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 of Asaph. Heathen, O God, have come into your land, defiling your holy temple, and laying Jerusalem in ruins.
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 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 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.
Round about Jerusalem they have poured out their blood like water; and 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.
On every side our neighbors revile us and mock us and jeer at 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 will you be angry, O Lord? Will your jealousy burn like fire forever?
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 don’t 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 Jacob they devoured, they have desolated his home.
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 remember against us our ancestors’ sins; O meet us soon with your pity, for utterly weak are we.
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 savior, for the renown of your name: for your reputation deliver us and cover over our sins.
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 revenge for the outpoured blood of your servants be shown on the heathen before our eyes.
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.
May the groans of the prisoner come before you; free the children of death by your mighty arm.
12 In return for their having [often] insulted you, punish them seven times as much!
Pay our neighbors back sevenfold for the scorn they have heaped upon you, 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].
Then we, your people, the flock of your pasture, will give thanks to you for evermore, and tell your praise to all generations.
