Table of Contents
Background and Context
Psalm 79 is a raw and devastating community lament, a national cry of pain from the heart of a disaster. Like Psalm 74, this “psalm of Asaph” is a response to the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. The graphic descriptions of the defiled temple, the city in ruins, and the unburied corpses of the inhabitants match the historical accounts found in 2 Kings 25 and the book of Lamentations.
While Psalm 74 focused on the desecration of the holy place and the silence of God, Psalm 79 focuses more on the immense human cost—the slaughter of God’s people—and the national shame of being mocked by neighboring countries. The central question of the psalm is “How long, LORD?” It is a desperate plea for God to end His anger, forgive the sins of the nation that led to this judgment, and act powerfully to vindicate His own name in the face of the nations’ scorn.
Theological Themes
This psalm is a powerful model of prayer in the midst of suffering, built on several key theological foundations.
Corporate Confession: Unlike some laments where the sufferer claims personal innocence, this psalm acknowledges the nation’s guilt. The prayer is not “Why did you let this happen?” but “Do not hold against us the sins of past generations” (verse 8). The people understand that their suffering is a consequence of their covenant unfaithfulness. Their only hope is to appeal not to their own righteousness, but to God’s mercy and forgiveness.
The Honor of God’s Name: A central argument in the psalm is that God’s own reputation is at stake. The neighboring nations are not just mocking defeated Israel; they are mocking Israel’s God, asking contemptuously, “Where is their God?” (verse 10). The psalmist pleads for God to act, not primarily for Israel’s comfort, but for the glory of His own name. He asks God to rescue them “for your name’s sake” (verse 9).
Vengeance as a Cry for Divine Justice: The psalm contains a strong plea for God to pour out His wrath on the nations that destroyed Jerusalem. The prayer to “pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times over” (verse 12) is not a request for personal, hateful revenge. It is a formal appeal to the divine Judge of the universe to enact public justice. It is a cry for God to show the world that the shedding of innocent blood will not go unpunished and that He is the vindicator of His oppressed people.
Enduring Hope in a Covenant Relationship: Even in the midst of the smoking ruins, with their nation shattered, the people have not lost their identity. The psalm concludes with a declaration of hope rooted in their relationship with God: “Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever” (verse 13). Their hope for the future is based not on their circumstances, but on the enduring reality that they are God’s flock and He is their Shepherd.
Literary Structure and Genre
Psalm 79 is a community lament. Its structure is a passionate appeal to God, moving through the essential components of a lament prayer.
- Part 1: The Complaint (verses 1-4): A graphic report to God detailing the extent of the catastrophe.
- Part 2: The Petition (verses 5-9): The urgent plea for God to end His anger and to forgive and save His people.
- Part 3: The Motivation and Vow (verses 10-13): A final appeal for God to act for His own honor and a concluding vow of future praise.
Verse by Verse Commentary on Psalm 79
Verses 1-4: A Report of the Devastation
“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 for1 the beasts of the earth… We are objects of contempt to our neighbors, of scorn and derision to those around us.”
The psalm opens with a blunt and horrifying report of the disaster, as if an ambassador is giving an account to a king. The nations (Gentiles) have invaded God’s own inheritance (the promised land). They have defiled the holy temple and turned the holy city of Jerusalem into a heap of rubble.
The human cost is horrific. The invaders have slaughtered God’s people and, in an act of ultimate contempt, have left their dead bodies unburied. In the ancient world, to be denied a proper burial was a sign of the greatest possible shame and curse. This desecration of human bodies is matched by the scorn and derision of the neighboring nations, who now mock the defeated people of God.
Verses 5-9: The Plea for Mercy and Forgiveness
“How long, LORD? Will you be angry forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire?… Do not hold against us the sins of past generations; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we have been brought very low. Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.”
This section contains the heart of the lament. The psalmist asks the agonizing question, “How long, LORD?” He perceives the disaster as an expression of God’s anger and jealousy for His own honor, which Israel had violated through idolatry. He then prays for God to redirect that anger away from His own people and onto the pagan nations who were the instruments of the destruction.
In verse 8, the psalmist leads the people in a prayer of confession. He asks God not to hold the accumulated, generational sins against them. The plea is based entirely on God’s mercy, not their own merit. They are “brought very low” and are in a state of complete helplessness.
The basis of their appeal is made explicit in verse 9. They ask for help, deliverance, and forgiveness not for their own sake, but “for the glory of your name.“
Verses 10-13: The Appeal for Justice and the Vow of Praise
“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… Pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times over for the insults they have hurled at you, Lord. Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever.”
The psalmist now presents his final argument to God. The nations are asking, “Where is their God?” This is a theological challenge that God must answer. The psalmist prays that God would answer it decisively by avenging the outpoured blood of His slaughtered people in a way that all the nations can see.
He asks God to pay back their neighbors “seven times over” for their insults against God Himself. “Seven times” is a Hebrew idiom for complete and full retribution. It is a prayer for perfect justice to be done.
Despite the desolation, the psalm ends with a powerful statement of hope and identity. “Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever.” They cling to their covenant identity as God’s flock. They believe that a day of restoration will come, and when it does, their response will be unending, generational praise.
Practical Lessons for Today
Confession is the Path to Restoration: The people of God in Psalm 79 did not blame others or make excuses for their situation. They acknowledged their sin and pleaded for mercy. This teaches us that the path back to fellowship with God after a time of discipline always begins with honest confession and a humble reliance on His grace.
Pray for God’s Honor: The psalmist’s prayer was centered on the glory of God’s name. This is a powerful model for our own prayers. When we pray for healing, provision, or deliverance, we can ask God to act in such a way that His power and goodness will be made obvious to a watching world, so that His name will be glorified.
Trust God with Your Cry for Justice: The world is full of terrible injustice, and it is right to be angered by it. This psalm shows us where to take that anger. We are to bring our cry for justice to God, the only righteous Judge. We can trust Him to settle all accounts with perfect fairness, freeing us from the burden of bitterness and personal revenge.
Your Identity in God is Unshakable: Even when their city was rubble and their temple was gone, the psalmist knew one thing was still true: “We are your people, the sheep of your pasture.” Our circumstances do not define us. Our true and lasting identity is found in our relationship with God as our Shepherd. This is a hope that can never be destroyed.
Cross References
Jeremiah 10:25: “Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the peoples who do not call on your name. For they have devoured Jacob; they have devoured him completely and destroyed his homeland.” This prayer from the prophet Jeremiah, who was an eyewitness to the Babylonian destruction, is a near-perfect parallel to Psalm 79:6-7.
Lamentations 5:1-3, 21-22: “Remember, LORD, what has happened to us; look, and see our disgrace… We have become orphans and fatherless… Restore us to yourself, LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old, unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.” The entire book of Lamentations is a reflection on the same tragedy, filled with the same themes of disgrace, abandonment, and a desperate plea for restoration.
Revelation 6:10: “And they called out in a loud voice, ‘How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?'” This cry from the martyrs in heaven echoes the plea of Psalm 79, showing the deep biblical theme of God’s people appealing to Him as the just avenger of innocent blood.
Deuteronomy 32:43: “Rejoice, you nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land and people.” This verse from the Song of Moses is a foundational promise that God will act as the vindicator of His people, a promise that the psalmist in Psalm 79 is calling upon God to fulfill.