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One of Asaph’s songs of praise.

79 God, some people from other nations came to fight your people.
    They ruined your holy Temple.
    They left Jerusalem in ruins.
They left the bodies of your servants for the wild birds to eat.
    They let wild animals eat the bodies of your followers.
Blood flowed like water all over Jerusalem.
    No one is left to bury the bodies.
The countries around us insult us.
    The people around us laugh at us and make fun of us.
Lord, will you be angry with us forever?
    Will your strong feelings[a] continue to burn like a fire?
Turn your anger against the nations that do not know you,
    against the people who do not honor you as God.
Those nations killed Jacob’s family
    and destroyed their land.
Please don’t punish us for the sins of our ancestors.
    Hurry, show us your mercy!
    We need you so much!
Our God and Savior, help us!
    That will bring glory to your name.
Save us and forgive our sins
    for the good of your name.
10 Don’t give the other nations a reason to say,
    “Where is their God? Can’t he help them?”
Let us see you punish those people.
    Punish them for killing your servants.
11 Listen to the sad cries of the prisoners!
    Use your great power to free those who are sentenced to die.
12 Punish the nations around us!
    Pay them back seven times for what they did to us.
    Punish them for insulting you.
13 We are your people, the sheep of your flock.
    We will praise you forever.
    We will praise you forever and ever!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 79:5 strong feelings The Hebrew word can mean any strong feelings such as zeal, jealousy, or love.

Psalm 79

A psalm of Asaph.

O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance;(A)
    they have defiled(B) your holy temple,
    they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.(C)
They have left the dead bodies of your servants
    as food for the birds of the sky,(D)
    the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild.(E)
They have poured out blood like water
    all around Jerusalem,
    and there is no one to bury(F) the dead.(G)
We are objects of contempt to our neighbors,
    of scorn(H) and derision to those around us.(I)

How long,(J) Lord? Will you be angry(K) forever?
    How long will your jealousy burn like fire?(L)
Pour out your wrath(M) on the nations
    that do not acknowledge(N) you,
on the kingdoms
    that do not call on your name;(O)
for they have devoured(P) Jacob
    and devastated his homeland.

Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;(Q)
    may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
    for we are in desperate need.(R)
Help us,(S) God our Savior,
    for the glory of your name;
deliver us and forgive our sins
    for your name’s sake.(T)
10 Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”(U)

Before our eyes, make known among the nations
    that you avenge(V) the outpoured blood(W) of your servants.
11 May the groans of the prisoners come before you;
    with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die.
12 Pay back into the laps(X) of our neighbors seven times(Y)
    the contempt they have hurled at you, Lord.
13 Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture,(Z)
    will praise you forever;(AA)
from generation to generation
    we will proclaim your praise.