Psalm 79:8 New English Translation

⁸Do not hold us accountable for the sins of earlier generations.^[a]
Quickly send your compassion our way,^[b]
for we are in serious trouble.^[c]

Psalm 79:8 tn Heb “do not remember against us sins, former.” Some understand “former” as an attributive adjective modifying sins, “former [i.e., chronologically prior] sins” (see BDB 911 s.v. רִאשׁוֹן). The present translation assumes that רִאשֹׁנִים (riʾshonim, “former”) here refers to those who lived formerly, that is, the people’s ancestors (see Lam 5:7). The word is used in this way in Lev 26:45; Deut 19:14 and Eccl 1:11.
Psalm 79:8 tn Heb “may your compassion quickly confront us.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive, indicating a tone of prayer.
Psalm 79:8 tn Heb “for we are very low.”

New English Translation (NET)