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Psalm chapter 79

English Standard Version

1 O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. 2They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the heavens for food, the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth. 3They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them. 4We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us. 5 How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire? 6 Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your name! 7For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation. 8 Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low. 9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name 's sake! 10 Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes! 11Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die! 12Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord! 13But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.
New International Version

1A psalm of Asaph. O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble. 2They have left the dead bodies of your servants as food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild. 3They have poured out blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the dead.
4We are objects of contempt to our neighbors, of scorn and derision to those around us. 5How long, Lord? Will you be angry forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire? 6Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that do not call on your name;
7for they have devoured Jacob and devastated his homeland. 8Do not hold against us the sins of past generations; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need. 9Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.
10Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Before our eyes, make known among the nations that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants. 11May the groans of the prisoners come before you; with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die. 12Pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times the contempt they have hurled at you, Lord. 13Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will proclaim your praise.
New American Standard Bible

1God, the nations have invaded Your inheritance; They have defiled Your holy temple; They have laid Jerusalem in ruins. 2They have given the dead bodies of Your servants to the birds of the sky as food, The flesh of Your godly ones to the animals of the earth. 3They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem; And there was no one to bury them. 4We have become a disgrace before our neighbors, An object of derision and ridicule to those around us. 5How long, Lord? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire? 6Pour out Your wrath upon the nations which do not know You, And upon the kingdoms which do not call upon Your name. 7For they have devoured Jacob And laid waste his settlement. 8Do not hold us responsible for the guilty deeds of our forefathers; Let Your compassion come quickly to meet us, For we have become very low. 9Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; And save us and forgive our sins for the sake of Your name. 10Why should the nations say, 'Where is their God?' Let vengeance for the blood of Your servants which has been shed Be known among the nations in our sight. 11Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; According to the greatness of Your power, let those who are doomed to die remain. 12And return to our neighbors seven times as much into their lap Their taunts with which they have taunted You, Lord. 13So we Your people and the sheep of Your pasture Will give thanks to You forever; To all generations we will tell of Your praise.
Christian Standard Bible

1A psalm of Asaph. God, the nations have invaded your inheritance, desecrated your holy temple, and turned Jerusalem into ruins. 2They gave the corpses of your servants to the birds of the sky for food, the flesh of your faithful ones to the beasts of the earth. 3They poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.
4We have become an object of reproach to our neighbors, a source of mockery and ridicule to those around us. 5How long, Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy keep burning like fire? 6Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that don’t call on your name, 7for they have devoured Jacob and devastated his homeland.
8Do not hold past iniquities against us; let your compassion come to us quickly, for we have become very weak. 9God of our salvation, help us — for the glory of your name. Rescue us and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake. 10Why should the nations ask, "Where is their God?" Before our eyes, let vengeance for the shed blood of your servants be known among the nations.
11Let the groans of the prisoners reach you; according to your great power, preserve those condemned to die. 12Pay back sevenfold to our neighbors the reproach they have hurled at you, Lord. 13Then we, your people, the sheep of your pasture, will thank you forever; we will declare your praise to generation after generation.
New Living Translation

1O God, pagan nations have conquered your land, your special possession. They have defiled your holy Temple and made Jerusalem a heap of ruins. 2They have left the bodies of your servants as food for the birds of heaven. The flesh of your godly ones has become food for the wild animals. 3Blood has flowed like water all around Jerusalem; no one is left to bury the dead. 4We are mocked by our neighbors, an object of scorn and derision to those around us.
5O Lord, how long will you be angry with us? Forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire? 6Pour out your wrath on the nations that refuse to acknowledge you — on kingdoms that do not call upon your name. 7For they have devoured your people Israel, making the land a desolate wilderness. 8Do not hold us guilty for the sins of our ancestors! Let your compassion quickly meet our needs, for we are on the brink of despair.
9Help us, O God of our salvation! Help us for the glory of your name. Save us and forgive our sins for the honor of your name. 10Why should pagan nations be allowed to scoff, asking, 'Where is their God?' Show us your vengeance against the nations, for they have spilled the blood of your servants. 11Listen to the moaning of the prisoners. Demonstrate your great power by saving those condemned to die.
12O Lord, pay back our neighbors seven times for the scorn they have hurled at you. 13Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will thank you forever and ever, praising your greatness from generation to generation.
King James Version

1A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.
2The 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.
3Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.
4We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.
5How long, Lord? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?
6Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.
7For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.
8O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.
9Help 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.
10Wherefore 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.
11Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;
12And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.
13So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.
New King James Version

1{A Psalm of Asaph.} O God, the nations have come into Your inheritance; Your holy temple they have defiled; They have laid Jerusalem in heaps. 2 The dead bodies of Your servants They have given as food for the birds of the heavens, The flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth. 3Their blood they have shed like water all around Jerusalem, And there was no one to bury them. 4We have become a reproach to our neighbors, A scorn and derision to those who are around us. 5 How long, Lord? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire? 6 Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You, And on the kingdoms that do not call on Your name. 7For they have devoured Jacob, And laid waste his dwelling place. 8 Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us! Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us, For we have been brought very low. 9Help us, O God of our salvation, For the glory of Your name; And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, For Your name’s sake! 10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let there be known among the nations in our sight The avenging of the blood of Your servants which has been shed. 11Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; According to the greatness of Your power Preserve those who are appointed to die; 12And return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom Their reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord. 13So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, Will give You thanks forever; We will show forth Your praise to all generations.

What does Psalm chapter 79 mean?

This psalm refers to the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The city fell centuries after the lives of King David and one of his musicians, named Asaph (1 Chronicles 6:39). This could mean that the label "of Asaph" refers to style. Or it suggests a later writer named Asaph composed the song.

Between 605 and 586 BC, the kingdom of Judah—all that remained of the divided nation of Israel—suffered multiple defeats at the hands of the Babylonians. The last was the worst. In 586 BC, Babylon's siege against Jerusalem succeeded. The temple was desecrated and torn down, and Jerusalem was burned. Much of what happened was exactly as God predicted if Israel were to fall into idolatry (Deuteronomy 28:25). The psalm opens with a depiction of the ruin and slaughter (Psalm 79:1–4).

After describing the aftermath of Jerusalem's destruction, the psalmist struggles to understand it. He wonders about God's anger towards the people and asks forgiveness. Israel ignored God's warnings about imitating the pagan nations of Canaan (Deuteronomy 18:9), which would lead to their ruin (Deuteronomy 28:15). Even so, the psalmist prays that the Lord would bring vengeance to Babylon. Since the invaders were pagan unbelievers, Judah is not merely defeated, but also humiliated (Psalm 79:5–11).

The psalm ends with another appeal for the Lord to avenge the desecration of Jerusalem. The psalmist vows to honor God with praise. This seems to anticipate that God will answer his prayer (Psalm 79:12–13).
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