Psalms 79

¹O God, the nations have come into your heritage; they have made your holy Temple unclean; they have made Jerusalem a mass of broken walls.

²They have given the bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, and the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth.

³Their blood has been flowing like water round about Jerusalem; there was no one to put them in their last resting-place.

⁴We are looked down on by our neighbours, we are laughed at and made sport of by those who are round us.

⁵How long, O Lord? will you be angry for ever? will your wrath go on burning like fire?

⁶Let your wrath be on the nations who have no knowledge of you, and on the kingdoms who have not made prayer to your name.

⁷For they have taken Jacob for their meat, and made waste his house.

⁸Do not keep in mind against us the sins of our fathers; let your mercy come to us quickly, for we have been made very low.

⁹Give us help, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; take us out of danger and give us forgiveness for our sins, because of your name.

¹⁰Why may the nations say, Where is their God? Let payment for the blood of your servants be made openly among the nations before our eyes.

¹¹Let the cry of the prisoner come before you; with your strong arm make free the children of death;

¹²And give punishment seven times over into the breast of our neighbours for the bitter words which they have said against you, O Lord.

¹³So we your people, and the sheep of your flock, will give you glory for ever: we will go on praising you through all generations.

Psalms 79

¹God, the nations have come into your inheritance. They have defiled your holy temple. They have laid Jerusalem in heaps.

²They have given the dead bodies of your servants to be food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your holy ones to the animals of the earth.

³Their blood they have shed like water around Jerusalem. There was no one to bury them.

⁴We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scoffing and derision to those who are around us.

⁵How long, Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?

⁶Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not know you; on the kingdoms that do not call on your name;

⁷For they have devoured Jacob, and destroyed his homeland.

⁸Do not hold the iniquities of our forefathers against us. Let your tender mercies speedily meet us, for we are in desperate need.

⁹Help us, God of our salvation, 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?" Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes, that vengeance for your servants' blood is being poured out.

¹¹Let the sighing of the prisoner come before you. According to the greatness of your power, preserve those who are sentenced to death.

¹²Pay back to our neighbors seven times into their bosom their reproach with which they have reproached you, Lord.

¹³So we, your people and sheep of your pasture, will give you thanks forever. We will praise you forever, to all generations.