Psalms 137:6

My Notes

What Does Psalms 137:6 Mean?

"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." The SECOND self-curse of Psalm 137 — extending the vow from the HAND (verse 5) to the TONGUE: if I don't remember Jerusalem, may my tongue STICK to the roof of my mouth — may I lose the ability to SPEAK, to SING, to TASTE. And the elevation: Jerusalem is placed ABOVE the psalmist's CHIEF JOY — the highest happiness, the greatest pleasure, the top of the joy-hierarchy.

The phrase "let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth" (tidbaq leshoni lekhikki — let my tongue stick/cleave to my palate) describes MUTENESS: the tongue stuck to the palate cannot SPEAK, cannot SING, cannot articulate. The musician who already pledged the right hand (verse 5 — can't play) now pledges the tongue (can't sing). The TWO instruments of worship — hand and voice — are both wagered on Jerusalem's memory. Lose the memory, lose BOTH instruments.

The phrase "if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy" (im lo a'aleh et Yerushalaim al rosh simchati — if I do not raise Jerusalem upon the head of my joy) makes Jerusalem the SUMMIT of JOY: 'above my chief joy' literally 'upon the HEAD of my joy.' Jerusalem sits ON TOP of every other happiness. The city is placed at the PEAK of the joy-hierarchy. Nothing — no other pleasure, no other delight, no other happiness — is allowed above Jerusalem. The city is the ceiling.

The 'PREFER' (a'aleh — raise, lift up, cause to ascend) makes the elevation ACTIVE: the psalmist doesn't just feel that Jerusalem is the greatest joy. He RAISES it — actively, deliberately, continually lifts Jerusalem to the top of his joy-hierarchy. The preference is a DECISION, not just a feeling. The elevation is CHOSEN, not just experienced.

Reflection Questions

• 1.What do you place above your chief joy — and what would you risk to maintain it?
• 2.What does pledging BOTH hand and tongue teach about the totality of the exile's commitment?
• 3.How does RAISING Jerusalem above other joys (active, chosen, daily) describe preference as ongoing decision?
• 4.What competing 'Babylonian pleasure' threatens to displace what should be at the top of your joy-hierarchy?

Devotional

The TONGUE now — pledged alongside the hand. If I forget, may my tongue STICK. May I lose the ability to speak, to sing, to taste. The two instruments of worship — hand (verse 5) and voice (verse 6) — are BOTH wagered on the memory of Jerusalem. The exile risks EVERYTHING musical on the commitment to remember.

Jerusalem is placed ABOVE the 'chief joy' — on TOP of the joy-hierarchy. Not beside other joys. ABOVE them. The city isn't one happiness among many. It's the HIGHEST happiness — the ceiling of the joy-structure, the peak of the delight-mountain. No other pleasure is allowed above Jerusalem. The city is the summit.

The RAISING is active: the psalmist LIFTS Jerusalem to the top. The preference isn't passive. It's a DECISION — deliberate, continuous, chosen. Every day in Babylon, the exile must RAISE Jerusalem above every Babylonian pleasure. The competing joys are real. The Babylonian comforts are available. The raising is the RESISTANCE — actively choosing the memory over the present, the destroyed city over the thriving empire.

The TWO self-curses together (hand + tongue) cover the COMPLETE worship-instrument: without the hand, you can't PLAY. Without the tongue, you can't SING. The exile pledges BOTH — the totality of musical worship — to the memory of Jerusalem. The message: I'd rather lose my ability to WORSHIP than worship while FORGETTING. The worship that forgets Jerusalem isn't worship at all.

What do you place above your 'chief joy' — and what would you risk to maintain that priority?

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture