By the Rivers of Babylon

Israelite exiles sit in sorrow beside the rivers of Babylon, their harp hanging silent among the willows while armed captors stand nearby. An aged Hebrew man raises his hand in grief and witness, surrounded by women, elders, and weary captives who remember Zion from a foreign shore. The composition draws directly from Psalm 137, where the displaced people of Judah refuse to turn sacred song into entertainment for those who carried them away. The hanging harp becomes the central symbol of worship suspended by exile, lament, and longing for Jerusalem. This artwork serves sermon, Bible study, worship, and teaching themes on captivity, remembrance, sacred music, grief, and hope in God during displacement. by S. M. Davis