Psalms 79

This Psalm was doubtless composed upon the sad occasion of the destruction of Judaea and Jerusalem, either by Antiochus, or rather by the Chaldaeans; as may be gathered from 1 Macc. 7. 16, 7. where in the relation of the persecution of Antiochus the second and third Verses of this Psalm are cited.

O God, the heathen are come As Invaders and Conquerors. unto thine inheritance Into Canaan and Iudaea, which thou didst choose for thine inheritance., thy holy temple have they defiled By entring into it, and touching and carrying away its holy Vessels, and shedding blood in it, and burning of it., they have laid Jerusalem on heaps Made of the ruines of those goodly houses which they burned, or threw down..

The dead bodies of thy servants Either 1. Of thy faithful and holy servants, whom they used as cruelly as the worst of the people. Or 2. Of the Jews, whom, though the generality of them were very wicked, he calleth God's Servants and Saints, because they were all such by profession; and some of them were really such; and the Chaldaeans did never know nor regard those that were so, but promiscuously destroyed all that came in their way. have they given to be meat unto the fowls of heaven By casting them out like dung upon the face of the earth, and not suffering any to bury them., the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.

Their blood they shed like water Plentifully and contemptuously, valuing it no more than common water. round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them Because their friends who should have done it were either slain or fled, or were not permitted, or durst not undertake to perform that Office to them..

We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us We who were their terrour and scourge are now neither feared nor pityed, but become the matter of their scoffs and reproaches. See Psal. 80. 6. and 137. 7. Ezek. 35 2, 12, &c..

How long, LORD, wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousie burn like fire?

Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen Though we confess that we have deserved thy wrath yet the Heathen, by whom thou hast scourged us, deserve it much more, as being guilty of far greater impieties than we, living in gross ignorance and contempt of God and of his worship. And therefore we pray transfer thy wrath from us to them. that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name Though we confess that we have deserved thy wrath yet the Heathen, by whom thou hast scourged us, deserve it much more, as being guilty of far greater impieties than we, living in gross ignorance and contempt of God and of his worship. And therefore we pray transfer thy wrath from us to them..

For they have devoured Jacob The posterity of Iacob, whom thou didst love, and with whom and his Seed thou madest a sure and everlasting Covenant; whereby thou didst ingage thy self to be an enemy to their enemies, Exod. 23. 22. Besides thou ha... est cruelty, especially when the wicked devour those who are more righteous than themselves. Habak. 1. 13., and laid waste his dwelling place.

O remember not against us former iniquities: The sins committed by our Forefathers, and by us who have filled up the measure of their sins, for which, we confess thou hast most righteously brought this desolating judgment upon us. let thy tender mercies Upon which all our confidence is fixed; for merit and righteousness we have none. See Dan. 9 7, 9. speedily prevent us Prevent our utter extirpation which we have deserved, and have great reason to expect., for we are brought very low Past the hopes of all humane help, and therefore the glory or our deliverance will be wholly thine..

Help us, O God of our salvation From whom we have oft received, and from whom alone we now expect, salvation., for the glory of thy name Which is now obscured by the insolency and blasphemy of thine enemies, who ascribe this Conquest to their Idols, and triumph over thee no less than over thy people, as one unable to deliver them out of their hands. See Dan. 3. 15.: and deliver us, and purge away our sins for thy names sake.

Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God! He whom they served, and of whom they boasted. He is lost and gone, or grown impotent or idle. Let him be known among the heathen, By the expectation of his judgments upon them according to Psal. 9. 16. in our sight That we may live to see it and praise thy name for it. by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.

Let * the sighing of the prisoner Of thy poor people now in prison, or at least, in captivity. come before thee, according to the greatness of thy power: preserve thou those that are appointed to die Heb. the children of death, (i. e.) Which were either designed to death, or in manifest danger of it, as being wholly in the power of their cruel and barbarous enemies..

And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom (i. e.) Either 1. Abundantly, as this Phrase notes, Isa. 65. 6, 7. Ier. 32. 18. Luke 6. 38. Or 2. Sensibly, so as it may come home to them, and fall heavily upon them in their own persons., there reproach wherewith they have reproached thee, As impotent or unfaithful or unmerciful to his own people. So they intimate that this dedesire did not proceed from a revengeful mind, but from a due sense of God's favour., O Lord.

So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will show forth thy praise to all generations.