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A Psalm of Asaph

A Prayer for Jerusalem

79 God, nations have invaded your land[a]
    to desecrate your holy Temple,
        to destroy Jerusalem,
to give the corpses of your servants
    as food for the birds of the skies
and the flesh of your godly ones
    to the beasts of the earth;
to make their blood flow like water around Jerusalem,
    with no one being buried.
We have become a reproach to our neighbors,
    a mockery and a derision to those around us.

How long, Lord, will you be angry? Forever?
    Will your jealousy burn like fire?
Pour out your wrath upon the nations
    that do not acknowledge you,
and over the kingdoms
    that do not call on your name.
    For they consumed Jacob,
    making his dwelling place desolate.

Don’t charge[b] us for previous iniquity,
    but let your compassion come quickly to us,
        for we have been brought very low.
Help us, God, our deliverer,
    on account of your glorious name,
deliver us and forgive[c] our sins
    on account of your name.

10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
    Let vengeance for the blood of your servants be meted[d] out
        before our eyes and among the nations.
11 Let the cries of the prisoners reach you.
    With the strength of your power,
        release those condemned to death.[e]
12 Pay back our neighbors seven times[f]
    the reproach with which they reproached you, Lord.
13     Then we, your people, the sheep of your pasture,
    will praise you always, from generation to generation.
        We will declare your praise.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 79:1 Lit. your possession; or your inheritance
  2. Psalm 79:8 Lit. remember
  3. Psalm 79:9 Lit. cover
  4. Psalm 79:10 Lit. spilled
  5. Psalm 79:11 Lit. the sons of death
  6. Psalm 79:12 Or seven-fold

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.