Psalm 79

Evangelical Heritage Version

¹ God, the nations have invaded your possession.
They have profaned your holy temple.
They have reduced Jerusalem to a heap of ruins.
² They have left the corpses of your servants
    as food for the birds of the sky.
They have given the flesh of your favored ones to the wild animals.
³ They have poured out their blood like water all over Jerusalem,
and there is no one to bury them.
⁴ We are subjected to contempt by our neighbors,
to mockery and ridicule by those around us.

⁵ How long, O Lord? Will you stay angry forever?
How long will your jealous anger burn like fire?
⁶ Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you,
on the kingdoms that do not call on your name,
⁷ because they have devoured Jacob,
and they have destroyed his pastureland.^[a]
8 Do not charge the guilt of our fathers against us.
Hurry, let your compassion come to meet us,
for we are very weak.
⁹ God, who saves us, help us for the glory of your name.
Deliver us and make atonement for our sins for your name’s sake.
¹⁰ Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
Before our very eyes, display to the nations
    vengeance for the poured-out blood of your servants.
¹¹ May the groaning of the prisoner come before you.
According to the great strength of your arm
    preserve those doomed to death.
¹² Pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times as much scorn
    as the scorn that they directed at you, Lord.
¹³ Then we your people, the flock of your pasture, will praise you forever.
From generation to generation we will recount your praise.