations, doubts, anger, rage, the Lord handles them all—in fact, welcomes them.

The Lord, who’s honest with us through his word, welcomes our candor in return. Don’t hold back. Talk with him often. He can handle whatever you have in mind.

Psalm 137 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Álvaro Serrano