Psalms 79

1 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.

“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 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.

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 the blood of Jerusalem's people like water all through the city; no one remains 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 been made a mockery before our neighbors, ridiculed and laughed at by 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, Lord? Will you be angry with us forever? Will your jealousy always burn like fire?

How long, Lord? wilt thou be indignant for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

6 Pour out your anger on the heathen nations that don't know you, and on those kingdoms that don't worship you!

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 destroyed the descendants of Jacob, and turned our country into a wasteland.

For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling-place.

8 Don't hold the sins of our forefathers against us! Come to us quickly for we desperately need your compassion.

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, 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!

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 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.

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 Listen to the groans of the prisoners; with your great power save those condemned to die.

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 each of these neighbors back seven times for the scorn and ridicule they directed against you, 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 flock of your pasture, will praise you forever. We will thank you for all generations to come.

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.