Psalms 79

1 A PSALM OF ASAPH. O God, nations have come into Your inheritance, They have defiled Your 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 Your servants [As] food for the birds of the heavens, The flesh of Your 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 around 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 neighbors, 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 Until when, O YHWH? Are You angry forever? Your jealousy burns as fire.

How long, Yahweh? Will you stay angry forever? How long will your jealous anger burn like fire?

6 Pour Your fury on the nations who have not known You, And on kingdoms that have not called on Your 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] has devoured Jacob, And they have made his habitation desolate.

For they have devoured Jacob and destroyed his villages.

8 Do not remember for us the iniquities of forefathers, Hurry, let Your 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 glory of Your Name, And deliver us, and cover over our sins, For Your 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 [it] be known among the nations before our eyes, The vengeance of the blood of Your 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 You, According to the greatness of Your arm, Leave 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 return to our neighbors, Sevenfold to their bosom, their reproach, With which they reproached You, 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, Your people, and the flock of Your pasture, We give thanks to You for all time, We recount Your praise from generation to generation!

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