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.
God, other people-groups have invaded your land. They have (desecrated your temple/caused your temple to be unfit for worship), and they have destroyed all the buildings in Jerusalem.
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.
[Instead of burying] the corpses of your people [whom they killed], they allowed vultures and wild animals to eat the flesh of those corpses,
3 They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one who would bury them.
When they killed your people, your people’s blood flowed like water through [the streets of] Jerusalem, and there was [almost] no one [HYP] left to bury their corpses.
4 We have become a disgrace to our neighbors, an object of ridicule and mockery to those who are around us.
The people-groups that live in countries that surround our land insult us; they laugh at us and deride/belittle us.
5 How long, O Lord? Will you be angry until the end? Will your zeal be kindled like a fire?
Yahweh, how long [will this continue]? Will you be angry with us forever? Will your being angry [destroy us like] a burning fire [destroys things]?
6 Pour out your wrath among the Gentiles, who have not known you, and upon the kingdoms that have not invoked your name.
[Instead of being angry with us], be angry with the people-groups that do not know/worship you! Be angry with kingdoms whose people do not pray to you,
7 For they have devoured Jacob, and they have desolated his place.
because they have killed Israeli people and they have ruined your country.
8 Do not remember our iniquities of the past. May your mercies quickly intercept us, for we have become exceedingly poor.
Do not punish us because of the sins that our ancestors committed! Be merciful to us now/quickly, because we are very discouraged.
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.
God, you have saved/rescued [us many times], [so] help us [now]; rescue us and forgive us for having sinned in order that other people will honor you [MTY].
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:
It is not right that [RHQ] other people-groups say [about us], “If their God [is very powerful], (surely he should help them/why does he not [help them])?” Allow us to see you punishing the people of other nations in return for their shedding our blood; they have killed many of us, your people.
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.
Listen to your people groaning while they are in prison, and by your great power free those whom our enemies say that they will certainly execute.
12 And repay our neighbors sevenfold within their sinews. It is the reproach of the same ones who brought reproach against you, O Lord.
In return for their having [often] insulted you, punish them seven times as much!
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.
After you do that, we, whom you [take care of like a shepherd takes care of] his sheep, will continue praising you; we will continue to praise you forever [HYP].
