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Psalm 79

Plea for Mercy for Jerusalem

A Psalm of Asaph.

O God, the nations have come into your inheritance;
    they have defiled your holy temple;
    they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.(A)
They have given the bodies of your servants
    to the birds of the air for food,
    the flesh of your faithful to the wild animals of the earth.(B)
They have poured out their blood like water
    all around Jerusalem,
    and there was no one to bury them.(C)
We have become a taunt to our neighbors,
    mocked and derided by those around us.(D)

How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever?
    Will your jealous wrath burn like fire?(E)
Pour out your anger on the nations
    that do not know you
and on the kingdoms
    that do not call on your name.(F)
For they have devoured Jacob
    and laid waste his habitation.

Do not remember against us the iniquities of our ancestors;
    let your compassion come speedily to meet us,
    for we are brought very low.(G)
Help us, O God of our salvation,
    for the glory of your name;
deliver us and forgive our sins,
    for your name’s sake.(H)
10 Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”
Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants
    be known among the nations before our eyes.(I)

11 Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;
    according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die.(J)
12 Return sevenfold into the bosom of our neighbors
    the taunts with which they taunted you, O Lord!(K)
13 Then we your people, the flock of your pasture,
    will give thanks to you forever;
    from generation to generation we will recount your praise.(L)

Psalm 79

They Have Reduced Jerusalem to Rubble

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A psalm by Asaph.

The Destruction and the Disgrace

God, the nations have invaded your possession.
They have profaned your holy temple.
They have reduced Jerusalem to a heap of ruins.
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.
They have poured out their blood like water all over Jerusalem,
and there is no one to bury them.
We are subjected to contempt by our neighbors,
to mockery and ridicule by those around us.

The Prayer for Justice

How long, O Lord? Will you stay angry forever?
How long will your jealous anger burn like fire?
Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you,
on the kingdoms that do not call on your name,
because they have devoured Jacob,
and they have destroyed his pastureland.[a]
Do not charge the guilt of our fathers against us.
Hurry, let your compassion come to meet us,
for we are very weak.
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.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 79:7 Pastureland here is figurative for their homeland.