| Chapter 79 |
1 | A Psalm. Of Asaph.
O God, the nations have come into your heritage; they have made your holy Temple unclean; they have made Jerusalem a mass of broken walls.
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2 | They have given the bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, and the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth.
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3 | Their blood has been flowing like water round about Jerusalem; there was no one to put them in their last resting-place.
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4 | We are looked down on by our neighbours, we are laughed at and made sport of by those who are round us.
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5 | How long, O Lord? will you be angry for ever? will your wrath go on burning like fire?
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6 | Let your wrath be on the nations who have no knowledge of you, and on the kingdoms who have not made prayer to your name.
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7 | For they have taken Jacob for their meat, and made waste his house.
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8 | Do not keep in mind against us the sins of our fathers; let your mercy come to us quickly, for we have been made very low.
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9 | Give us help, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; take us out of danger and give us forgiveness for our sins, because of your name.
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10 | Why may the nations say, Where is their God? Let payment for the blood of your servants be made openly among the nations before our eyes.
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11 | Let the cry of the prisoner come before you; with your strong arm make free the children of death;
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12 | And give punishment seven times over into the breast of our neighbours for the bitter words which they have said against you, O Lord.
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13 | So we your people, and the sheep of your flock, will give you glory for ever: we will go on praising you through all generations.
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