This verse describes how their Babylonian masters tried to make the Israelite captives sing the sacred songs used in worship in the Temple. There is considerable uncertainty over the meaning of the Hebrew word that Revised Standard Version and New Jerusalem Bible translate tormentors; the word occurs only here in the Old Testament. Holladay and Hebrew Old Testament Text Project propose “oppressors”; Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “our despoilers”; Bible en français courant “our persecutors.” The Septuagint translates “those who led us away” (parallel with “those who made us prisoners”). In any case the word is synonymous with the previous our captors. Good News Translation has shortened and combined the two, since it is not necessary to supply an exact synonym.

The Hebrew “they demanded of us … happiness” can be understood either “they demanded that we be happy” (see New English Bible) or “… sing happy songs” (Bible en français courant, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy); or else, “they demanded that we make them happy,” that is, “entertain them” (by singing); so Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, and Bible de Jérusalem. In some languages it may be necessary to recast “Those who captured us” as “the Babylonians who captured us.” This helps avoid giving the impression that the captors and the Babylonians are two separate groups. Good News Translation‘s “they told us to entertain them” may sometimes be recast as “sing for them and make them happy.”

In the last line one of the songs of Zion can be, as Good News Translation has it, “about Zion”; or else, “one of the songs you used to sing in Jerusalem (or, in the Temple).” The latter is more likely.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on the Book of Psalms. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1991. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .