Psalm 79

New International Reader's Version

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.
²They 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.
³They have poured out the blood of your people like water.
    It is all around Jerusalem.
    No one is left to bury the dead.
⁴We are something our neighbors joke about.
    The nations around us laugh at us and make fun of us.

⁵Lord, how long will you be angry with us? Will it be forever?
    How long will your jealousy burn like fire?
⁶Bring your great anger against the nations
    that don’t pay any attention to you.
Bring it against the kingdoms
    that don’t worship you.
⁷They have swallowed up the people of Jacob.
    They have destroyed Israel’s homeland.
⁸Don’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.

⁹God our Savior, help us.
    Then glory will come to you.
Save us and forgive our sins.
    Then people will honor your name.
¹⁰Why 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.
¹¹Listen to the groans of the prisoners.
    Use your strong arm
    to save people sentenced to death.

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