Psalms 79

1 A Psalm of Asaph. O God, nations have come into Thy inheritance, They have defiled Thy holy temple, They made Jerusalem become heaps,

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 They gave the dead bodies of Thy servants Food for the fowls of the heavens, The flesh of Thy saints For the wild beast of the earth.

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 They have shed their blood As water round about Jerusalem, And there is none burying.

They have poured out their blood as water, round about Jerusalem and there was none to bury them.

4 We have been a reproach to our neighbours, A scorn and a derision to our surrounders.

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

5 Till when, O Jehovah? art Thou angry for ever? Thy jealousy doth burn as fire.

How long, O Lord, wilt thou be angry for ever: shall thy zeal be kindled like a fire?

6 Pour Thy fury on the nations who have not known Thee, And on kingdoms that have not called in Thy name.

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

7 For [one] hath devoured Jacob, And his habitation they have made desolate.

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

8 Remember not for us the iniquities of forefathers, Haste, let Thy mercies go before us, For we have been very weak.

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

9 Help us, O God of our salvation, Because of the honour of Thy name, And deliver us, and cover over our sins, For Thy name's sake.

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 Why do the nations say, 'Where [is] their God?' Let be known among the nations before our eyes, The vengeance of the blood of Thy servants that is shed.

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 Let the groaning of the prisoner come in before Thee, According to the greatness of Thine arm, Leave Thou the sons of death.

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 And turn Thou back to our neighbours, Sevenfold unto their bosom, their reproach, Wherewith they reproached Thee, O Lord.

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

13 And we, Thy people, and the flock of Thy pasture, We give thanks to Thee to the age, To all generations we recount Thy praise!

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.