Psalms 79

1 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.

A Psalm by Asaph. God, the nations have come into your inheritance. They have defiled your holy temple. They have laid Jerusalem in heaps.

2 [Instead of burying] the corpses of your people [whom they killed], they allowed vultures and wild animals to eat the flesh of those corpses,

They have given the dead bodies of your servants to be food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your saints to the animals of the earth.

3 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.

They have shed their blood like water around Jerusalem. There was no one to bury them.

4 The people-groups that live in countries that surround our land insult us; they laugh at us and deride/belittle us.

We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scoffing and derision to those who are around us.

5 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]?

How long, LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?

6 [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,

Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not know you, on the kingdoms that do not call on your name,

7 because they have killed Israeli people and they have ruined your country.

for they have devoured Jacob, and destroyed his homeland.

8 Do not punish us because of the sins that our ancestors committed! Be merciful to us now/quickly, because we are very discouraged.

Do not hold the iniquities of our forefathers against us. Let your tender mercies speedily meet us, for we are in desperate need.

9 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].

Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of your name. Deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake.

10 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.

Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes, that vengeance for your servants’ blood is being poured out.

11 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.

Let the sighing of the prisoner come before you. According to the greatness of your power, preserve those who are sentenced to death.

12 In return for their having [often] insulted you, punish them seven times as much!

Pay back to our neighbors seven times into their bosom their reproach with which they have reproached you, Lord.

13 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].

So we, your people and sheep of your pasture, will give you thanks forever. We will praise you forever, to all generations.