John Trapp on Psalms 137:4

Verſ. 4 Shall wee ſing the Lords ſong, &c?] No; for that were to prophane holy things; and as Nazianzen ſpeaketh, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. And beſides, they had as much mind to bee merry then, and thus, as Sampſon had to play before the Philiſtines. Muſick in mourning is not more unſeaſonable, than unſavoury. When our Edward the third had the King of Scots and the French King both priſoners together here in England, hee held royall juſts, and feaſted them ſumptuouſly. After ſupper, perceiving the French King to bee ſad and penſive, hee deſired him to bee merry as others were. To whom the French King anſwered, as here, How ſhall wee ſing in a ſtrange Land? Quid nobis cum fabulis, cum riſu, ſaith Bernard, in hoc exilio, in hoc ergaſtulo, in hac valle lachrymarum? Let us caſt away carnall mirth, and groan earneſtly to bee cloathed upon with our houſe which is from Heaven, 2 Cor. 5.2.