Focused Passage

Psalms 79:1-4

The Defiled Sanctuary, the Reproached People, and the God Who Atones for His Name

The psalm moves from the desecrated inheritance and slaughtered servants, to the shame of national reproach, to urgent questions about God's anger, to confession-aware petitions for mercy and atonement, to pleas for public vindication, and finally to the vow of generational praise from God's sheep.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

A Psalm of Asaph.

1The nations, O God, have invaded Your inheritance; they have defiled Your holy temple and reduced Jerusalem to rubble.

2They have given the corpses of Your servants as food to the birds of the air, the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth.

3They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the dead.

4We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to those around us.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

The nationsגוֹיִ֨ם׀H1471Noun - masculine pluralO Godאֱ‍ֽלֹהִ֡יםH430Noun - masculine pluralhave invadedבָּ֤אוּH935Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralYour inheritanceבְּֽנַחֲלָתֶ֗ךָH5159Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularthey have defiledטִ֭מְּאוּH2930Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerYour holyקָדְשֶׁ֑ךָH6944Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singulartempleהֵיכַ֣לH1964Noun - masculine singular construct[and] reducedשָׂ֖מוּH7760Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerJerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֣םH3389Noun - proper - feminine singularto rubbleלְעִיִּֽים׃H5856Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 2

Original words

They have givenנָֽתְנ֡וּH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe corpsesנִבְלַ֬תH5038Noun - feminine singular constructof Your servantsעֲבָדֶ֗יךָH5650Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularas foodמַ֭אֲכָלH3978Noun - masculine singularto the birdsלְע֣וֹףH5775Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructof the airהַשָּׁמָ֑יִםH8064Article | Noun - masculine pluralthe fleshבְּשַׂ֥רH1320Noun - masculine singular constructof Your saintsחֲ֝סִידֶ֗יךָH2623Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularto the beastsלְחַיְתוֹ־H2416Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularof the earthאָֽרֶץ׃H776Noun - feminine singular
Verse 3

Original words

They have poured outשָׁפְכ֬וּH8210Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluraltheir bloodדָמָ֨ם׀H1818Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plurallike waterכַּמַּ֗יִםH4325Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine pluralall aroundסְֽבִ֘יב֤וֹתH5439AdverbJerusalemיְֽרוּשָׁלִָ֗םH3389Noun - proper - feminine singularand [there is] no oneוְאֵ֣יןH369Conjunctive waw | Adverbto bury [the dead]קוֹבֵֽר׃H6912Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

We have becomeהָיִ֣ינוּH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plurala reproachחֶ֭רְפָּהH2781Noun - feminine singularto our neighborsלִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּH7934Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plurala scornלַ֥עַגH3933Noun - masculine singularand derisionוָ֝קֶ֗לֶסH7047Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularto those around usלִסְבִיבוֹתֵֽינוּ׃H5439Preposition-l | Adverb | first person common plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.