Psalm 79

¹The nations have come into your inheritance, God!

They’ve defiled your holy temple.

They’ve made Jerusalem a bunch of ruins.

²They’ve left your servants’ bodies

as food for the birds;

they’ve left the flesh of your faithful

to the wild animals of the earth.

³They’ve poured out the blood of the faithful

like water all around Jerusalem,

and there’s no one left to bury them.

⁴We’ve become a joke to our neighbors,

nothing but objects of ridicule

and disapproval to those around us.

⁵How long will you rage, LORD ? Forever?

How long will your anger burn like fire?

⁶Pour out your wrath on the nations

on the kingdoms

⁷They’ve devoured Jacob

and demolished his pasture.

⁸Don’t remember the iniquities of past generations;

let your compassion hurry to meet us

because we’ve been brought so low.

⁹God of our salvation, help us

for the glory of your name!

Deliver us and cover our sins

for the sake of your name!

¹⁰Why should the nations say,

“Where’s their God now?”

Let vengeance for the spilled blood of your servants

be known among the nations before our very eyes!

¹¹Let the prisoners’ groaning reach you.

With your powerful arm

spare those who are destined to die.

¹²Pay back our neighbors seven times over,

right where it hurts,

for the insults they used on you, Lord.

¹³We are, after all, your people

and the sheep of your very own pasture.

We will give you thanks forever;

we will proclaim your praises

from one generation to the next.