Psalms
Psalm 79
KJV
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.
Overview
Psalm 79 voices communal trauma after Jerusalem and the temple are violated. The worshipers lament the dead, ask how long suffering will continue, plead that former sins not define them, and entrust rescue and justice to God.
Setting and context
A psalm of Asaph shaped as communal lament. Its violent crisis must not be weaponized for antisemitism, ethnic hatred, collective guilt, nationalist propaganda, or private vengeance.
Themes
Communal lament · Desecration · Mercy · Justice · Confession · Rescue · Praise
Reflection
Lament truthfully, seek protection and justice without hatred, confess shared failure, and preserve hope.
Reading notes
The psalm entrusts communal trauma and justice to God; it does not license private revenge or collective guilt.
Key passages
Psalm 79:8: How long? Remember mercy Lament truthfully, seek protection and justice without hatred, confess shared failure, and preserve hope. Psalm 79:9: Help, rescue, and hear the prisoners Lament truthfully, seek protection and justice without hatred, confess shared failure, and preserve hope. Psalm 79:13: The people promise enduring praise Lament truthfully, seek protection and justice without hatred, confess shared failure, and preserve hope.
Questions readers ask
What is Psalm 79 about? A community brings invasion, desecration, grief, confession, and its plea for mercy and justice before God.