Psalms 79

1 A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the Gentiles have entered into your inheritance; they have polluted your holy temple. They have set Jerusalem as a place to tend fruit trees.

A Psalm. Of Asaph. O God, the nations have come into your heritage; they have made your holy Temple unclean; they have made Jerusalem a mass of broken walls.

2 They have placed the dead bodies of your servants as food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your saints for the beasts of the earth.

They have given the bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, and the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth.

3 They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one who would bury them.

Their blood has been flowing like water round about Jerusalem; there was no one to put them in their last resting-place.

4 We have become a disgrace to our neighbors, an object of ridicule and mockery to those who are around us.

We are looked down on by our neighbours, we are laughed at and made sport of by those who are round us.

5 How long, O Lord? Will you be angry until the end? Will your zeal be kindled like a fire?

How long, O Lord? will you be angry for ever? will your wrath go on burning like fire?

6 Pour out your wrath among the Gentiles, who have not known you, and upon the kingdoms that have not invoked your name.

Let your wrath be on the nations who have no knowledge of you, and on the kingdoms who have not made prayer to your name.

7 For they have devoured Jacob, and they have desolated his place.

For they have taken Jacob for their meat, and made waste his house.

8 Do not remember our iniquities of the past. May your mercies quickly intercept us, for we have become exceedingly poor.

Do not keep in mind against us the sins of our fathers; let your mercy come to us quickly, for we have been made very low.

9 Help us, O God, our Savior. And free us, Lord, for the glory of your name. And forgive us our sins for the sake of your name.

Give us help, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; take us out of danger and give us forgiveness for our sins, because of your name.

10 Let them not say among the Gentiles, “Where is their God?” And may your name become known among the nations before our eyes. For the retribution of your servants’ blood, which has been poured out:

Why may the nations say, Where is their God? Let payment for the blood of your servants be made openly among the nations before our eyes.

11 may the groans of the shackled enter before you. According to the greatness of your arm, take possession of the sons of those who have been killed.

Let the cry of the prisoner come before you; with your strong arm make free the children of death;

12 And repay our neighbors sevenfold within their sinews. It is the reproach of the same ones who brought reproach against you, O Lord.

And give punishment seven times over into the breast of our neighbours for the bitter words which they have said against you, O Lord.

13 But we are your people and the sheep of your pasture: we will give thanks to you in all ages. From generation to generation, we will announce your praise.

So we your people, and the sheep of your flock, will give you glory for ever: we will go on praising you through all generations.