Psalm 79

A Prayer for Deliverance

(Psalms 74:1–23; Jeremiah 52:1–11)

A Psalm of Asaph.

¹ The nations, O God, have invaded Your inheritance;

they have defiled Your holy temple

and reduced Jerusalem to rubble.

² They have given the corpses of Your servants

as food to the birds of the air,

the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth.

³ They have poured out their blood like water

all around Jerusalem,

and there is no one to bury the dead.

⁴ We have become a reproach to our neighbors,

a scorn and derision to those around us.

⁵ How long, O LORD?

Will You be angry forever?

Will Your jealousy burn like fire?

⁶ Pour out Your wrath on the nations

that do not acknowledge You,

on the kingdoms

that refuse to call on Your name,

⁷ for they have devoured Jacob

and devastated his homeland.

⁸ Do not hold past sins against us;

let Your compassion come quickly,

for we are brought low.

⁹ Help us, O God of our salvation,

for the glory of Your name;

deliver us and atone for our sins,

for the sake of Your name.

¹⁰ Why should the nations ask,

“Where is their God?”

Before our eyes, make known among the nations

Your vengeance for the bloodshed of Your servants.

¹¹ May the groans of the captives reach You;

by the strength of Your arm preserve those condemned to death.

¹² Pay back into the laps of our neighbors

sevenfold the reproach they hurled at You, O Lord.

¹³ Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture,

will thank You forever;

from generation to generation

we will declare Your praise.