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A psalm by Asaph.

79 O God, the nations have invaded the land that belongs to you.
They have dishonored your holy temple.
They have left Jerusalem in ruins.
They have given the dead bodies of your servants
to the birds for food.
They have given the flesh of your godly ones
to the animals.
They have shed the blood of your people around Jerusalem
as though it were water.
There is no one to bury your people.

We have become a disgrace to our neighbors,
an object of ridicule and contempt to those around us.
How long, O Lord?
Will you remain angry forever?
Will your fury continue to burn like fire?
Pour your fury on the nations that do not know you,
on the kingdoms that have not called you.
They have devoured Jacob.
They have destroyed his home.
Do not hold the crimes of our ancestors against us.
Reach out to us soon with your compassion,
because we are helpless.
Help us, O God, our savior, for the glory of your name.
Rescue us, and forgive our sins for the honor of your name.

10 Why should the nations ⌞be allowed to⌟ say,
“Where is their God?”
Let us watch as the nations learn
that there is punishment for shedding the blood of your servants.
11 Let the groans of prisoners come into your presence.
With your powerful arm rescue those who are condemned to death.
12 Pay each one of our neighbors back
with seven times the number of insults they used to insult you, O Lord.
13 Then we, your people, the flock in your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever.
We will praise you throughout every generation.

For the choir director; according to shoshannim eduth; by Asaph; a psalm.

80 Open your ears, O Shepherd of Israel,
the one who leads ⌞the descendants of⌟ Joseph like sheep,
the one who is enthroned over the angels.[a]
Appear in front of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.
Wake up your power, and come to save us.

O God, restore us and smile on us
so that we may be saved.

O Lord God, commander of armies, how long will you smolder in anger
against the prayer of your people?
You made them eat tears as food.
You often made them drink ⌞their own⌟ tears.
You made us a source of conflict to our neighbors,
and our enemies made fun of us.

O God, commander of armies, restore us and smile on us
so that we may be saved.

You brought a vine from Egypt.
You forced out the nations and planted it.
You cleared the ground for it
so that it took root and filled the land.
10 Its shade covered the mountains.
Its branches covered the mighty cedars.
11 It reached out with its branches to the Mediterranean Sea.
Its shoots reached the Euphrates River.

12 Why did you break down the stone fences around this vine?
All who pass by are picking its fruit.
13 Wild boars from the forest graze on it.
Wild animals devour it.
14 O God, commander of armies, come back!
Look from heaven and see!
Come to help this vine.
15 Take care of what your right hand planted,
the son you strengthened for yourself.
16 The vine has been cut down and burned.
Let them be destroyed by the threatening look on your face.

17 Let your power rest on the man you have chosen,
the son of man you strengthened for yourself.
18 Then we will never turn away from you.
Give us life again, and we will call on you.

19 O Lord God, commander of armies, restore us, and smile on us
so that we may be saved.

For the choir director; on the gittith; [b] by Asaph.

81 Sing joyfully to God, our strength.
Shout happily to the God of Jacob.
Begin a psalm, and strike a tambourine.
Play lyres and harps with their pleasant music.
Blow the ram’s horn on the day of the new moon,
on the day of the full moon,
on our festival days.
This is a law for Israel,
a legal decision from the God of Jacob.
These are the instructions God set in place for Joseph
when Joseph rose to power over Egypt.

I heard a message I did not understand:
“I removed the burden from his shoulder.
His hands were freed from the basket.
When you were in trouble, you called out ⌞to me⌟, and I rescued you.
I was hidden in thunder, but I answered you.
I tested your ⌞loyalty⌟ at the oasis of Meribah. Selah
Listen, my people, and I will warn you.
Israel, if you would only listen to me!
Never keep any strange god among you.
Never worship a foreign god.
10 I am the Lord your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11 “But my people did not listen to me.
Israel wanted nothing to do with me.
12 So I let them go their own stubborn ways
and follow their own advice.
13 If only my people would listen to me!
If only Israel would follow me!
14 I would quickly defeat their enemies.
I would turn my power against their foes.
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe in front of him,
and their time ⌞for punishment⌟ would last forever.
16 But I would feed Israel with the finest wheat
and satisfy them with honey from a rock.”

Footnotes

  1. 80:1 Or “cherubim.”
  2. 81:0 Unknown musical term.

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