Psalm 79

Psalm 79 (Greek numbering: Psalm 78) is the 79th psalm in the biblical Book of Psalms. In the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint version of the bible, and in its Latin translation in the Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 78. The New American Bible (Revised Edition) calls it "a prayer for Jerusalem".[1] It is one of the Psalms of Asaph.

This article uses Hebrew (Masoretic) psalm numbering. Psalm 79 in Greek (Septuagint or Vulgate) numbering corresponds to Psalm 80 in Hebrew numbering.
Psalm 79
"How Long, O Lord?"
Psalm 79:6 in Darmstädter Haggadah, a manuscript copied around 1430 in square Ashkenazic script. Illustrations by Israel b. Meir of Heidelberg.
TextA Psalm of Asaph
LanguageHebrew (original)

Text

Hebrew Bible version

Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 79, with English translation from the 1917 JPS Bible:

Verse Hebrew[2] English
1 מִזְמ֗וֹר לְאָ֫סָ֥ף אֱֽלֹהִ֡ים בָּ֚אוּ גוֹיִ֨ם | בְּנַֽחֲלָתֶ֗ךָ טִ֖מְּאוּ אֶת־הֵיכַ֣ל קָדְשֶׁ֑ךָ שָׂ֖מוּ אֶת־יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֣ם לְעִיִּֽים A Psalm of Asaph. {N}

O God, the heathen are come into Thine inheritance; they have defiled Thy holy temple; {N} they have made Jerusalem into heaps.

2 נָֽתְנ֡וּ אֶת־נִבְלַ֬ת עֲבָדֶ֗יךָ מַֽ֖אֲכָל לְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם בְּשַׂ֥ר חֲ֜סִידֶ֗יךָ לְחַיְתוֹ־אָֽרֶץ They have given the dead bodies of Thy servants to be food unto the fowls of the heaven, {N}

the flesh of Thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.

3 שָֽׁפְכ֬וּ דָמָ֨ם | כַּמַּ֗יִם סְבִ֘יב֚וֹת יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֗ם וְאֵ֣ין קוֹבֵֽר They have shed their blood like water round about Jerusalem, with none to bury them.
4 הָיִ֣ינוּ חֶ֖רְפָּה לִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּ לַ֣עַג וָ֜קֶ֗לֶס לִסְבִֽיבוֹתֵֽינוּ We are become a taunt to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.
5 עַד־מָ֣ה יְ֖הֹוָה תֶּֽאֱנַ֣ף לָנֶ֑צַח תִּבְעַ֥ר כְּמוֹ־אֵ֜֗שׁ קִנְאָתֶֽךָ How long, O LORD, wilt Thou be angry for ever? How long will Thy jealousy burn like fire?
6 שְׁפֹ֥ךְ חֲמָֽתְךָ֗ אֶל־הַגּוֹיִם֘ אֲשֶׁ֪ר לֹֽא־יְדָ֫ע֥וּךָ וְעַל־מַמְלָכ֑וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּ֜שִׁמְךָ֗ לֹ֣א קָרָֽאוּ Pour out Thy wrath upon the nations that know Thee not, {N}

and upon the kingdoms that call not upon Thy name.

7 כִּֽי־אָכַ֥ל אֶת־יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וְאֶת־נָוֵ֥הוּ הֵשַֽׁמּוּ For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his habitation.
8 אַל־תִּזְכָּר־לָנוּ֘ עֲו‍ֹנֹ֪ת רִֽאשֹׁ֫נִ֥ים מַ֖הֵר יְקַדְּמ֣וּנוּ רַֽחֲמֶ֑יךָ כִּ֖י דַלּ֣וֹנוּ מְאֹֽד Remember not against us the iniquities of our forefathers; {N}

let Thy compassions speedily come to meet us; for we are brought very low.

9 עָזְרֵ֚נוּ | אֱלֹ֘הֵ֚י יִשְׁעֵ֗נוּ עַל־דְּבַ֥ר כְּבוֹד־שְׁמֶ֑ךָ וְהַצִּילֵ֖נוּ וְכַפֵּ֥ר עַל־חַ֜טֹּאתֵ֗ינוּ לְמַ֣עַן שְׁמֶֽךָ Help us, O God of our salvation, for the sake of the glory of Thy name; {N}

and deliver us, and forgive our sins, for Thy name's sake.

10 לָ֚מָּה | יֹֽאמְר֣וּ הַגּוֹיִם֘ אַיֵּ֪ה אֱלֹֽהֵ֫יהֶ֥ם יִוָּדַ֣ע בַּגּוֹיִ֣ם (כתיב בַּגֹּייִ֣ם) לְעֵינֵ֑ינוּ נִ֜קְמַ֗ת דַּם־עֲבָדֶ֥יךָ הַשָּׁפֽוּךְ Wherefore should the nations say: 'Where is their God?' {N}

Let the avenging of Thy servants' blood that is shed be made known among the nations in our sight.

11 תָּב֣וֹא לְפָנֶיךָ֘ אֶנְקַ֪ת אָ֫סִ֥יר כְּגֹ֥דֶל זְרֽוֹעֲךָ֑ ה֜וֹתֵ֗ר בְּנֵ֣י תְמוּתָֽה Let the groaning of the prisoner come before Thee; according to the greatness of Thy power set free those that are appointed to death;
12 וְהָ֘שֵׁ֚ב לִשְׁכֵנֵ֗ינוּ שִׁ֖בְעָתַיִם אֶל־חֵיקָ֑ם חֶרְפָּ֘תָ֚ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר חֵֽרְפ֣וּךָ אֲדֹנָֽי And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, {N}

wherewith they have reproached Thee, O Lord.

13 וַֽאֲנַ֚חְנוּ עַמְּךָ֨ | וְצֹ֥אן מַרְעִיתֶךָ֘ נ֚וֹדֶ֥ה לְּךָ֗ לְע֫וֹלָ֥ם לְד֥וֹר וָדֹ֑ר נְ֜סַפֵּ֗ר תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ So we that are Thy people and the flock of Thy pasture will give Thee thanks for ever; {N}

we will tell of Thy praise to all generations. {P}

King James Version
To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.
  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.
  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.
  3. Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.
  4. We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.
  5. How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?
  6. Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.
  7. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.
  8. O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are 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.
  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.
  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;
  12. And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.
  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.

Context

The psalm has been described as a communal lament complaining that the nations have defiled the Temple in Jerusalem and murdered the holy people, leaving their corpses unburied (verses 1–4). The occasion is probably the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army in 587 B.C.[1]

Uses

Judaism

References
  1. Psalm 79
  2. "Tehillim - Psalms - Chapter 79". Chabad.org. 2019. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  3. The Artscroll Tehillim page 329
  4. The Complete Artscroll Siddur page 135
  5. The Complete Artscroll Siddur page 139
  6. The Complete Artscroll Siddur page 135
  7. The Complete Artscroll Siddur page 457
  8. The Complete Artscroll Siddur page 265
  9. The Complete Artscroll Siddur page 113
  • Psalm 79 in Hebrew and English - Mechon-mamre
  • Psalm 79 King James Bible - Wikisource
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