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A psalm of Asaph.

79 God, an army from the nations has attacked your land.
    They have polluted your holy temple.
    They have completely destroyed Jerusalem.
They have left the dead bodies of your people.
    They have left them as food for the birds in the sky.
They have left the bodies of your faithful people.
    They have left them for the wild animals.
They have poured out the blood of your people like water.
    It is all around Jerusalem.
    No one is left to bury the dead.
We are something our neighbors joke about.
    The nations around us laugh at us and make fun of us.

Lord, how long will you be angry with us? Will it be forever?
    How long will your jealousy burn like fire?
Bring your great anger against the nations
    that don’t pay any attention to you.
Bring it against the kingdoms
    that don’t worship you.
They have swallowed up the people of Jacob.
    They have destroyed Israel’s homeland.
Don’t hold against us the sins of our people who lived before us.
    May you be quick to show us your tender love.
    We are in great need.

God our Savior, help us.
    Then glory will come to you.
Save us and forgive our sins.
    Then people will honor your name.
10 Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”
Show the nations that you punish those who kill your people.
    We want to see it happen.
11 Listen to the groans of the prisoners.
    Use your strong arm
    to save people sentenced to death.

12 Lord, our neighbors have laughed at you.
    Pay them back seven times for what they have done.
13 We are your people, your very own sheep.
    We will praise you forever.
For all time to come
    we will keep on praising you.

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.

79 O god, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.

The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.

Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.

We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.

How long, Lord? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.

For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.

O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.

Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.

10 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.

11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;

12 And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.

13 So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.