Chapter 79
Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.
Just read this chapter →Scripture
KJV1O GOD, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.
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.
3Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.
4We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.
5How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn 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.
7For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.
8O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.
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.
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.
11Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;
12And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.
13So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.
“Help 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.”
Overview
Psalm 79 is a communal lament of Asaph mourning the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. The heathen have invaded God's inheritance, defiled the holy temple, and laid Jerusalem in heaps. The bodies of God's servants have been given to the birds and beasts, and their blood has been poured out like water with none to bury them. The psalmist cries out for God's compassion, asks how long His anger will burn, and pleads for deliverance and vengeance against the nations that have devoured Jacob.
Key Themes
Grief Over the Desolation of God's House
The destruction of the temple and Jerusalem is not merely a national tragedy but a spiritual catastrophe — God's holy place has been defiled by the heathen.
A Plea for God's Compassion and Forgiveness
The psalmist does not claim innocence but acknowledges sin and pleads for God's mercy to outweigh His just anger against His people.
Vindication of God's Name Among the Nations
The deepest concern is not merely Israel's suffering but God's reputation — 'Why should the heathen say, Where is their God?'
Study Questions
How does the defilement of the temple reflect the seriousness of national sin (v. 1)?
What does the cry 'How long, LORD?' (v. 5) teach us about persevering prayer in dark times?
Why does the psalmist appeal to God's name and glory rather than Israel's merit (v. 9)?
How should Christians understand prayers for divine vengeance in psalms like this?
What does this psalm teach about the relationship between national sin and national calamity?
Connection to Christ
Jesus wept over Jerusalem, foreseeing its destruction just as this psalm mourns. He is the true temple destroyed and raised again in three days. Through His blood, the reproach of sin is removed and God's name is glorified among all nations. He is the Shepherd who gathers the scattered sheep of God's pasture.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Psalms 79. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?