Psalms 79
1 A Psalm of Asaph. The nations, O God, have invaded Your inheritance; they have defiled Your holy temple and reduced Jerusalem to rubble.
A psalm of Asaph. God, heathen nations have invaded your land. They have defiled your holy Temple. They have turned Jerusalem into heaps of rubble.
2 They have given the corpses of Your servants as food to the birds of the air, the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth.
They have given the dead bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, the flesh of your faithful people to the beasts of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the dead.
They have poured out the blood of Jerusalem's people like water all through the city; no one remains to bury the dead.
4 We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to those around us.
We have been made a mockery before our neighbors, ridiculed and laughed at by those around us.
5 How long, O LORD? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire?
How long, Lord? Will you be angry with us forever? Will your jealousy always burn like fire?
6 Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge You, on the kingdoms that refuse to call on Your name,
Pour out your anger on the heathen nations that don't know you, and on those kingdoms that don't worship you!
7 for they have devoured Jacob and devastated his homeland.
For they have destroyed the descendants of Jacob, and turned our country into a wasteland.
8 Do not hold past sins against us; let Your compassion come quickly, for we are brought low.
Don't hold the sins of our forefathers against us! Come to us quickly for we desperately need your compassion.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; deliver us and atone for our sins, for the sake of Your name.
Help us, God of our salvation, because of your wonderful character! Save us and forgive us our sins because that's the kind of person you are!
10 Why should the nations ask, “Where is their God?” Before our eyes, make known among the nations Your vengeance for the bloodshed of Your servants.
Why should the heathen nations be able to say, “Where is their God?” May they experience your punishment for shedding the blood of your servants, and may we see it.
11 May the groans of the captives reach You; by the strength of Your arm preserve those condemned to death.
Listen to the groans of the prisoners; with your great power save those condemned to die.
12 Pay back into the laps of our neighbors sevenfold the reproach they hurled at You, O Lord.
Pay each of these neighbors back seven times for the scorn and ridicule they directed against you, Lord.
13 Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will thank You forever; from generation to generation we will declare Your praise.
Then we your people, the flock of your pasture, will praise you forever. We will thank you for all generations to come.
