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 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.

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 thy servants to be meat for the fowls of the air: the flesh of thy saints for the beasts 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 poured out their blood as water, round about Jerusalem and there was none 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 are become a reproach to our neighbours: a scorn and derision to them that are round about 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, O Lord, wilt thou be angry for ever: shall thy zeal be kindled like a 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 thy wrath upon the nations that have not known thee: and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.

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

Because they have devoured Jacob; and have laid waste his place.

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

Remember not our former iniquities: let thy mercies speedily prevent us, for we are become exceeding poor.

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, 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:

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.

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:

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 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.

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

And render to our neighbours sevenfold in their bosom: the reproach wherewith they have reproached thee, O 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].

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.