Psalms 79

1 God, other people-groups have invaded your land. They have (desecrated your temple/caused your temple to be unfit for worship), and they have destroyed all the buildings in Jerusalem.

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.

2 [Instead of burying] the corpses of your people [whom they killed], they allowed vultures and wild animals to eat the flesh of those corpses,

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.

3 When they killed your people, your people’s blood flowed like water through [the streets of] Jerusalem, and there was [almost] no one [HYP] left to bury their corpses.

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

4 The people-groups that live in countries that surround our land insult us; they laugh at us and deride/belittle us.

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

5 Yahweh, how long [will this continue]? Will you be angry with us forever? Will your being angry [destroy us like] a burning fire [destroys things]?

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

6 [Instead of being angry with us], be angry with the people-groups that do not know/worship you! Be angry with kingdoms whose people do not pray to you,

Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.

7 because they have killed Israeli people and they have ruined your country.

For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.

8 Do not punish us because of the sins that our ancestors committed! Be merciful to us now/quickly, because we are very discouraged.

O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.

9 God, you have saved/rescued [us many times], [so] help us [now]; rescue us and forgive us for having sinned in order that other people will honor you [MTY].

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.

10 It is not right that [RHQ] other people-groups say [about us], “If their God [is very powerful], (surely he should help them/why does he not [help them])?” Allow us to see you punishing the people of other nations in return for their shedding our blood; they have killed many of us, your people.

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

11 Listen to your people groaning while they are in prison, and by your great power free those whom our enemies say that they will certainly execute.

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

12 In return for their having [often] insulted you, punish them seven times as much!

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

13 After you do that, we, whom you [take care of like a shepherd takes care of] his sheep, will continue praising you; we will continue to praise you forever [HYP].

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