Psalms 79
A psalm of Asaph.
1The nations have come into your inheritance, God! They’ve defiled your holy temple. They’ve made Jerusalem a bunch of ruins.2They’ve left your servants’ bodies as food for the birds; they’ve left the flesh of your faithful to the wild animals of the earth.
3They’ve poured out the blood of the faithful like water all around Jerusalem, and there’s no one left to bury them.
4We’ve become a joke to our neighbors, nothing but objects of ridicule and disapproval to those around us.
5How long will you rage, LORD? Forever? How long will your anger burn like fire?
6Pour out your wrath on the nations who don’t know you, on the kingdoms that haven’t called on your name.
7They’ve devoured Jacob and demolished his pasture.
8Don’t remember the iniquities of past generations; let your compassion hurry to meet us because we’ve been brought so low.
9God of our salvation, help us for the glory of your name! Deliver us and cover our sins for the sake of your name!
10Why should the nations say, “Where’s their God now?” Let vengeance for the spilled blood of your servants be known among the nations before our very eyes!
11Let the prisoners’ groaning reach you. With your powerful arm spare those who are destined to die.
12Pay back our neighbors seven times over, right where it hurts, for the insults they used on you, Lord.
13We are, after all, your people and the sheep of your very own pasture. We will give you thanks forever; we will proclaim your praises from one generation to the next. “”