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 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.

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 your servants as food to the birds of the skies, the bodies of your faithful people to the beasts of the earth.

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

They have shed their blood like water around 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 have become a reproach for our neighbors, mocking and derision to those who are around us.

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

How long, Yahweh? Will you stay angry forever? How long will your jealous anger burn like 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 your wrath on the nations that do not know you and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your name.

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

For they have devoured Jacob and destroyed his villages.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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