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.
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.
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.
[Instead of burying] the corpses of your people [whom they killed], they allowed vultures and wild animals to eat the flesh of those corpses,
3 Their blood have they shed like water around Jerusalem; and [there was] none to bury [them].
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.
4 We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to them that are around us.
The people-groups that live in countries that surround our land insult us; they laugh at us and deride/belittle us.
5 How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?
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]?
6 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.
[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,
7 For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling-place.
because they have killed Israeli people and they have ruined your country.
8 O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily succor us: for we are brought very low.
Do not punish us because of the sins that our ancestors committed! Be merciful to us now/quickly, because we are very discouraged.
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.
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].
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.
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.
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;
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.
12 And render to our neighbors seven-fold into their bosom their reproach, with which they have reproached thee, O LORD.
In return for their having [often] insulted you, punish them seven times as much!
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.
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].
