The Eastern Cross/Bible/Psalms/Psalm 78
The Book of Psalms · the Psalter
Psalm 79 in the KJV and most English Bibles
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A Psalm for Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; They have polluted thy holy temple; They have made Jerusalem a storehouse of fruits.
Ψαλμὸς τῷ Ἀσάφ. Ὁ Θεὸς, ἤλθοσαν ἔθνη εἰς τὴν κληρονομίαν σου, ἐμίαναν τὸν ναὸν τὸν ἅγιόν σου· ἔθεντο Ἱερουσαλὴμ εἰς ὀπωροφυλάκιον.
Over the title of this Psalm, being so short and so simple, I think we need not tarry. But the prophecy which here we read sent before, we know to be evidently fulfilled. For when these things were being sung in the times of King David, nothing of such sort, by the hostility of the Gentiles, as yet had befallen the…
They have given the dead bodies of thy servants To be food for the birds of the sky, The flesh of thy holy ones for the wild beasts of the earth.
Ἔθεντο τὰ θνησιμαῖα τῶν δούλων σου βρώματα τοῖς πετεινοῖς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, τὰς σάρκας τῶν ὁσίων σου τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς.
"They have made," he says, "the dead bodies of Your servants morsels for the fowls of heaven, the fleshes of Your saints for the beasts of the earth". The expression, "dead bodies," has been repeated in "fleshes:" and the expression, "of Your servants," has been repeated in, "of Your saints." This only has been…
"They have defiled Your holy Temple, they have made Jerusalem for a keeping of apples." "They have made the dead bodies of Your servants morsels for the fowls of heaven, the fleshes of Your saints for the beasts of the earth". "They have poured forth their blood like water in the circuit of Jerusalem, and there was no…
They have shed their blood as water, Round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.
Ἐξέχεαν τὸ αἷμα αὐτῶν ὡς ὕδωρ, κύκλῳ Ἱερουσαλὴμ, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ θάπτων.
"They have poured forth their blood like water," that is, abundantly and wantonly, "in the circuit of Jerusalem". If we herein understand the earthly city Jerusalem, we perceive the shedding of their blood in the circuit thereof, whom the enemy could find outside the walls. But if we understand it of that Jerusalem,…
We are become a reproach to our neighbors, A scorn and derision to them that are round about us.
Ἐγενήθημεν εἰς ὄνειδος τοῖς γείτοσιν ἡμῶν, μυκτηρισμὸς καὶ χλευασμὸς τοῖς κύκλῳ ἡμῶν.
"We have become," he says, "a reproach to our neighbours". Therefore precious not in the sight of men, from whom this reproach was, but "precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." "A scoffing and derision:" or, as some have interpreted it, "a mockery to them that are in our circuit." It is a…
How long, O Lord? wilt thou be angry forever? Shall thy jealousy burn like fire?
Ἕως πότε, Κύριε, ὀργισθήσῃ εἰς τέλος; ἐκκαυθήσεται ὡς πῦρ ὁ ζῆλός σου;
In the second place now giving utterance to an evident prayer, whence it may be perceived that the calling to remembrance of former affliction is not by way of information but prayer; "How long," he says, "O Lord, will You be angry, unto the end? Shall Your jealousy burn like fire?". He is evidently asking God not to…
Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, And upon the kingdoms which have not called upon thy name.
Ἔκχεον τὴν ὀργήν σου ἐπὶ ἔθνη τὰ μὴ ἐπεγνωκότα σε, καὶ ἐπὶ βασιλείας αἳ τὸ ὄνομά σου οὐκ ἐπεκαλέσαντο.
But that which he adds, "Pour forth Your anger upon the nations which have not known You, and upon the kingdoms which have not called upon Your name"; this too is a prophecy, not a wish. Not in the imprecation of malevolence are these words spoken, but foreseen by the Spirit they are predicted: just as in the case of…
For they have devoured Jacob, And laid his place waste.
Ὅτι κατέφαγον τὸν Ἰακὼβ, καὶ τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ ἠρήμωσαν.
Lastly, there follows, "For they have eaten up Jacob, and his place they have made desolate"....How we should view "the place" of Jacob, must be understood. For rather the place of Jacob may be supposed to be that city, wherein was also the Temple, whither-unto the whole of that nation for the purpose of sacrifice and…
Remember not our old transgressions; Let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us; For we are greatly impoverished.
Μὴ μνησθῇς ἡμῶν ἀνομιῶν ἀρχαίων, ταχὺ προκαταλαβέτωσαν ἡμᾶς οἱ οἰκτιρμοί σου, ὅτι ἐπτωχεύσαμεν σφόδρα.
Help us, O God our Savior; For the glory of thy name, O Lord, deliver us; And be merciful to our sins, for thy name’s sake.
Βοήθησον ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς ὁ σωτὴρ ἡμῶν, ἕνεκα τῆς δόξης τοῦ ὀνόματός σου Κύριε ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἱλάσθητι ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν ἕνεκα τοῦ ὀνόματός σου·
Lest haply they should say among the heathen, Where is their God? And let the avenging of thy servants’ blood that has been shed Be known among the heathen before our eyes.
Μή ποτε εἴπωσιν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι, ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς αὐτῶν; καὶ γνωσθήτω ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐνώπιον τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἡμῶν ἡ ἐκδίκησις τοῦ αἵματος τῶν δούλων σου τοῦ ἐκκεχυμένου.
But that which he addeth, "lest at any time they should say among the Gentiles, Where is their God?" (ver. 10) must be taken as rather for the Gentiles themselves. For to a bad end they come that have despaired of the true God, thinking that either He is not, or doth not help His own, and is not merciful to them. But…
Let the groaning of the prisoners come in before thee; According to the greatness of thine arm Preserve the sons of the slain ones.
Εἰσελθέτω ἐνώπιόν σου ὁ στεναγμὸς τῶν πεπεδημένων, κατὰ τὴν μεγαλωσύνην τοῦ βραχίονός σου περιποίησαι τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν τεθανατωμένων.
Repay to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, With which they have reproached thee, O Lord.
Ἀπόδος τοῖς γείτοσιν ἡμῶν ἑπταπλάσια εἰς τὸν κόλπον αὐτῶν τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν αὐτῶν, ὃν ὠνείδισάν σε Κύριε.
For we are thy people and the sheep of thy pasture; We will give thee thanks forever; We will declare thy praise throughout all generations.
Ἡμεῖς γὰρ λαός σου καὶ πρόβατα νομῆς σου, ἀνθομολογησόμεθά σοι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεὰν ἐξαγγελοῦμεν τὴν αἴνεσίν σου.
"Render," he says, "to our neighbours seven times so much into their bosoms". Not any evil things he is wishing, but things just he is foretelling and prophesying as to come. But in the number seven, that is, in sevenfold retribution, he would have the completeness of the punishment to be perceived, for with this…
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