This question comes from Psalms 137:4, where the exiled Jews in Babylon ask, "How can we sing the song of the Lord on foreign soil?" The verse expresses the deep pain and spiritual conflict of the Jewish people during their exile. They are being asked by their captors to sing the joyous songs of Zion, but they feel it is inappropriate or even impossible to do so while far from their homeland and the Temple.
Commentators explain this in several ways:
- **Ibn Ezra** and **Radak** both note that "foreign soil" (אדמת נכר) refers to a land dedicated to foreign gods, the opposite of the holy songs meant for God in Jerusalem. Singing these sacred songs outside their proper context would be a contradiction, as the holiness of the songs is tied to the holiness of the Land of Israel and the Temple service [S2][S3].
- **Metzudat David** adds that the exiles feared their captors would force them to sing, so they hid their instruments and claimed the songs were lost, expressing both their sorrow and their desire not to profane the sacred music by performing it in an unworthy setting [S5].
- The **Aramaic Targum** paraphrases the verse as, "How can we praise the Lord’s praise on a foreign land?" emphasizing the difficulty of expressing true spiritual joy in exile [S4].
In summary, the verse and its commentaries teach that the songs of Zion are not just melodies—they are expressions of spiritual connection, holiness, and joy that belong in their proper place. In captivity, with the Temple destroyed and the people in mourning, singing them would feel hollow or even disrespectful to their true meaning.
2 answers
Faith, prayer and meditation of our heart, mind and spirit.