< 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 Assaph.” O God! nations have entered into thy heritage; they have profaned thy holy temple; they have rendered Jerusalem heaps of ruins.
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 thy servants as food unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy pious ones unto 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 shed their blood like water all round about Jerusalem: and there is no one to bury them.
4 We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to those around us.
We are become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to those that are round about us.
5 How long, O LORD? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire?
How long, Lord? wilt thou be indignant for ever? shall thy jealousy 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 thy fury over the nations that acknowledge thee not, and over the kingdoms that have not called on thy name.
7 for they have devoured Jacob and devastated his homeland.
For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling-place.
8 Do not hold past sins against us; let Your compassion come quickly, for we are brought low.
Oh remember not against us the iniquities of our fathers: make haste, let thy mercies come to our aid; for we are very miserable.
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, O God of our salvation, because of the glory of thy name; and deliver us, and atone for our sins, for the sake of thy name.
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.
Wherefore shall the nations say, Where is their God? let there be made known among the nations before our eyes, the vengeance for the blood of thy servants which hath been shed.
11 May the groans of the captives reach You; by the strength of Your arm preserve those condemned to death.
Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee: according to the greatness of thy almighty power preserve thou those that are doomed to death;
12 Pay back into the laps of our neighbors sevenfold the reproach they hurled at You, O Lord.
And recompense unto our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their defiance wherewith they have defied thee, O Lord.
13 Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will thank You forever; from generation to generation we will declare Your praise.
But we thy people and the flock of thy pasture will give thanks unto thee for ever: from generation to generation will we relate thy praise.