Psalm 79

PSALM 79

A Psalm of Asaph.

¹O God, the heathen have come into thy inheritance;

they have defiled thy holy temple;

they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.

²They have given the bodies of thy servants

to the birds of the air for food,

the flesh of thy saints to the beasts of the earth.

³They have poured out their blood like water

round about Jerusalem,

and there was none to bury them.

⁴We have become a taunt to our neighbors,

mocked and derided by those round about us.

⁵How long, O Lord? Wilt thou be angry for ever?

Will thy jealous wrath burn like fire?

⁶Pour out thy anger on the nations

that do not know thee,

and on the kingdoms

that do not call on thy name!

⁷For they have devoured Jacob,

and laid waste his habitation.

⁸Do not remember against us the iniquities of our forefathers;

let thy compassion come speedily to meet us,

for we are brought very low.

⁹Help us, O God of our salvation,

for the glory of thy name;

deliver us, and forgive our sins,

for thy name’s sake!

¹⁰Why should the nations say,

“Where is their God?”

Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of thy servants

be known among the nations before our eyes!

¹¹Let the groans of the prisoners come before thee;

according to thy great power preserve those doomed to die!

¹²Return sevenfold into the bosom of our neighbors

the taunts with which they have taunted thee, O Lord!

¹³Then we thy people, the flock of thy pasture,

will give thanks to thee for ever;

from generation to generation we will recount thy praise.