By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
Yeah, we wept, when we remembered Zion
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
Yeah, we wept, when we remembered Zion

There 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?

There the wicked
Carried us away in captivity
Requiring of us a song
Now how shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Let the words of our mouth and the meditation 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
Yeah, we wept, when we remembered Zion
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
Yeah, 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)
Yeah, we wept (sing a song of love)
When we remembered Zion (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

By the rivers of Babylon (rough bits of Babylon)
There we sat down (you hear the people cry)
Yeah, we wept (they need their God)
When we remembered Zion (ooh, have the power)

By the rivers of Babylon (oh yeah yeah), there we sat down (yeah, yeah)

Edit Lyrics

Lyrics submitted by Novartza

Rivers Of Babylon Lyrics as written by Frank Farian James Agustus Mcnaughton

Lyrics © TuneCore Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Rivers Of Babylon song meanings

Add Your Thoughts

7 Comments

0
General Comment
The song has three parts to it. My take is:

1) The sadness the captive Jews felt when reflecting on the desolation of Zion (Jerusalem).

2) The Babylonian captors mocking them by requesting they sing a song which back then would have a been a song of praise to their God. The captors would have felt their gods gave them victory but the Jew's God had failed in protecting them.

2) The captive Jews felt they couldn't sing such a song in view of their circumstances.

3) They then appeal to God, asking that he see their plight and accept their prayers and thoughts as acceptable to him. In this they must hope he will turn his attention to them and deliver them.

The Bible makes it clear that the Jews being overrun by the Babylonian armies was due to their corrupted worship, not God's inability to defend his people. Point three reflects they understood that and sought forgiveness reconciliation.

The Rastafarian movement probably applied it to themselves as some sort of prophecy of restoration to Africa.

The song has three parts to it. My take is: 1) The sadness the captive Jews felt when reflecting on the desolation of Zion (Jerusalem). 2) The Babylonian captors mocking them by requesting they sing a song which back then would have a been a song of praise to their God. The captors would have felt their gods gave them victory but the Jew's God had failed in protecting them. 2) The captive Jews felt they couldn't sing such a song in view of their circumstances. 3) They then appeal to God, asking that he see their plight and accept their prayers and thoughts as acceptable to him. In this they must hope he will turn his attention to them and deliver them. The Bible makes it clear that the Jews being overrun by the Babylonian armies was due to their corrupted worship, not God's inability to defend his people. Point three reflects they understood that and sought forgiveness reconciliation. The Rastafarian movement probably applied it to themselves as some sort of prophecy of restoration to Africa.

Reason:

RayCeeon March 11, 2018 Link
- No Replies Log in to reply
There was an error.

@RayCee