Psalms 79
What Happens in This Chapter
This psalm is a prayer after enemies attacked Jerusalem. They ruined God's temple and killed many people. The writer asks God how long He will stay angry. He asks God to forgive His people and to pay back the attackers. At the end, the people promise to thank God always.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
O GOD, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.
1God, other nations have come into the land You gave us. They made Your holy temple dirty and unclean. They knocked Jerusalem down into piles of stone.
2The 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.
2They left the bodies of Your servants out for birds to eat. They let wild animals eat the bodies of Your faithful people.
3Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.
3They spilled blood all around Jerusalem like water. No one was left to bury the dead.
4We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.
4Our neighbors look down on us now. The people around us laugh at us and make fun of us.
5How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?
5LORD, how long will this go on? Will You stay angry forever? Will Your jealousy keep burning like fire?
6Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.
6Pour out Your anger on the nations that do not know You. Pour it on the kingdoms that never call on Your name.
7For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.
7They have eaten up Jacob's family, the people of Israel. They have wrecked the land where those people lived.
8O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.
8Please do not hold our old sins against us. Let Your kindness reach us quickly. We have been brought very low.
The old word "prevent" here does not mean stop. In 1611 it meant to come first or arrive quickly.
9Help 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.
9Help us, God who saves us. Do it so Your name is honored. Save us and wash our sins away, because of who You are.
10Wherefore 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.
10Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let them see You pay them back for killing Your servants. Let us watch it happen.
11Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;
11Listen to the sad cries of the prisoners. You are very strong, so keep alive those who are set to be killed.
12And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.
12Pay our neighbors back seven times over. They insulted You, Lord, so give that insult back to them.
"Into their bosom" means into the fold of their robe. People carried things there, so it means "give it right back to them."
13So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.
13Then we, Your people, will thank You forever. We are the sheep You care for. We will tell how great You are, always.
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