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Psalms

About this book
Psalm 79

1 A psalm of Asaph. O God, foreigners have invaded your chosen land; they have polluted your holy temple and turned Jerusalem into a heap of ruins. 2 They have given the corpses of your servants to the birds of the sky, the flesh of your loyal followers to the beasts of the earth.⁠ 3 They have made their blood flow like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury them. 4 We have become an object of disdain to our neighbors; those who live on our borders taunt and insult us. 5 How long will this go on, O Lord? Will you stay angry forever? How long will your rage burn like fire? 6 Pour out your anger on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that do not pray to you.⁠ 7 For they have devoured Jacob and destroyed his home. 8 Do not hold us accountable for the sins of earlier generations. Quickly send your compassion our way, for we are in serious trouble. 9 Help us, O God, our deliverer! For the sake of your glorious reputation, rescue us. Forgive our sins for the sake of your reputation.⁠ 10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”⁠ Before our very eyes may the shed blood of your servants be avenged among the nations. 11 Listen to the painful cries of the prisoners. Use your great strength to set free those condemned to die. 12 Pay back our neighbors in full. May they be insulted the same way they insulted you, O Lord. 13 Then we, your people, the sheep of your pasture, will continually thank you. We will tell coming generations of your praiseworthy acts.

Texts in conversation

Compare Psalm 74:22 and Psalm 79:9

Hebrew Bible

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Summary

Psalm 74 and Psalm 79 describe God following the same rules about honor that people do. Foreign attacks are a public insult to God’s reputation, and God’s honor is at stake. The repair of his reputation becomes the motivation for redemption.

Passages

Psalm 74:22

Hebrew Bible
20 Remember your covenant promises, for the dark regions of the earth are full of places where violence rules. 21 Do not let the afflicted be turned back in shame. Let the oppressed and poor praise your name. 22 Rise up, O God. Defend your honor. Remember how fools insult you all day long. 23 Do not disregard what your enemies say or the unceasing shouts of those who defy you.
600–201 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Psalms

Psalm 79:9

Hebrew Bible
8 Do not hold us accountable for the sins of earlier generations. Quickly send your compassion our way, for we are in serious trouble. 9 Help us, O God, our deliverer! For the sake of your glorious reputation, rescue us. Forgive our sins for the sake of your reputation. 10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Before our very eyes may the shed blood of your servants be avenged among the nations.
600–201 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Psalms

References

"... The argumenta ad deum in Psalm 79 are very similar to those of Psalm 74. The psalm starts by mentioning the harm caused to God, not the suffering of the people of Jerusalem ... the suffering of the people is heavy (Psalm 79:2–3, 11). However, as the supplicants need argumenta ad deum, they describe the raids as directed against God. Not only Psalm 74, but also Psalm 79:9 shows that God’s reputation is at stake ‘because of the glory of your name’ and ‘for the sake of your name’. The fact that the other nations say ‘Where is their God?’ (Psalm 79:10) must also be a reason for God to intervene ..."
Paul Sanders, “Argumenta ad Deum in the Plague Prayers of Mursili II and in the Book of Psalms,” in Psalms and Prayers: Papers Read at the Joint Meeting of the Society of Old Testament Study, ed. Bob Becking and Eric Peels (Leiden: Brill, 2007), 181–217.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Psalm 74:22 and Psalm 79:9

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