Psalm 79

Faith amid Confusion

A psalm of Asaph.

1 God, the nations have invaded Your inheritance,
desecrated Your holy temple,
and turned Jerusalem into ruins.
2 They gave the corpses of Your servants
to the birds of the sky for food,
the flesh of Your godly ones
to the beasts of the earth.
3 They poured out their blood
like water all around Jerusalem,
and there was no one to bury [them].

4 We have become an object of reproach
to our neighbors,
a source of mockery and ridicule
to those around us.

5 How long, Yahweh? Will You be angry forever?
Will Your jealousy keep burning like fire?
6 Pour out Your wrath on the nations
that don't acknowledge You,
on the kingdoms that don't call on Your name,
7 for they have devoured Jacob
and devastated his homeland.

8 Do not hold past sins against us;
let Your compassion come to us quickly,
for we have become weak.

9 God of our salvation, help us-
for the glory of Your name.
Deliver us and atone for our sins,
because of Your name.
10 Why should the nations ask,
"Where is their God?"
Before our eyes,
let vengeance for the shed blood of Your servants
be known among the nations.

11 Let the groans of the prisoners reach You;
according to Your great power,
preserve those condemned to die.

12 Pay back sevenfold to our neighbors
the reproach they have hurled at You, Lord.

13 Then we, Your people, the sheep of Your pasture,
will thank You forever;
we will declare Your praise
to generation after generation.

Psalm 79

1 O God, the nations are come into thine inheritance; Thy holy temple have they defiled; They have laid Jerusalem in heaps.

2 The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be food unto the birds of the heavens, The flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.

3 Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; And there was none to bury them.

4 We are become a reproach to our neighbors, A scoffing and derision to them that are round about us.

5 How long, O Jehovah? wilt thou be angry for ever? Shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

6 Pour out thy wrath upon the nations that know thee not, And upon the kingdoms that call not upon thy name.

7 For they have devoured Jacob, And laid waste his habitation.

8 Remember not against us the iniquities of our forefathers: Let thy tender mercies speedily meet us; For we are brought very low.

9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name; And deliver us, and forgive our sins, for thy name’s sake.

10 Wherefore should the nations say, Where is their God? Let the avenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed Be known among the nations in our sight.

11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee: According to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to death;

12 And render unto our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom Their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.

13 So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture Will give thee thanks for ever: We will show forth thy praise to all generations.