Psalms 79

1 A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.

A Psalm of Asaph. The nations, O God, have invaded Your inheritance; they have defiled Your holy temple and reduced Jerusalem to rubble.

2 The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.

They have given the corpses of Your servants as food to the birds of the air, the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth.

3 Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.

They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the dead.

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

We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to those around us.

5 How long, O LORD, wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

How long, O LORD? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire?

6 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the kingdoms that call not upon thy name.

Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge You, on the kingdoms that refuse to call on Your name,

7 For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his habitation.

for they have devoured Jacob and devastated his homeland.

8 Remember not against us the iniquities of our forefathers: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.

Do not hold past sins against us; let Your compassion come quickly, for we are brought low.

9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake.

Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; deliver us and atone for our sins, for the sake of Your name.

10 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed be known among the heathen in our sight.

Why should the nations ask, “Where is their God?” Before our eyes, make known among the nations Your vengeance for the bloodshed of Your servants.

11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to death;

May the groans of the captives reach You; by the strength of Your arm preserve those condemned to death.

12 And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.

Pay back into the laps of our neighbors sevenfold the reproach they hurled at You, O Lord.

13 So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.

Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will thank You forever; from generation to generation we will declare Your praise.