79 1 The Israelites complain to God for the great calamity and oppression that they suffered by God’s enemies, 8 and confessing their sins, flee to God’s mercies with full hope of deliverance, 10 Because their calamities were joined with the contempt of his Name, 13 for the which they promise to be thankful.
A Psalm committed to Asaph.
1 O God, [a]the heathen are come into thine inheritance: thine holy Temple have they defiled, and made Jerusalem heaps of stones.
2 The [b]dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto fowls of the heaven, and the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.
3 Their blood have they shed like waters, round about Jerusalem, and there was none to [c]bury them.
4 We are a reproach to our [d]neighbors, even a scorn and derision unto them that are round about us.
5 Lord, how long wilt thou be angry, forever? shall thy jealousy [e]burn like fire?
6 (A)Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy Name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob, and made his dwelling place desolate.
8 Remember not against us the [f]former iniquities, but [g]make haste, and let thy tender mercies prevent us: for we are in great misery.
9 Help us, O God of our [h]salvation, for the glory of thy Name, and deliver us, and be merciful unto our sins for thy Name’s sake.
10 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let them be known among the heathen in our sight by the vengeance of the blood of thy servants that is shed.
11 Let the sighing of the [i]prisoners come before thee: according to thy mighty arm preserve [j]the children of death,
12 And render to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.
13 So we thy people, and sheep of thy pasture shall praise thee forever: and from generation to generation [k]we will set forth thy praise.
Footnotes
- Psalm 79:1 The people cry unto God against the barbarous tyranny of the Babylonians, who spoiled God’s inheritance, polluted his Temple, destroyed his religion, and murdered his people.
- Psalm 79:2 The Prophet showeth to what extremities God suffereth sometime his Church to fall, to exercise their faith, before he set his hand to deliver them.
- Psalm 79:3 Their friends and kinsfolks durst not bury them for fear of the enemies.
- Psalm 79:4 Whereof some came of Abraham but were degenerate: and others were open enemies to thy religion, but they both laughed at our miseries.
- Psalm 79:5 Wilt thou utterly consume us for our sins, before thou takest us to mercy?
- Psalm 79:8 Which we and our fathers have committed.
- Psalm 79:8 And stay not till we have recompensed for our sins.
- Psalm 79:9 Seeing we have none other Savior, neither can we help ourselves, and also by our salvation thy Name shall be praised: therefore, O Lord, help us.
- Psalm 79:11 Who though in respect of God they were justly punished for their sins: yet in consideration of their cause were unjustly murdered.
- Psalm 79:11 Which were captives among their enemies, and could look for nothing but death.
- Psalm 79:13 We ought to desire no benefit of God, but on this condition to praise his name, Isa. 43:21.