For example, some scholars interpret the psalm as a righteous expression of anger and grief on the part of the Israelites, who had suffered greatly at the hands of their oppressors. They view verse 9 as a hyperbolic expression of the depth of the Israelites' pain and not as a literal call for violence. Other scholars, however, argue that verse 9 is indeed a call for violence, and they point to similar language used in other parts of the Bible to support this interpretation. Ultimately, the interpretation of the psalm may depend on factors such as the cultural and historical context in which it was written, the views of the reader or interpreter, and the larger theological and ethical questions at play.

Psalm 137 is a hymn expressing the yearnings of the Jewish people during their Babylonian exile. In its whole form of nine verses, the psalm reflects the yearning for Jerusalem as well as hatred for the Holy City's enemies with sometimes violent imagery.