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A Prayer for the Nation's Deliverance[a]

79 (A)O God, the heathen have invaded your land.
    They have desecrated your holy Temple
    and left Jerusalem in ruins.
They left the bodies of your people for the vultures,
    the bodies of your servants for wild animals to eat.
They shed your people's blood like water;
    blood flowed like water all through Jerusalem,
    and no one was left to bury the dead.
The surrounding nations insult us;
    they laugh at us and mock us.

Lord, will you be angry with us forever?
    Will your anger continue to burn like fire?
Turn your anger on the nations that do not worship you,
    on the people who do not pray to you.
For they have killed your people;
    they have ruined your country.

Do not punish us for the sins of our ancestors.
    Have mercy on us now;
    we have lost all hope.
Help us, O God, and save us;
    rescue us and forgive our sins
    for the sake of your own honor.
10 Why should the nations ask us,
    “Where is your God?”
Let us see you punish the nations
    for shedding the blood of your servants.

11 Listen to the groans of the prisoners,
    and by your great power free those who are condemned to die.
12 Lord, pay the other nations back seven times
    for all the insults they have hurled at you.
13 Then we, your people, the sheep of your flock,
    will thank you forever
    and praise you for all time to come.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 79:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by Asaph.

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.

79 O god, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.

The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.

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

We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.

How long, Lord? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.

For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.

O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.

Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.

10 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.

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

12 And render unto our neighbours 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 shew forth thy praise to all generations.