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Psalms 79:1-12 - Compare All Versions

Psalms 79:1-12 NIV (New International Version)

O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble. They have left the dead bodies of your servants as food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild. They have poured out blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the dead. We are objects of contempt to our neighbors, of scorn and derision to those around us. How long, LORD? Will you be angry forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire? Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that do not call on your name; for they have devoured Jacob and devastated his homeland. Do not hold against us the sins of past generations; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need. Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake. Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Before our eyes, make known among the nations that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants. May the groans of the prisoners come before you; with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die. Pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times the contempt they have hurled at you, Lord.

Psalms 79:1-12 ESV (English Standard Version 2025)

O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the heavens for food, the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth. They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them. We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us. How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire? Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your name! For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation. Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake! Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes! Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die! Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord!

Psalms 79:1-12 NLT (New Living Translation)

O God, pagan nations have conquered your land, your special possession. They have defiled your holy Temple and made Jerusalem a heap of ruins. They have left the bodies of your servants as food for the birds of heaven. The flesh of your godly ones has become food for the wild animals. Blood has flowed like water all around Jerusalem; no one is left to bury the dead. We are mocked by our neighbors, an object of scorn and derision to those around us. O LORD, how long will you be angry with us? Forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire? Pour out your wrath on the nations that refuse to acknowledge you— on kingdoms that do not call upon your name. For they have devoured your people Israel, making the land a desolate wilderness. Do not hold us guilty for the sins of our ancestors! Let your compassion quickly meet our needs, for we are on the brink of despair. Help us, O God of our salvation! Help us for the glory of your name. Save us and forgive our sins for the honor of your name. Why should pagan nations be allowed to scoff, asking, “Where is their God?” Show us your vengeance against the nations, for they have spilled the blood of your servants. Listen to the moaning of the prisoners. Demonstrate your great power by saving those condemned to die. O Lord, pay back our neighbors seven times for the scorn they have hurled at you.

Psalms 79:1-12 CSB (Christian Standard Bible)

God, the nations have invaded your inheritance, desecrated your holy temple, and turned Jerusalem into ruins.  They gave the corpses of your servants to the birds of the sky for food, the flesh of your faithful ones to the beasts of the earth.  They poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.  We have become an object of reproach to our neighbors, a source of mockery and ridicule to those around us.  How long, LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy keep burning like fire?  Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that don’t call on your name,  for they have devoured Jacob and devastated his homeland.  Do not hold past iniquities  against us; let your compassion come to us quickly, for we have become very weak.  God of our salvation, help us,  for the glory of your name. Rescue us and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake.  Why should the nations ask, “Where is their God? ”  Before our eyes, let vengeance for the shed blood of your servants be known among the nations.  Let the groans of the prisoners reach you; according to your great power, preserve those condemned to die.  Pay back sevenfold to our neighbors  the reproach they have hurled at you, Lord.

Psalms 79:1-12 KJV (King James Version)

O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; Thy holy temple have they defiled; They have laid Jerusalem on heaps. The 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. Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; And there was none to bury them. We are become a reproach to our neighbours, A scorn and derision to them that are round about us. How long, LORD? Wilt thou be angry for ever? Shall thy jealousy burn like fire? Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, And upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. For they have devoured Jacob, And laid waste his dwelling place. O remember not against us former iniquities: Let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: For we are brought very low. 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. Wherefore 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. Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; According to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die; And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom Their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.

Psalms 79:1-12 NKJV (New King James Version)

O God, the nations have come into Your inheritance; Your holy temple they have defiled; They have laid Jerusalem in heaps. The dead bodies of Your servants They have given as food for the birds of the heavens, The flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth. Their blood they have shed like water all around Jerusalem, And there was no one to bury them. We have become a reproach to our neighbors, A scorn and derision to those who are around us. How long, LORD? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire? Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You, And on the kingdoms that do not call on Your name. For they have devoured Jacob, And laid waste his dwelling place. Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us! Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us, For we have been brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, For the glory of Your name; And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, For Your name’s sake! Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let there be known among the nations in our sight The avenging of the blood of Your servants which has been shed. Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; According to the greatness of Your power Preserve those who are appointed to die; And return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom Their reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord.

Psalms 79:1-13 MSG (The Message)

God! Barbarians have broken into your home, violated your holy temple, left Jerusalem a pile of rubble! They’ve served up the corpses of your servants as carrion food for birds of prey, Threw the bones of your holy people out to the wild animals to gnaw on. They dumped out their blood like buckets of water. All around Jerusalem, their bodies were left to rot, unburied. We’re nothing but a joke to our neighbors, graffiti scrawled on the city walls. How long do we have to put up with this, GOD? Do you have it in for us for good? Will your smoldering rage never cool down? If you’re going to be angry, be angry with the pagans who care nothing about you, or your rival kingdoms who ignore you. They’re the ones who ruined Jacob, who wrecked and looted the place where he lived. Don’t blame us for the sins of our parents. Hurry up and help us; we’re at the end of our rope. You’re famous for helping; God, give us a break. Your reputation is on the line. Pull us out of this mess, forgive us our sins— do what you’re famous for doing! Don’t let the heathen get by with their sneers: “Where’s your God? Is he out to lunch?” Go public and show the godless world that they can’t kill your servants and get by with it. Give groaning prisoners a hearing; pardon those on death row from their doom—you can do it! Give our jeering neighbors what they’ve got coming to them; let their God-taunts boomerang and knock them flat. Then we, your people, the ones you love and care for, will thank you over and over and over. We’ll tell everyone we meet how wonderful you are, how praiseworthy you are!

Psalms 79:1-12 NASB2020 (New American Standard Bible - NASB)

God, the nations have invaded Your inheritance; They have defiled Your holy temple; They have laid Jerusalem in ruins. They have given the dead bodies of Your servants to the birds of the sky as food, The flesh of Your godly ones to the animals of the earth. They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem; And there was no one to bury them. We have become a disgrace before our neighbors, An object of derision and ridicule to those around us. How long, LORD? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire? Pour out Your wrath upon the nations which do not know You, And upon the kingdoms which do not call upon Your name. For they have devoured Jacob And laid waste his settlement. ¶Do not hold us responsible for the guilty deeds of our forefathers; Let Your compassion come quickly to meet us, For we have become very low. Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; And save us and forgive our sins for the sake of Your name. Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let vengeance for the blood of Your servants which has been shed Be known among the nations in our sight. Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; According to the greatness of Your power, let those who are doomed to die remain. And return to our neighbors seven times as much into their lap Their taunts with which they have taunted You, Lord.

Psalms 79:1-12 AMP (Amplified Bible)

O God, the nations have invaded [the land of Your people] Your inheritance; They have defiled Your sacred temple; They have laid Jerusalem in ruins. They have given the dead bodies of Your servants as food to the birds of the heavens, The flesh of Your godly ones to the beasts of the earth. They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, And there was no one to bury them. We have become an object of taunting to our neighbors [because of our humiliation], A derision and mockery to those who encircle us. How long, O LORD? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy [which cannot endure a divided allegiance] burn like fire? Pour out Your wrath on the [Gentile] nations that do not know You, And on the kingdoms that do not call on Your name. [2 Thess 1:8] For they have devoured Jacob And made his pasture desolate. ¶O do not remember against us the sins and guilt of our forefathers. Let Your compassion and mercy come quickly to meet us, For we have been brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; Rescue us, forgive us our sins for Your name’s sake. Why should the [Gentile] nations say, “Where is their God?” Let there be known [without delay] among the nations in our sight [and to this generation], Your vengeance for the blood of Your servants which has been poured out. Let the groaning and sighing of the prisoner come before You; According to the greatness of Your power keep safe those who are doomed to die. And return into the lap of our neighbors sevenfold The taunts with which they have taunted You, O Lord.

Psalms 79:1-12 NET (New English Translation)

O God, foreigners have invaded your chosen land; they have polluted your holy temple and turned Jerusalem into a heap of ruins. 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. They have made their blood flow like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury them. We have become an object of disdain to our neighbors; those who live on our borders taunt and insult us. How long will this go on, O LORD? Will you stay angry forever? How long will your rage burn like fire? Pour out your anger on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that do not pray to you! For they have devoured Jacob and destroyed his home. Do not hold us accountable for the sins of earlier generations! Quickly send your compassion our way, for we are in serious trouble! Help us, O God, our deliverer! For the sake of your glorious reputation, rescue us! Forgive our sins for the sake of your reputation! 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! Listen to the painful cries of the prisoners! Use your great strength to set free those condemned to die! Pay back our neighbors in full! May they be insulted the same way they insulted you, O Lord!