O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, happy the one who repays you as you have served us! Happy the one who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock! Psalm 137:8-9
Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Isn’t that true? How does that square with a verse like this? Are these just the bitter words of a captive, vindictive Jew? Happy the one? Aren’t these little ones innocent? What did they do to deserve death?
Of course God loves the little children of the world. Of course they are precious in His sight. So, unless we want to say this verse is divinely-inspired precisely to show us how not to think and react, we need a more comprehensive interpretation. St. Benedict of Nursia, in his Rule for young monks, admonished them to take hold of bad thoughts and desires while they were still sprouting, and to dash them against the rock which is Christ. This is certainly an allegorical interpretation that has application for us today.
Joshua, as leader of the ancient people of Israel, was indeed commanded to kill all the enemies of God—men, women and children. Why? Because He knew if any of them were spared, they would lead the people of God into idolatry. And that is, sadly, exactly what happened. Christ will someday destroy all His enemies. Until that day, we are called to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (and then quickly dash it to pieces!).
