Psalms 79
1 A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen have come into thy inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.
A Psalm. Of Asaph. O God, the nations have come into your heritage; they have made your holy Temple unclean; they have made Jerusalem a mass of broken walls.
2 The dead bodies of thy servants have they given [to be] food to the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints, to the beasts of the earth.
They have given the bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, and the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth.
3 Their blood have they shed like water around Jerusalem; and [there was] none to bury [them].
Their blood has been flowing like water round about Jerusalem; there was no one to put them in their last resting-place.
4 We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to them that are around us.
We are looked down on by our neighbours, we are laughed at and made sport of by those who are round us.
5 How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?
How long, O Lord? will you be angry for ever? will your wrath go on burning like fire?
6 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.
Let your wrath be on the nations who have no knowledge of you, and on the kingdoms who have not made prayer to your name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling-place.
For they have taken Jacob for their meat, and made waste his house.
8 O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily succor us: for we are brought very low.
Do not keep in mind against us the sins of our fathers; let your mercy come to us quickly, for we have been made very low.
9 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.
Give us help, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; take us out of danger and give us forgiveness for our sins, because of your name.
10 Why should the heathen say, Where [is] their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight [by] avenging the blood of thy servants [which is] shed.
Why may the nations say, Where is their God? Let payment for the blood of your servants be made openly among the nations before our eyes.
11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;
Let the cry of the prisoner come before you; with your strong arm make free the children of death;
12 And render to our neighbors seven-fold into their bosom their reproach, with which they have reproached thee, O LORD.
And give punishment seven times over into the breast of our neighbours for the bitter words which they have said against you, O Lord.
13 So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will show forth thy praise to all generations.
So we your people, and the sheep of your flock, will give you glory for ever: we will go on praising you through all generations.
