Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy. New Living Translation May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I fail to remember you, if I don’t make Jerusalem my greatest joy. English Standard Version Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! Berean Standard Bible May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my greatest joy! King James Bible 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. New King James Version If I do not remember you, Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth— If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy. New American Standard Bible May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth If I do not remember you, If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy. NASB 1995 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth If I do not remember you, If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy. NASB 1977 May my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, If I do not remember you, If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy. Legacy Standard Bible May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth If I do not remember you, If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy. Amplified Bible Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth If I do not remember you, If I do not prefer Jerusalem Above my chief joy. Christian Standard Bible May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my greatest joy! Holman Christian Standard Bible May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my greatest joy! American Standard Version Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, If I remember thee not; If I prefer not Jerusalem Above my chief joy. Contemporary English Version Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I don't think about you above all else. English Revised Version Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I remember thee not; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. GOD'S WORD® Translation Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you, if I don't consider Jerusalem my highest joy. Good News Translation May I never be able to sing again if I do not remember you, if I do not think of you as my greatest joy! International Standard Version May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you, if I don't consider Jerusalem to be more important than my highest joy. Majority Standard Bible May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my greatest joy! NET Bible May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, and do not give Jerusalem priority over whatever gives me the most joy. New Heart English Bible Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you; if I do not prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy. Webster's Bible Translation 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. World English Bible Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you, if I don’t prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionMy tongue cleaves to my palate, "" If I do not remember you, "" If I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy. Young's Literal Translation My tongue doth cleave to my palate, If I do not remember thee, If I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy. Smith's Literal Translation My tongue shall cleave to in palate, if I remember thee not; if I bring not up Jerusalem upon the head of my joy. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleLet my tongue cleave to my jaws, if I do not remember thee: If I make not Jerusalem the beginning of my joy. Catholic Public Domain Version New American Bible May my tongue stick to my palate if I do not remember you, If I do not exalt Jerusalem beyond all my delights. New Revised Standard Version Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleIf I do not remember you, let my tongue cleave to my palate, if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And let my tongue cleave to the roof of my palate, unless I remember you, unless I shall go up to Jerusalem, my chief joy! OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, If I remember thee not; If I set not Jerusalem Above my chiefest joy. Brenton Septuagint Translation May my tongue cleave to my throat, if I do not remember thee; if I do not prefer Jerusalem as the chief of my joy. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context By the Rivers of Babylon…5If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand cease to function. 6May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my greatest joy! 7Remember, O LORD, the sons of Edom on the day Jerusalem fell: “Destroy it,” they said, “tear it down to its foundations!”… Cross References Nehemiah 1:4-11 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. / Then I said: “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion with those who love Him and keep His commandments, / let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to hear the prayer that I, Your servant, now pray before You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned. ... Isaiah 62:6-7 On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD shall take no rest for yourselves, / nor give Him any rest until He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth. Jeremiah 51:50 You who have escaped the sword, depart and do not linger! Remember the LORD from far away, and let Jerusalem come to mind.” Lamentations 5:1-22 Remember, O LORD, what has happened to us. Look and see our disgrace! / Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to foreigners. / We have become fatherless orphans; our mothers are widows. ... Ezekiel 3:17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me. 2 Chronicles 6:6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem for My Name to be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’ 1 Kings 11:36 I will give one tribe to his son, so that My servant David will always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put My Name. Zechariah 8:3 This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.” Isaiah 49:14-16 But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me; the Lord has forgotten me!” / “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb? Even if she could forget, I will not forget you! / Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before Me. Psalm 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you prosper. Psalm 102:13-14 You will rise up and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show her favor—the appointed time has come. / For Your servants delight in her stones and take pity on her dust. Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! Luke 19:41-44 As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it / and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes. / For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side. ... John 4:20-24 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place where one must worship is in Jerusalem.” / “Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. / You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. ... Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Treasury of Scripture If I do not remember you, let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. let my tongue Psalm 22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. Isaiah 41:17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. Lamentations 4:4 The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them. if I prefer Psalm 84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. my chief joy. Jump to Previous Chief Chiefest Cleave Cling Consider Exalt Fixed Greatest Highest Jerusalem Joy Mouth Prefer Remember Roof Stick Thoughts TongueJump to Next Chief Chiefest Cleave Cling Consider Exalt Fixed Greatest Highest Jerusalem Joy Mouth Prefer Remember Roof Stick Thoughts TonguePsalm 137 1. The constancy of the Jews in captivity7. The prophet curses Edom and Babel May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth This phrase is a self-imposed curse, reflecting the seriousness of the vow. In ancient Near Eastern culture, oaths and curses were common ways to express deep commitment or to invoke divine witness. The imagery of the tongue clinging to the roof of the mouth suggests an inability to speak, symbolizing the psalmist's desire to be rendered mute if they fail to remember Jerusalem. This reflects the importance of speech in worship and the proclamation of God's deeds, as seen in passages like Psalm 34:1, where continual praise is emphasized. if I do not remember you if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my greatest joy! Persons / Places / Events 1. BabylonThe place of exile for the Israelites, representing a time of sorrow and longing for their homeland. 2. Jerusalem The holy city, central to Jewish identity and worship, symbolizing spiritual and cultural heritage. 3. The Exile The period when the Israelites were taken captive to Babylon, a significant event in Jewish history that led to deep reflection and longing for return. 4. The Psalmist The author of the psalm, expressing deep emotional and spiritual longing for Jerusalem. 5. Zion Another name for Jerusalem, often used to denote the spiritual and eternal city of God. Teaching Points The Importance of RemembranceRemembering God's past works and promises is crucial for maintaining faith and hope during difficult times. The Centrality of Jerusalem For the Israelites, Jerusalem was not just a physical city but a symbol of God's presence and promises. In our lives, we should identify and cherish what represents God's presence to us. The Power of Worship Exalting God and His purposes should be our greatest joy, even amidst trials and exile-like experiences. Guarding Our Speech The psalmist's vow about his tongue highlights the importance of aligning our words with our faith and values. Longing for Restoration Just as the Israelites longed for Jerusalem, we should cultivate a longing for spiritual renewal and the fulfillment of God's promises.Verse 6. - If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth. Let me be deprived of the power of song. What was wished in the preceding verso with respect to the power of instrumental performance is here wished with respect to the vocal organs. If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. This seems to be the true sense, and is equivalent to "If I prefer not Jerusalem above aught else." Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew May my tongueלְשׁוֹנִ֨י ׀ (lə·šō·w·nî) Noun - common singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 3956: The tongue cling תִּדְבַּ֥ק־ (tiḏ·baq-) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 1692: To impinge, cling, adhere, to catch by pursuit to the roof of my mouth לְחִכִּי֮ (lə·ḥik·kî) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 2441: Palate, roof of the mouth, gums if אִם־ (’im-) Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not I do not לֹ֪א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no remember you, אֶ֫זְכְּרֵ֥כִי (’ez·kə·rê·ḵî) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | second person feminine singular Strong's 2142: To mark, to remember, to mention, to be male if אִם־ (’im-) Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not I do not לֹ֣א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no exalt אַ֭עֲלֶה (’a·‘ă·leh) Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively Jerusalem יְרוּשָׁלִַ֑ם (yə·rū·šā·lim) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel as עַ֝֗ל (‘al) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against my greatest רֹ֣אשׁ (rōš) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 7218: The head joy! שִׂמְחָתִֽי׃ (śim·ḥā·ṯî) Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 8057: Blithesomeness, glee Links Psalm 137:6 NIVPsalm 137:6 NLT Psalm 137:6 ESV Psalm 137:6 NASB Psalm 137:6 KJV Psalm 137:6 BibleApps.com Psalm 137:6 Biblia Paralela Psalm 137:6 Chinese Bible Psalm 137:6 French Bible Psalm 137:6 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Psalm 137:6 Let my tongue stick to the roof (Psalm Ps Psa.) |
    |