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Psalm 79

Plea for Mercy for Jerusalem

A Psalm of Asaph.
¹ O God, the nations have come into your inheritance;
   they have defiled your holy temple;
   they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
² They have given the bodies of your servants
   to the birds of the air for food,
   the flesh of your faithful to the wild animals of the earth.
³ They have poured out their blood like water
   all around Jerusalem,
   and there was no one to bury them.
⁴ We have become a taunt to our neighbours,
   mocked and derided by those around us.

⁵ How long, O Lord? Will you be angry for ever?
   Will your jealous wrath burn like fire?
⁶ Pour out your anger on the nations
   that do not know you,
and on the kingdoms
   that do not call on your name.
⁷ For they have devoured Jacob
   and laid waste his habitation.

⁸ Do not remember against us the iniquities of our ancestors;
   let your compassion come speedily 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 forgive our sins,
   for your name’s sake.
¹⁰ Why should the nations say,
   ‘Where is their God?’
Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants
   be known among the nations before our eyes.

¹¹ Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;
   according to your great power preserve those doomed to die.
¹² Return sevenfold into the bosom of our neighbours
   the taunts with which they taunted you, O Lord!
¹³ Then we your people, the flock of your pasture,
   will give thanks to you for ever;
   from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

Psalm 80

Prayer for Israel’s Restoration

To the leader: on Lilies, a Covenant. Of Asaph. A Psalm.
¹ Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
   you who lead Joseph like a flock!
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
²   before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.
Stir up your might,
   and come to save us!

³ Restore us, O God;
   let your face shine, that we may be saved.

⁴ O Lord God of hosts,
   how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
⁵ You have fed them with the bread of tears,
   and given them tears to drink in full measure.
⁶ You make us the scorn^* of our neighbours;
   our enemies laugh among themselves.

⁷ Restore us, O God of hosts;
   let your face shine, that we may be saved.

⁸ You brought a vine out of Egypt;
   you drove out the nations and planted it.
⁹ You cleared the ground for it;
   it took deep root and filled the land.
¹⁰ The mountains were covered with its shade,
   the mighty cedars with its branches;
¹¹ it sent out its branches to the sea,
   and its shoots to the River.
¹² Why then have you broken down its walls,
   so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
¹³ The boar from the forest ravages it,
   and all that move in the field feed on it.

¹⁴ Turn again, O God of hosts;
   look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
¹⁵   the stock that your right hand planted.^*
16 They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down;^*
   may they perish at the rebuke of your countenance.
¹⁷ But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,
   the one whom you made strong for yourself.
¹⁸ Then we will never turn back from you;
   give us life, and we will call on your name.

¹⁹ Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
   let your face shine, that we may be saved.