Psalms, 79

1. <A Psalm of Asaph.> O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.

1. O God, the pagans have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple and reduced Jerusalem to rubble.

2. 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.

2. They have given your servants' corpses to the birds, and the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth.

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

3. They have poured out the blood of your faithful like water around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.

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

4. Mocked and reviled by those around us, we are scorned by our neighbors.

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

5. How long will this last, O Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your wrath always burn to avenge your rights?

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

6. Pour out your anger on the nations that do not acknowledge you; on the kingdoms that do not call on your name.

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

7. For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his homeland.

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

8. Do not remember against us the sins of our fathers. Let your compassion hurry to us, for we have been brought very low.

9. 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.

9. Help us, God, our savior, for the glory of your name; forgive us for the sake of your name.

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.

10. Give not the nations a chance to say, "Where is their God?" Before our eyes let them know that you avenge the blood of your servants.

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;

11. Listen to the groans of the prisoners; by the strength of your arm, deliver those doomed to die.

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

12. Return our neighbors sevenfold, O Lord, the taunts with which they have taunted you.

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.

13. Then we, your people, the flock of your pasture, will thank you forever. We will recount your praise from generation to generation.