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The Book of Psalms

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- Chapter 79 -

A prayer for deliverance

(Psalm 74:1-23; Jeremiah 52:1-11)
1
A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the Gentiles have entered into your inheritance; they have polluted your holy temple. They have set Jerusalem as a place to tend fruit trees.
2
They have placed the dead bodies of your servants as food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your saints for the beasts of the earth.
3
They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one who would bury them.
4
We have become a disgrace to our neighbors, an object of ridicule and mockery to those who are around us.
5
How long, O Lord? Will you be angry until the end? Will your zeal be kindled like a fire?
6
Pour out your wrath among the Gentiles, who have not known you, and upon the kingdoms that have not invoked your name.
7
For they have devoured Jacob, and they have desolated his place.
8
Do not remember our iniquities of the past. May your mercies quickly intercept us, for we have become exceedingly poor.
9
Help us, O God, our Savior. And free us, Lord, for the glory of your name. And forgive us our sins for the sake of your name.
10
Let them not say among the Gentiles, “Where is their God?” And may your name become known among the nations before our eyes. For the retribution of your servants’ blood, which has been poured out:(a)
11
may the groans of the shackled enter before you. According to the greatness of your arm, take possession of the sons of those who have been killed.
12
And repay our neighbors sevenfold within their sinews. It is the reproach of the same ones who brought reproach against you, O Lord.
13
But we are your people and the sheep of your pasture: we will give thanks to you in all ages. From generation to generation, we will announce your praise.

Footnotes

(a)78:10 The verb ‘innotescat,’ in this context, refers to the name of the Lord, as mentioned in the previous verse. The term ‘Gentiles,’ in the Catholic Christian understanding of the text, refers to unbelievers, not to non-Jews. It refers to sinful secular society, to those groups and nations that do not believe.(Conte)

A prayer for deliverance

(Psalm 74:1-23; Jeremiah 52:1-11)
1
God, the nations have come into your inheritance. They have defiled your holy temple. They have laid Jerusalem in heaps.
2
They have given the dead bodies of your servants to be food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your saints to the animals of the earth.
3
They have shed their blood like water around Jerusalem. There was no one to bury them.
4
We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scoffing and derision to those who are around us.
5
How long, LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?
6
Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t know you, on the kingdoms that don’t call on your name,
7
for they have devoured Jacob, and destroyed his homeland.
8
Don’t hold the iniquities of our forefathers against us. Let your tender mercies speedily meet us, for we are in desperate need.
9
Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of your name. Deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake.
10
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes, that vengeance for your servants’ blood is being poured out.
11
Let the sighing of the prisoner come before you. According to the greatness of your power, preserve those who are sentenced to death.
12
Pay back to our neighbors seven times into their bosom their reproach with which they have reproached you, Lord.
13
So we, your people and sheep of your pasture, will give you thanks forever. We will praise you forever, to all generations.
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