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. Heathen, O God, have come into your land, defiling your holy temple, and laying Jerusalem in ruins.
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 bodies of your dead servants to the birds of the air to devour, and the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the field.
3 They have poured out their blood as water, round about Jerusalem and there was none to bury them.
Round about Jerusalem they have poured out their blood like water; and there was no one to bury them.
4 We are become a reproach to our neighbours: a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.
On every side our neighbours revile us and mock us and jeer at us.
5 How long, O Lord, wilt thou be angry for ever: shall thy zeal be kindled like a fire?
How long will you be angry, O Lord? Will your jealousy burn like fire forever?
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 wrath on the nations that don’t know you, on the kingdoms that do not call on your name.
7 Because they have devoured Jacob; and have laid waste his place.
For Jacob they devoured, they have desolated his home.
8 Remember not our former iniquities: let thy mercies speedily prevent us, for we are become exceeding poor.
Do not remember against us our ancestors’ sins; O meet us soon with your pity, for utterly weak are we.
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, O God our saviour, for the renown of your name: for your reputation deliver us and cover over our sins.
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 nations say, ‘Where is their God?’ Let revenge for the outpoured blood of your servants be shown on the heathen before our eyes.
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.
May the groans of the prisoner come before you; free the children of death by your mighty arm.
12 And render to our neighbours sevenfold in their bosom: the reproach wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.
Pay our neighbours back sevenfold for the scorn they have heaped upon you, O 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 give thanks to you for evermore, and tell your praise to all generations.
