Bible Browser

Psalm 79

1  O God, the heathen have come into your heritage; ♦︎
   your holy temple have they defiled
      and made Jerusalem a heap of stones.
2  The dead bodies of your servants they have given
      to be food for the birds of the air, ♦︎
   and the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the field.
3  Their blood have they shed like water
      on every side of Jerusalem, ♦︎
   and there was no one to bury them.
4  We have become the taunt of our neighbours, ♦︎
   the scorn and derision of those that are round about us.
5  Lord, how long will you be angry, for ever? ♦︎
   How long will your jealous fury blaze like fire?
6  Pour out your wrath upon the nations that have not known you, ♦︎
   and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon your name.
7  For they have devoured Jacob ♦︎
   and laid waste his dwelling place.
8  Remember not against us our former sins; ♦︎
   let your compassion make haste to meet us,
      for we are brought very low.
9  Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; ♦︎
   deliver us, and wipe away our sins for your name’s sake.
10  Why should the heathen say, ♦︎
   ‘Where is now their God?’
11  Let vengeance for your servants’ blood that is shed ♦︎
   be known among the nations in our sight.
12  Let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before you, ♦︎
   and by your mighty arm
      preserve those who are condemned to die.
13  May the taunts with which our neighbours taunted you, Lord, ♦︎
   return sevenfold into their bosom.
14  But we that are your people and the sheep of your pasture
      will give you thanks for ever, ♦︎
   and tell of your praise from generation to generation.

Peace and Security through Obedience

4In days to come
   the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
   and shall be raised up above the hills.
Peoples shall stream to it,
²   and many nations shall come and say:
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
   to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
   and that we may walk in his paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
   and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
³ He shall judge between many peoples,
   and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away;
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
   and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
   neither shall they learn war any more;
⁴ but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees,
   and no one shall make them afraid;
   for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.

⁵ For all the peoples walk,
   each in the name of its god,
but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God
   for ever and ever.

The Angels with the Seven Last Plagues

15Then I saw another portent in heaven, great and amazing: seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is ended.

2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. ³And they sing the song of Moses, the servant^* of God, and the song of the Lamb:
‘Great and amazing are your deeds,
   Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
   King of the nations!^*
4 Lord, who will not fear
   and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
   All nations will come
   and worship before you,
for your judgements have been revealed.’

5 After this I looked, and the temple of the tent^* of witness in heaven was opened, ⁶and out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, robed in pure bright linen,^* with golden sashes across their chests. ⁷Then one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever; ⁸and the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were ended.