Chapter 79

A Psalm of Asaph. O God, nations have come into Thy inheritance, They have defiled Thy holy temple, They made Jerusalem become heaps,

They gave the dead bodies of Thy servants Food for the fowls of the heavens, The flesh of Thy saints For the wild beast of the earth.

They have shed their blood As water round about Jerusalem, And there is none burying.

We have been a reproach to our neighbours, A scorn and a derision to our surrounders.

Till when, O Jehovah? art Thou angry for ever? Thy jealousy doth burn as fire.

Pour Thy fury on the nations who have not known Thee, And on kingdoms that have not called in Thy name.

For [one] hath devoured Jacob, And his habitation they have made desolate.

Remember not for us the iniquities of forefathers, Haste, let Thy mercies go before us, For we have been very weak.

Help us, O God of our salvation, Because of the honour of Thy name, And deliver us, and cover over our sins, For Thy name's sake.

Why do the nations say, 'Where [is] their God?' Let be known among the nations before our eyes, The vengeance of the blood of Thy servants that is shed.

Let the groaning of the prisoner come in before Thee, According to the greatness of Thine arm, Leave Thou the sons of death.

And turn Thou back to our neighbours, Sevenfold unto their bosom, their reproach, Wherewith they reproached Thee, O Lord.

And we, Thy people, and the flock of Thy pasture, We give thanks to Thee to the age, To all generations we recount Thy praise!