1 Psalm 79 Faith amid Confusion A psalm of Asaph. God, the nations have invaded your inheritance, desecrated your holy temple, and turned Jerusalem into ruins.2 They gave the corpses of your servants to the birds of the sky for food, the flesh of your faithful ones to the beasts of the earth.3 They poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.4 We have become an object of reproach to our neighbors, a source of mockery and ridicule to those around us.5 How long, Lord ? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy keep burning like fire?6 Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that don’t call on your name,7 for they have devoured Jacob and devastated his homeland.8 Do not hold past iniquities Or hold the sins of past generations against us; let your compassion come to us quickly, for we have become very weak.9 God of our salvation, help us — for the glory of your name. Rescue us and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake.10 Why should the nations ask, “Where is their God? ” Before our eyes, let vengeance for the shed blood of your servants be known among the nations.11 Let the groans of the prisoners reach you; according to your great power, preserve those condemned to die.12 Pay back sevenfold to our neighbors the reproach they have hurled at you, Lord.13 Then we, your people, the sheep of your pasture, will thank you forever; we will declare your praise to generation after generation.