Psalms 79

1O God, people from other nations have come into the place that belongs to You. They have made the holy temple impure. They have destroyed Jerusalem and only heaps of stones are left.

2The people from other nations have given the dead bodies of your servants to the birds. The people from other nations have given the bodies of people who believed in You, God to wild animals to eat.

3The people from other nations have poured out the blood of your servants like water all over Jerusalem and there was no one to bury the dead.

4Our countries around us are laughing at us, and the people around us are mocking us.

5Lord, how long will You be angry with us? Will your jealousy continue to burn like a fire?

6Turn your anger against the nations that do not know you, against the people who do not honor you as God.

7Because they have killed the people of Jacob, and they have destroyed the homes of the Israelites.

8Please don’t punish us for sins that our grandfathers did or that we did long ago. Please be good to us soon, because we are suffering a lot.

9O God, You are our Saviour. Please help us so that everyone will know that You are God and praise your name. Please save us and forgive our sins so that everyone will honour You.

10Don’t give the people of other nations a reason to say, Where is their God? Can’t he help them? Let us see you punish those people. Punish them for killing your servants.

11Listen to the sad cries of the prisoners! Use your great power to save those who are sentenced to die.

12Lord Punish the nations around us! Pay them back seven times for what they did to us. Punish them for insulting you.

13Then we, your people, your sheep, will thank You, and we will tell each generation to praise You forever.