Psalm 79

Faith amid Confusion

A psalm of Asaph. ^a

¹God, the nations have invaded your inheritance,

desecrated your holy temple,

and turned Jerusalem into ruins. ^b

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. ^c

³They poured out their blood

like water all around Jerusalem,

and there was no one to bury them. ^d

⁴We have become an object of reproach

to our neighbors,

a source of mockery and ridicule

to those around us. ^e

⁵How long, Lord? Will you be angry forever?

Will your jealousy keep burning like fire? ^f

⁶Pour out your wrath on the nations

that don’t acknowledge you,

on the kingdoms that don’t call on your name, ^g

⁷for they have devoured Jacob

and devastated his homeland. ^h

⁸Do not hold past iniquities ⁱ against us;

let your compassion come to us quickly,

for we have become very weak. ^j

⁹God of our salvation, help us, ^k

for the glory of your name.

Rescue us and atone for our sins,

for your name’s sake. ^l

¹⁰Why should the nations ask,

“Where is their God? ” ^m

Before our eyes,

let vengeance for the shed blood of your servants

be known among the nations. ⁿ

¹¹Let the groans of the prisoners reach you;

according to your great power,

preserve those condemned to die. ^o

¹²Pay back sevenfold to our neighbors ^p

the reproach they have hurled at you, Lord. ^q

¹³Then we, your people, the sheep of your pasture, ^r

will thank you forever;

we will declare your praise

to generation after generation. ^s