Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, he will be happy who rewards you, as you have served us.
Parallel translations
- KJV O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
- BSB O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, blessed is he who repays you as you have done to us.
- NKJV O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, Happy the one who repays you as you have served us!
- NASB Daughter of Babylon, you devastated one, Blessed will be one who repays you With the retribution with which you have repaid us.
- NLT O Babylon, you will be destroyed. Happy is the one who pays you back for what you have done to us.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Babylon, doomed to destruction, will be repaid for what it did to God's people.
Overview
The psalm pronounces Babylon's coming downfall, declaring that its violence will be returned upon it. This reflects the biblical principle of just retribution, that oppressors will answer for their cruelty. The fall of Babylon becomes a symbol in Scripture of God's final judgment on all that exalts itself against Him, accomplished through Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Rev 18:6Return to her just as she returned, and repay her double as she did, and according to her works. In the cup which she mixed, mix to her double.
- Isa 14:4–24that you will take up this parable against the king of Babylon, and say, “How the oppressor has ceased! The golden city has ceased!”
- Jer 25:12–14“It shall happen, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation,” says Yahweh, “for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it desolate forever.
- Rev 14:8–11Another, a second angel, followed, saying, “Babylon the great has fallen, which has made all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality.”
- Isa 47:1–15“Come down, and sit in the dust, virgin daughter of Babylon. Sit on the ground without a throne, daughter of the Chaldeans. For you will no longer be called tender and delicate.
- Isa 21:1The burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweep through, it comes from the wilderness, from an awesome land.
- Isa 13:1–22The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw:
- Isa 44:28Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure,’ even saying of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built;’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’”
- Ps 149:6–9May the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hand;
- Jer 50:1The word that Yahweh spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, by Jeremiah the prophet.
- Rev 17:1–18One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters,
- Zech 2:7‘Come, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.’
- Rev 18:20“Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets; for God has judged your judgment on her.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 137:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.