Rivers of Babylon
Various Artists Lyrics


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By the rivers of babylon, there we sat down
Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered zion

By the rivers of babylon, there we sat down
Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered zion

When the wicked
Carried us away in captivity
Required from us a song
Now how shall we sing the lord's song in a strange land

When the wicked
Carried us away in captivity
Requiering of us a song
Now how shall we sing the lord's song in a strange land

Let the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart
Be acceptable in thy sight here tonight

Let the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts
Be acceptable in thy sight here tonight

By the rivers of babylon, there we sat down
Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered zion

By the rivers of babylon, there we sat down
Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered zion

By the rivers of babylon (dark tears of babylon)
There we sat down (you got to sing a song)
Ye-eah we wept, (sing a song of love)
When we remember zion (yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah)

By the rivers of babylon (rough bits of babylon)
There we sat down (you hear the people cry)




Ye-eah we wept, (they need their god)
When we remember zion (ooh, have the power)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Rivers of Babylon" describe the lamentation of the Jews following the destruction of their temple in Jerusaleem by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The rivers of Babylon serve as a metaphor for their state of mourning and despair. The first verse describes the Jews sitting by the river, weeping and remembering Zion, their Holy City that once was. Zion also represents their connection to God and their cultural identity.


The following verses reveal that the Jews were taken into captivity by the Babylonian Empire, and were required to sing songs for their captors. The question then becomes; how are they supposed to sing the Lord's song in a strange land? The lyrics convey the Jews' inability to worship and connect with God in a land miles away from their home. The last verse shows the Jews pleading with God to accept their words and meditations, as they are stuck in Babylon, a strange land where they have little control over their destiny.


Overall, "Rivers of Babylon" is a powerful lament about loss, displacement, and the struggle to maintain cultural and spiritual identity in a hostile environment.


Line by Line Meaning

By the rivers of babylon, there we sat down
In a state of despair, we sat by the riverbank of Babylon


Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered zion
We became emotional and cried when we thought of our home, Zion


When the wicked
During a time when oppressors


Carried us away in captivity
Took us captive and enslaved us


Required from us a song
Forced us to sing, as if to mock our pain


Now how shall we sing the lord's song in a strange land
How can we find the will to express our faith in this unfamiliar, hostile place?


Let the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart
May our thoughts and expressions be pleasing


Be acceptable in thy sight here tonight
May they bring us comfort and hope, even now


By the rivers of babylon (dark tears of babylon)
Amidst the sorrowful surroundings of Babylon


There we sat down (you got to sing a song)
We had no choice but to rest and try to find some solace, perhaps through music


Ye-eah we wept, (sing a song of love)
Even in our grief, we sought to express love and hope through song


When we remember zion (yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah)
Despite our pain, our thoughts inevitably return to our beloved Zion


By the rivers of babylon (rough bits of babylon)
In the midst of the difficult and harsh conditions of Babylon


There we sat down (you hear the people cry)
We could only sit and listen to the cries of our fellow captives and empathize with their pain


Ye-eah we wept, (they need their god)
Our tears stemmed both from our own suffering and from the shared need for divine intervention


When we remember zion (ooh, have the power)
Our yearning for a return to our homeland reflects our desperate desire for the power to change our situation




Writer(s): FRANK FARIAN, GEORGE REYAM, JAMES AGUSTUS MCNAUGHTON, BRENT DOWE

Contributed by Jackson C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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