UST PSA Chapter 79

A Levite from the clan of Asaph wrote this song.

God, foreign nations have invaded the land that belongs to you.

They have made your holy temple unfit for worship,

and they have made Jerusalem a pile of ruins.

2 They left the dead bodies of the people who were faithful to you

for birds and wild animals to eat.

3 They killed so many of your people that blood flowed like water all around Jerusalem.

There were not enough people still alive to bury them.

4 The people of the nations around us insult us and laugh at us.

5 Yahweh, please do not stay so very angry with us,

even though we sinned against you by worshiping other gods.

6 The people of other nations do not honor you as God.

You should be angry with them and punish them,

7 because they are the ones who have killed so many Israelites

and destroyed the land in which they lived.

8 Please forgive the wicked things we did in the past.

Quickly be merciful to us,

because we are desperate.

9 God, you are the one who saves us, so please help us!

Do that for the sake of your glorious reputation.

Forgive us for our sins so that people will honor you.

10 Do not let the other nations say, “Their God was not able to help them!”

We want to see you punish those nations

for killing the people who serve you.

11 Listen to the moans of your people who are now captives,

and use your great power to save those who are about to die.

12 Lord, pay back our neighbors directly, seven times over,

for the insults they have spoken against you!

13 Then we will always thank you.

You care for us, your people, the way a shepherd cares for his sheep.

Each generation of Israelites will tell their children how wonderful you are.