By the rivers of Babylon
Here we sit and weep
Remembering days in Zion singing the Lord's song
Bring us back, bring us back
How can we sing in a foreign land
Bring is back
On the willows we hung our harps
Captives wishing to be free
They ask us to sing with gladness
The songs of Zion
Bring us back, bring us back
How can we sing in a foreign land
Bring is back
Im eshkachech yerushalayim
Tishkach yemini
Bring us back, bring us back
How can we sing in a foreign land
Bring is back
Im eshkachech yerushalayim
Tishkach yemini
Im eshkachech yerushalayim
Tishkach yemini
Bring us back, bring us back
Bring Us Back
Bring Us Back Song Meaning, Biblical Reference and Inspiration
Joshua Aaron's song "Bring Us Back," released on May 11, 2019, is a poignant musical reflection rooted in a historical period of profound distress for the ancient Israelites. The song captures the sentiment of exile and the deep longing for restoration and return to their homeland, specifically Zion or Jerusalem. It evokes the scene of the Jewish people during the Babylonian captivity, forced away from their temple and their land.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of sorrow, describing individuals seated by the rivers, weeping as they remember their past in Zion. A central theme is the inability to sing the joyful songs associated with worship and life in their homeland while in a foreign land as captives. This inability is symbolized by the act of hanging up their musical instruments, their harps, on the trees, rendering them silent. This silence highlights the contrast between their current state of mourning and the expectation from their captors to perform songs of gladness, a request that feels impossible and insensitive given their circumstances.
A significant element of the song is the inclusion of the Hebrew phrase "Im eshkachech Yerushalayim, tishkach yemini," which translates to "If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill." This powerful declaration underscores the unwavering commitment and memory of Jerusalem even in exile. It asserts that the connection to their spiritual and physical center is so fundamental that forgetting it would mean losing their very ability to function or create. This phrase is repeated, emphasizing the depth of this pledge and the centrality of Jerusalem in their identity and hopes for the future. The recurring plea "Bring us back" serves as the chorus, encapsulating the core desire for return and restoration.
The entirety of "Bring Us Back" draws directly from the themes and language found in Psalm 137 in the Book of Psalms. This psalm describes the grief and despair of the Israelites in Babylonian exile, sitting by the rivers, weeping, and being asked to sing the songs of Zion. The act of hanging harps on the willows is explicitly mentioned in the psalm, as is the defiant refusal to sing in a foreign land. The inclusion of "Im eshkachech Yerushalayim, tishkach yemini" in the song is a direct quote from Psalm 137:5, anchoring the song firmly in this scriptural narrative of exile, remembrance, and longing for redemption.
Beyond its historical and scriptural context, the song resonates as an expression of universal human experiences. It speaks to the feeling of being displaced, the pain of separation from what is deeply cherished, and the profound yearning for home, whether physical, spiritual, or metaphorical. The remembrance of a better time or place in the midst of hardship provides both pain and hope. "Bring Us Back" serves as an inspirational piece that reminds listeners of the enduring power of memory, identity, and the hope for ultimate restoration and return, rooted in faith and a deep connection to a sacred place or state of being.
