Psalms 79
1 A psalm for Asaph. O God, the heathens are come into thy inheritance, they have defiled thy holy temple: they have made Jerusalem as a place to keep fruit.
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 dead bodies of thy servants to be meat for the fowls of the air: the flesh of thy saints for 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 as water, round about Jerusalem and there was none to bury them.
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 are become a reproach to our neighbours: a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.
We have been made a mockery before our neighbors, ridiculed and laughed at by those around us.
5 How long, O Lord, wilt thou be angry for ever: shall thy zeal be kindled like a fire?
How long, Lord? Will you be angry with us forever? Will your jealousy always burn like fire?
6 Pour out thy wrath upon the nations that have not known thee: and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.
Pour out your anger on the heathen nations that don't know you, and on those kingdoms that don't worship you!
7 Because they have devoured Jacob; and have laid waste his place.
For they have destroyed the descendants of Jacob, and turned our country into a wasteland.
8 Remember not our former iniquities: let thy mercies speedily prevent us, for we are become exceeding poor.
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, our saviour: and for the glory of thy name, O Lord, deliver us: and forgive us our sins for thy name’s sake:
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 Lest they should say among the Gentiles: Where is their God? And let him be made known among the nations before our eyes, By the revenging the blood of thy servants, which hath been shed:
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 Let the sighing of the prisoners come in before thee. According to the greatness of thy arm, take possession of the children of them that have been put to death.
Listen to the groans of the prisoners; with your great power save those condemned to die.
12 And render to our neighbours sevenfold in their bosom: the reproach wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.
Pay each of these neighbors back seven times for the scorn and ridicule they directed against you, Lord.
13 But we thy people, and the sheep of thy pasture, will give thanks to thee for ever. We will shew forth thy praise, unto generation and generation.
Then we your people, the flock of your pasture, will praise you forever. We will thank you for all generations to come.
