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.
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.
Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;
And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.
So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.
Psalms 79 is a powerful lament expressing deep sorrow over the destruction of Jerusalem and the desecration of the temple. Likely written in response to the Babylonian conquest of 586 BC, this psalm captures the raw emotions of a nation devastated by war and struggling to understand God’s purpose in their suffering. While the authorship is ascribed to Asaph, it’s possible this refers to either the lineage/school of Asaph, a musician during King David's reign (1 Chronicles 6:39), or a later writer composing in his style. Regardless, the psalm's cry for God's intervention resonates with believers facing trials throughout history.
The Devastation Described (Psalms 79:1-4)
The psalm opens with a graphic depiction of the aftermath of Jerusalem's fall. Psalms 79:1 describes how "the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have laid Jerusalem in ruins." The temple, the very heart of Israel's worship and identity, was desecrated. The once-proud city was reduced to rubble. The slaughter was immense, with the dead left unburied, becoming food for scavengers (Psalms 79:2-3). This paints a horrifying picture of the physical and spiritual devastation suffered by God's people. Adding to the pain, they had become "an object of scorn to our neighbors, a reproach and derision to those around us" (Psalms 79:4). The humiliation was complete.
A Plea for God's Mercy and Vengeance (Psalms 79:5-12)
Faced with such overwhelming destruction, the psalmist wrestles with questions about God's anger. "How long, Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?" (Psalms 79:5). The writer then pleads for God not to hold their past sins against them (Psalms 79:8), acknowledging that their disobedience had contributed to their downfall.
The tone shifts as the psalmist calls upon God to execute justice on the nations that had ravaged the land (Psalms 79:6-7). These nations, ignorant of God, had devoured Jacob (Israel) and laid waste to their dwelling place. The appeal isn't merely for revenge, but for God to defend His own name and glory. As Tony Evans notes, appealing to God's glory, after dealing with one's own sin, is a powerful way to seek His intervention.
The psalmist begs God to help them "for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake" (Psalms 79:9). The concern is that the surrounding nations are questioning God's power and presence: "Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”" (Psalms 79:10). The psalmist wants God to show them that He is indeed present with His people, even in their suffering. He seeks to motivate God by pointing to the suffering endured (Psalms 79:11). The request for God to "pay back sevenfold" (Psalms 79:12) signifies a desire for complete and thorough retribution for the reproach suffered. The number seven, denoting completeness in the Bible, underscores the depth of the desire for justice.
A Vow of Praise (Psalms 79:13)
The psalm concludes with a renewed commitment to praise God. "Then we, your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise" (Psalms 79:13). This vow anticipates God's answer to their prayer and a restoration of their relationship with Him. It is a declaration of unwavering faith, even in the midst of immense suffering, and a promise to continually proclaim God’s faithfulness.
Psalms 79 serves as a reminder that even in our darkest moments, we can turn to God with our lament, our questions, and our pleas for help. It encourages us to acknowledge our own shortcomings, appeal to God's glory, and trust in His ultimate justice and redemption. This psalm, born out of national tragedy, offers hope and encouragement to all who seek God's face in times of adversity.
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.
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.
Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;
And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.
So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.
Psalms 79 is a powerful lament expressing deep sorrow over the destruction of Jerusalem and the desecration of the temple. Likely written in response to the Babylonian conquest of 586 BC, this psalm captures the raw emotions of a nation devastated by war and struggling to understand God’s purpose in their suffering. While the authorship is ascribed to Asaph, it’s possible this refers to either the lineage/school of Asaph, a musician during King David's reign (1 Chronicles 6:39), or a later writer composing in his style. Regardless, the psalm's cry for God's intervention resonates with believers facing trials throughout history.
The Devastation Described (Psalms 79:1-4)
The psalm opens with a graphic depiction of the aftermath of Jerusalem's fall. Psalms 79:1 describes how "the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have laid Jerusalem in ruins." The temple, the very heart of Israel's worship and identity, was desecrated. The once-proud city was reduced to rubble. The slaughter was immense, with the dead left unburied, becoming food for scavengers (Psalms 79:2-3). This paints a horrifying picture of the physical and spiritual devastation suffered by God's people. Adding to the pain, they had become "an object of scorn to our neighbors, a reproach and derision to those around us" (Psalms 79:4). The humiliation was complete.
A Plea for God's Mercy and Vengeance (Psalms 79:5-12)
Faced with such overwhelming destruction, the psalmist wrestles with questions about God's anger. "How long, Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?" (Psalms 79:5). The writer then pleads for God not to hold their past sins against them (Psalms 79:8), acknowledging that their disobedience had contributed to their downfall.
The tone shifts as the psalmist calls upon God to execute justice on the nations that had ravaged the land (Psalms 79:6-7). These nations, ignorant of God, had devoured Jacob (Israel) and laid waste to their dwelling place. The appeal isn't merely for revenge, but for God to defend His own name and glory. As Tony Evans notes, appealing to God's glory, after dealing with one's own sin, is a powerful way to seek His intervention.
The psalmist begs God to help them "for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake" (Psalms 79:9). The concern is that the surrounding nations are questioning God's power and presence: "Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”" (Psalms 79:10). The psalmist wants God to show them that He is indeed present with His people, even in their suffering. He seeks to motivate God by pointing to the suffering endured (Psalms 79:11). The request for God to "pay back sevenfold" (Psalms 79:12) signifies a desire for complete and thorough retribution for the reproach suffered. The number seven, denoting completeness in the Bible, underscores the depth of the desire for justice.
A Vow of Praise (Psalms 79:13)
The psalm concludes with a renewed commitment to praise God. "Then we, your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise" (Psalms 79:13). This vow anticipates God's answer to their prayer and a restoration of their relationship with Him. It is a declaration of unwavering faith, even in the midst of immense suffering, and a promise to continually proclaim God’s faithfulness.
Psalms 79 serves as a reminder that even in our darkest moments, we can turn to God with our lament, our questions, and our pleas for help. It encourages us to acknowledge our own shortcomings, appeal to God's glory, and trust in His ultimate justice and redemption. This psalm, born out of national tragedy, offers hope and encouragement to all who seek God's face in times of adversity.