Psalm 79

1  O GOD, the nations have come into [the land of Your people] Your inheritance; Your sacred temple have they defiled; they have made Jerusalem heaps of ruins.2  The dead bodies of Your servants they have given as food to the birds of the heavens, the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth.3  Their blood they have poured out like water round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them.4  [Because of such humiliation] we have become a taunt and reproach to our neighbors, a mocking and derision to those who are round about us.5  How long, O Lord? Will You be angry forever? Shall Your jealousy [which cannot endure a divided allegiance] burn like fire?6  Pour out Your wrath on the Gentile nations who do not acknowledge You, and upon the kingdoms that do not call on Your name. 7  For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his dwelling and his pasture.8  O do not [earnestly] remember against us the iniquities and guilt of our forefathers! Let Your compassion and tender mercy speedily come to meet us, for we are brought very low.9  Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name! Deliver us, forgive us, and purge away our sins for Your name’s sake.10  Why should the Gentile nations say, Where is their God? Let vengeance for the blood of Your servants which is poured out be known among the nations in our sight [not delaying until some future generation].11  Let the groaning and sighing of the prisoner come before You; according to the greatness of Your power and Your arm spare those who are appointed to die!12  And return into the bosom of our neighbors sevenfold the taunts with which they have taunted and scoffed at You, O Lord!13  Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will give You thanks forever; we will show forth and publish Your praise from generation to generation.

Psalm 79

A psalm of Asaph.

1 O God, foreigners have invaded your chosen land;
they have polluted your holy temple
and turned Jerusalem into a heap of ruins.

2 They have given the corpses of your servants
to the birds of the sky;
the flesh of your loyal followers
to the beasts of the earth.

3 They have made their blood flow like water
all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury them.

4 We have become an object of disdain to our neighbors;
those who live on our borders taunt and insult us.

5 How long will this go on, O Lord?
Will you stay angry forever?
How long will your rage burn like fire?

6 Pour out your anger on the nations that do not acknowledge you,
on the kingdoms that do not pray to you!

7 For they have devoured Jacob
and destroyed his home.

8 Do not hold us accountable for the sins of earlier generations!
Quickly send your compassion our way,
for we are in serious trouble!

9 Help us, O God, our deliverer!
For the sake of your glorious reputation, rescue us!
Forgive our sins for the sake of your reputation!

10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
Before our very eyes may the shed blood of your servants
be avenged among the nations!

11 Listen to the painful cries of the prisoners!
Use your great strength to set free those condemned to die!

12 Pay back our neighbors in full!
May they be insulted the same way they insulted you, O Lord!

13 Then we, your people, the sheep of your pasture,
will continually thank you.
We will tell coming generations of your praiseworthy acts.