We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
Ver. 2. We hanged our harps] Harps we had, and knew how to handle them (the Jews were famous artists, noted for their skill, specially in poetry, music, and mathematics), but we had little mind to it as now the case stood with us; our country lying desolate, ourselves could not be but disconsolate. Barbiton hic paries habebit (Horat. lib. 3, Od. 26).