祈求上帝拯救

亚萨的诗。

79 上帝啊,
外族人侵占你的产业,
玷污你的圣殿,
使耶路撒冷沦为废墟。
他们把你仆人的尸体喂飞鸟,
把你忠心子民的尸体给野兽吃,
使耶路撒冷周围血流成河,
尸体无人埋葬。
我们成了列国羞辱的对象,
周围的人都嗤笑、讥讽我们。
耶和华啊,你向我们发怒,
要到何时呢?
难道要到永远吗?
你的怒火要烧到何时呢?
求你把烈怒撒向那些不承认你的列邦,
撒向那些不求告你的列国。
因为他们吞噬了雅各,
摧毁了他的家园。
求你不要向我们追讨我们祖先的罪,
愿你快快地怜悯我们,
因为我们已经落入绝望中。
拯救我们的上帝啊,
求你为了自己荣耀的名而帮助我们,
为你名的缘故拯救我们,
赦免我们的罪。
10 为何让列邦说:
“他们的上帝在哪里?”
求你让我们亲眼看见,
也让列邦都知道,
你为自己被害的子民申冤。
11 求你垂听被囚之人的哀叹,
求你用大能的臂膀留住死囚的性命。
12 主啊,我们的邻邦羞辱你,
求你以七倍的羞辱来报应他们。
13 这样,你的子民,你草场上的羊必永远称谢你,世代称颂你。

Psalm 79

A song of Asaph.

O God, the nations around us have raided the land that belongs to You;
    they have defiled Your holy house
    and crushed Jerusalem to a heap of ruins.
Your servants are dead;
    birds of the air swoop down to pick at their remains.
    Scavengers of the earth eat what is left of Your saints.
The enemy poured out their blood;
    it flowed like water
    all over Jerusalem,
    and there is no one left, no one to bury what remains of them.
The surrounding peoples taunt us.
    We are nothing but a joke to them, people to be ridiculed.

The Book of Psalms records both the highs and lows in the lives of God’s covenant people. Psalm 79 is an example of a communal lament after the destruction of Jerusalem and the loss of God’s temple. Songs like these address God with a complaint resulting from some sort of national tragedy.

Communal laments share a common structure. First, the singers address God and tell Him of their problems. Second, they beg Him for help and express trust that He will answer them, often remembering how He has saved Israel in the past. Finally, the singers promise to praise God once He has resolved their problem. The specifics of the situation determine the thrust of the song. Communal laments are often the people’s poetic and practical response to their perception of God’s inaction in their affairs.

How long can this go on, O Eternal One?
    Will You stay angry at us forever?
    Your jealousy burning like wildfire?
Flood these outsiders with Your wrath—
    they have no knowledge of You!
Drown the kingdoms of this world
    that call on false gods and not on Your name.
For these nations devoured Jacob, consumed him,
    and turned his home into a wasteland.

Do not hold the sins of our ancestors against us,
    but send Your compassion to meet us quickly, God.
    We are in deep despair.
Help us, O God who saves us,
    to the honor and glory of Your name.
Pull us up, deliver us, and forgive our sins,
    for Your name’s sake.
10 Don’t give these people any reason to ask,
    “Where is their God?”
Avenge the blood spilled by Your servants.
    Put it on display among the nations before our very eyes.

11 May the deep groans and wistful sighs of the prisoners reach You,
    and by Your great power, save those condemned to die.
12 Pay back each of our invaders personally, seven times
    for the shame they heaped on You, O Lord!
13 Then we, Your people, the sheep of Your pasture,
    will pause and give You thanks forever;
    Your praise will be told by our generation to the next.

Psalm 79

A psalm of Asaph.

O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance;(A)
    they have defiled(B) your holy temple,
    they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.(C)
They have left the dead bodies of your servants
    as food for the birds of the sky,(D)
    the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild.(E)
They have poured out blood like water
    all around Jerusalem,
    and there is no one to bury(F) the dead.(G)
We are objects of contempt to our neighbors,
    of scorn(H) and derision to those around us.(I)

How long,(J) Lord? Will you be angry(K) forever?
    How long will your jealousy burn like fire?(L)
Pour out your wrath(M) on the nations
    that do not acknowledge(N) you,
on the kingdoms
    that do not call on your name;(O)
for they have devoured(P) Jacob
    and devastated his homeland.

Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;(Q)
    may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
    for we are in desperate need.(R)
Help us,(S) God our Savior,
    for the glory of your name;
deliver us and forgive our sins
    for your name’s sake.(T)
10 Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”(U)

Before our eyes, make known among the nations
    that you avenge(V) the outpoured blood(W) of your servants.
11 May the groans of the prisoners come before you;
    with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die.
12 Pay back into the laps(X) of our neighbors seven times(Y)
    the contempt they have hurled at you, Lord.
13 Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture,(Z)
    will praise you forever;(AA)
from generation to generation
    we will proclaim your praise.