Psalms 79

Psalms 79:1

Psalm 79: The Groans of the PrisonersPsalm 79 is a partner to Psalms 74. That one dealt primarily with the destruction of God’s real estatethe temple. Although this one refers briefly to the bulldozing of the temple, it is mostly concerned with the ravaging of God’s peoplethe Israelites. The psalmist pleads the cause of the Jews with rare eloquence and asks for respite and revival. 79:1 The pagan aggressors have invaded the land of Israel and have swept, like panzer units, into the capital. The sacred shrine has been defiled by their unsanctified feet, and the beloved city is now reduced to rubble. 79:2-4 The carnage is terrible. The air reeks with the smell of rotting flesh. Jewish bodies lie everywhere, suffering the final indignity of being left unburied. The vultures swoop down on them, and the carnivorous beasts greedily gobble their prey. Blood has flowed like water all around Jerusalem, and the invaders haven’t bothered to arrange for burial of the slain. Israel’s Gentile neighbors are gloating over the national calamity. 79:5-7 It is obviously a sign of the Lord’s fierce anger and jealous wrath, but how long will His jealousy burn like fire against Israel? Isn’t it time to turn against the Gentiles for a change? After all, these nations do not want to know Jehovah; they willfully refuse to call on His name. And now they have crowned their sins with the slaughter of God’s people and the devastation of the land. 79:8-10 Everything up to this point has been introductory. The psalmist comes to the crux of the matter now when he recognizes that the nation’s sin is the root cause of the disaster. “Do not remember the iniquities of our forefathers against us!” Once that confession has surfaced, he brings out irresistible arguments to move the Almighty to mercy. First he appeals to the compassion of God; the people never needed it more than now. Then he bases his plea on the glory of God’s own name. The Lord has promised forgiveness and deliverance to those who are broken and contrite; now the honor of His name is at stake. And finally, it is important to silence the jeers of the enemy.

They are saying that Israel’s God doesn’t exist. This is His grand opportunity to prove His existence by raining down vengeance upon them to requite the outpoured blood of His loyal servants. 79:11, 12 The psalmist then asks God to listen to the doleful groaning of the prisoner, and to rescue those who are abandoned to die in a way that is worthy of His great power. And He asks that the enemies will reap sevenfold for all the sacrilegious taunts which they hurled at the Lord. 79:13 All this will mean peace for Israel and praise to God. His loving flock will never cease to thank Him. Generation after generation will rise to sing His praise.