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BibleStudyIt Psalm 79

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Asaph wrote this psalm.

God, help us! [ a ]

79 God, foreign nations have attacked your own land.
They have spoiled your holy temple. [ b ]
They have destroyed the buildings in Jerusalem.
2 They have let birds come down
and eat the dead bodies of your people.
Your servants have become food for wild animals to eat.
3 The blood of your servants has poured out
all over the streets of Jerusalem.
There is nobody left there
to bury their bodies.
4 The nations that live near to us
do not respect us.
They laugh at us and they insult us.
5 Lord , how long will this continue?
Will you be angry with us for ever?
Will you always be angry,
like a fire that continues to burn?
6 Please punish those nations
that do not respect you.
Be angry with the kingdoms
that do not pray to you.
7 They have destroyed Jacob's descendants
and the land where they live. [ c ]
8 Our ancestors did bad things,
but do not say that we are guilty because of that.
Be kind and send help to us quickly.
We are in a lot of trouble!
9 God, help us! You are the one who can save us.
Rescue us,
so that people will respect your great name.
Forgive our sins,
so that people know you are good.
10 Foreign nations are saying about us,
‘Their God cannot help them!’
That is not right!
People of those nations have murdered your servants,
so punish them for us to see.
11 Listen to the prisoners who are in pain!
They are calling out for help.
Use your great power to make them free,
before their enemies kill them.
12 Lord, those countries near to us
have insulted you.
Punish them as they deserve,
seven times over!
Give them as much trouble as they have given to you.
13 Then we will continue to thank you for ever.
You take care of us,
as the sheep in your field.
We will tell our children and grandchildren to praise you,
as you deserve.

Footnotes

  1. 79:1 Perhaps an Israelite prisoner wrote this psalm, after enemies had attacked Jerusalem. He asks God to punish Israel's enemies and to make prisoners free. He wants other nations to know that God is powerful.
  2. 79:1 When they spoiled the temple, it meant that they had made it unclean. God's people could not use it to worship him.
  3. 79:7 Jacob is another name for Israel.

One of Asaph’s songs of praise.

79 God, some people from other nations came to fight your people.
They ruined your holy Temple.
They left Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They left the bodies of your servants for the wild birds to eat.
They let wild animals eat the bodies of your followers.
3 Blood flowed like water all over Jerusalem.
No one is left to bury the bodies.
4 The countries around us insult us.
The people around us laugh at us and make fun of us.
5 Lord , will you be angry with us forever?
Will your strong feelings [ a ] continue to burn like a fire?
6 Turn your anger against the nations that do not know you,
against the people who do not honor you as God.
7 Those nations killed Jacob’s family
and destroyed their land.
8 Please don’t punish us for the sins of our ancestors.
Hurry, show us your mercy!
We need you so much!
9 Our God and Savior, help us!
That will bring glory to your name.
Save us and forgive our sins
for the good of your name.
10 Don’t give the other nations a reason to say,
“Where is their God? Can’t he help them?”
Let us see you punish those people.
Punish them for killing your servants.
11 Listen to the sad cries of the prisoners!
Use your great power to free those who are sentenced to die.
12 Punish the nations around us!
Pay them back seven times for what they did to us.
Punish them for insulting you.
13 We are your people, the sheep of your flock.
We will praise you forever.
We will praise you forever and ever!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 79:5 strong feelings The Hebrew word can mean any strong feelings such as zeal, jealousy, or love.

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

2 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.

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 neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.

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

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

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

8 O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent 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 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.

Grieving over the Destruction of Jerusalem, and Prayer for Help.

A Psalm of Asaph.

79 God, the ( A ) nations have [ a ] invaded ( B ) Your inheritance;
They have defiled Your ( C ) holy temple;
They have ( D ) laid Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They have given the ( E ) dead bodies of Your servants to the birds of the sky as food,
The flesh of Your godly ones to the animals of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem;
And there was ( F ) no one to bury them.
4 We have become a ( G ) disgrace before our neighbors,
An object of derision and ridicule to those around us.
5 ( H ) How long, Lord ? Will You be angry forever?
Will Your ( I ) jealousy ( J ) burn like fire?
6 ( K ) Pour out Your wrath upon the nations which ( L ) do not know You,
And upon the kingdoms which ( M ) do not call upon Your name.
7 For they have ( N ) devoured Jacob
And ( O ) laid waste his [ b ] settlement.

8 ( P ) Do not [ c ] hold us responsible for [ d ] the guilty deeds of our forefathers;
Let Your compassion come quickly to ( Q ) meet us,
For we have ( R ) become very low.
9 ( S ) Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of ( T ) Your name;
And save us and [ e ] ( U ) forgive our sins ( V ) for the sake of Your name.
10 ( W ) Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
Let ( X ) vengeance for the blood of Your servants which has been shed
Be known among the nations in our sight.
11 Let ( Y ) the groaning of the prisoner come before You;
According to the greatness of Your [ f ] power, let [ g ] those who are ( Z ) doomed to die remain.
12 And return to our neighbors ( AA ) seven times as much ( AB ) into their lap
Their ( AC ) taunts with which they have taunted You, Lord.
13 So we Your people and the ( AD ) sheep of Your [ h ] pasture
Will ( AE ) give thanks to You forever;
To all generations we will ( AF ) tell of Your praise.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 79:1 Lit come into
  2. Psalm 79:7 Lit pasture
  3. Psalm 79:8 Lit remember against us
  4. Psalm 79:8 Or our former sins
  5. Psalm 79:9 Lit cover over, atone for
  6. Psalm 79:11 Lit arm
  7. Psalm 79:11 Lit the sons of death
  8. Psalm 79:13 Or pasturing

Psalm 79

A psalm of Asaph.

1 O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; ( A )
they have defiled ( B ) your holy temple,
they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble. ( C )
2 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 )
3 They have poured out blood like water
all around Jerusalem,
and there is no one to bury ( F ) the dead. ( G )
4 We are objects of contempt to our neighbors,
of scorn ( H ) and derision to those around us. ( I )

5 How long, ( J ) Lord ? Will you be angry ( K ) forever?
How long will your jealousy burn like fire? ( L )
6 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 )
7 for they have devoured ( P ) Jacob
and devastated his homeland.

8 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 )
9 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.