Psalms 79

1 A psalm of Asaph. God, foreign nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have turned Jerusalem into a heap of ruins.

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 skies, the bodies 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 shed their blood like water around Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them.

Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.

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

We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.

5 How long, Yahweh? Will you stay angry forever? How long will your jealous anger burn like fire?

How long, Yhwh? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

6 Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not know you and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your name.

Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.

7 For they have devoured Jacob and destroyed his villages.

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

8 Do not hold the sins of our forefathers against us; may your merciful actions come to us, for we are very low.

O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily come to us: for we are brought very low.

9 Help us, God of our salvation, for the sake of the glory of your name; save us and forgive our sins for your name's sake.

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 nations say, “Where is their God?” May the blood of your servants that was shed be avenged on the nations before our eyes.

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

11 May the groans of the prisoners come before you; with the greatness of your power keep the children of death alive.

Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;

12 Pay back into the laps of our neighboring countries seven times as much as the insults with which they have insulted you, Lord.

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

13 So we your people and sheep of your pasture will give you thanks forever. We will tell your praises to all generations.

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