A Prayer for the Nation's DeliverancePs 79 Hebrew title: A psalm by Asaph.

179.1: 2 Kgs 25.8–10; 2 Chr 36.17–19; Jer 52.12–14O God, the heathen have invaded your land.

They have desecrated your holy Temple

and left Jerusalem in ruins.

2They left the bodies of your people for the vultures,

the bodies of your servants for wild animals to eat.

3They shed your people's blood like water;

blood flowed like water all through Jerusalem,

and no one was left to bury the dead.

4The surrounding nations insult us;

they laugh at us and mock us.

5LORD, will you be angry with us for ever?

Will your anger continue to burn like fire?

6Turn your anger on the nations that do not worship you,

on the people who do not pray to you.

7For they have killed your people;

they have ruined your country.

8Do not punish us for the sins of our ancestors.

Have mercy on us now;

we have lost all hope.

9Help us, O God, and save us;

rescue us and forgive our sins

for the sake of your own honour.

10Why should the nations ask us,

“Where is your God?”

Let us see you punish the nations

for shedding the blood of your servants.

11Listen to the groans of the prisoners,

and by your great power free those who are condemned to die.

12Lord, pay the other nations back seven times

for all the insults they have hurled at you.

13Then we, your people, the sheep of your flock,

will thank you for ever

and praise you for all time to come.