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 Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.

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.

The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints 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.

Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none 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 neighbours, a scorn and derision to them 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, O LORD, wilt thou be angry 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 wrath upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the kingdoms that call not upon 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 habitation.

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

Remember not against us the iniquities of our forefathers: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.

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, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake.

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 should the heathen say, Where is their God? let the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed be known among the heathen in our sight.

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 power preserve thou those that are appointed to death;

12 Pay each of these neighbors back seven times for the scorn and ridicule they directed against you, Lord.

And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached 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.

So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.