Psalms 79

1 Of Asaph. God, hethene men cam in to thin eritage; thei defouliden thin hooli temple, thei settiden Jerusalem in to the keping of applis.

A psalm of Asaph. Heathen, O God, have come into your land, defiling your holy temple, and laying Jerusalem in ruins.

2 Thei settiden the slayn bodies of thi seruauntis, meetis to the volatilis of heuenes; the fleischis of thi seyntis to the beestis of the erthe.

They have given the bodies of your dead servants to the birds of the air to devour, and the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the field.

3 Thei schedden out the blood of hem, as watir in the cumpas of Jerusalem; and noon was that biriede.

Round about Jerusalem they have poured out their blood like water; and there was no one to bury them.

4 We ben maad schenschipe to oure neiyboris; mowynge and scornynge to hem, that ben in oure cumpas.

On every side our neighbours revile us and mock us and jeer at us.

5 Lord, hou longe schalt thou be wrooth in to the ende? schal thi veniaunce be kyndelid as fier?

How long will you be angry, O Lord? Will your jealousy burn like fire forever?

6 Schede out thin ire in to hethene men, that knowen not thee; and in to rewmes, that clepiden not thi name.

Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t know you, on the kingdoms that do not call on your name.

7 For thei eeten Jacob; and maden desolat his place.

For Jacob they devoured, they have desolated his home.

8 Haue thou not mynde on oure elde wickidnesses; thi mercies bifore take vs soone, for we ben maad pore greetli.

Do not remember against us our ancestors’ sins; O meet us soon with your pity, for utterly weak are we.

9 God, oure heelthe, helpe thou vs, and, Lord, for the glorie of thi name delyuer thou vs; and be thou merciful to oure synnes for thi name.

Help us, O God our saviour, for the renown of your name: for your reputation deliver us and cover over our sins.

10 Lest perauenture thei seie among hethene men, Where is the God of hem? and be he knowun among naciouns bifore oure iyen. The veniaunce of the blood of thi seruauntis, which is sched out; the weilyng of feterid men entre in thi siyt.

Why should the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’ Let revenge for the outpoured blood of your servants be shown on the heathen before our eyes.

11 Vpe the greetnesse of thin arm; welde thou the sones of slayn men.

May the groans of the prisoner come before you; free the children of death by your mighty arm.

12 And yelde thou to oure neiyboris seuenfoold in the bosum of hem; the schenschip of hem, which thei diden schenschipfuli to thee, thou Lord.

Pay our neighbours back sevenfold for the scorn they have heaped upon you, O Lord.

13 But we that ben thi puple, and the scheep of thi leesewe; schulen knouleche to thee in to the world. In generacioun and in to generacioun; we schulen telle thin heriyng.

Then we, your people, the flock of your pasture, will give thanks to you for evermore, and tell your praise to all generations.