Psalms 79
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Shoshannim--"Lilies" (see on Psa 45:1, title). Eduth--Testimony, referring to the topic as a testimony of God to His people (compare Psa 19:7). This Psalm probably relates to the captivity of the ten tribes, as the former to that of Judah. Its complaint is aggravated by the contrast of former prosperity, and the prayer for relief occurs as a refrain through the Psalm. (Psa. 80:1-19) Joseph--for Ephraim (Ch1 7:20-29; Psa 78:67; Rev 7:8), for Israel. Shepherd--(Compare Gen 49:24). leadest, &c.-- (Psa 77:20). dwellest . . . cherubim-- (Exo 25:20); the place of God's visible glory, whence He communed with the people (Heb 9:5). shine forth--appear (Psa 50:2; Psa 94:1).
Open source ↗O God, the Heathen are come into thine inheritance,.... The land of Canaan, divided among the children of Israel by lot and line for an inheritance, out of which the Heathen were cast, to make room for them; but now would come into it again; see Psa 89:35, and this is called the Lord's inheritance, because he gave it as such to the people of Israel, and dwelt in it himself; and the rather this is observed as something marvellous, that he should suffer Heathens to possess his own inheritance; or the city of Jerusalem, which was the place the Lord chose to put his name in; or the temple, where he had his residence, called the mountain of his inheritance, Exo 15:17, and into which it was always accounted a profanation for Heathens to enter; see Act 21:28, into each of these places the Heathen came; the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar; the Syrians under Antiochus, as in the Apocrypha: "Insomuch that the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them: whereupon the city was made an habitation of strangers, and became strange to those that were born in her; and her own children left her.'' (1 Maccabees 1:38) "Now Jerusalem lay void as a wilderness, there was none of her children that went in or out: the sanctuary also was trodden down, and aliens kept the strong hold; the heathen had their habitation in that place; and joy was taken from Jacob, and the pipe with the harp ceased.'' (1 Maccabees 3:45) the Romans under Pompey, Vespasian, and Titus; and the Papists have since entered among the people of God, who are his heritage or inheritance, and have lorded it over them, and made havoc of them, and who are called Heathens and Gentiles, Psa 10:16, thy holy temple have they defiled: this was done in the times of Antiochus, by entering into it, taking away the holy vessels out of i…
Open source ↗The Psalm begins with a plaintive description, and in fact one that makes complaint to God. Its opening sounds like Lam 1:10. The defiling does not exclude the reducing to ashes, it is rather spontaneously suggested in Psa 74:7 in company with wilful incendiarism. The complaint in Psa 79:1 reminds one of the prophecy of Micah, Mic 3:12, which in its time excited so much vexation (Jer 26:18); and Psa 79:2, Deu 28:26. עבדיך confers upon those who were massacred the honour of martyrdom. The lxx renders לעיים by εἰς ὀπωροφυλάκιον, a flourish taken from Isa 1:8. Concerning the quotation from memory in 1 Macc. 7:16f., vid., the introduction to Ps 74. The translator of the originally Hebrew First Book of the Maccabees even in other instances betrays an acquaintance with the Greek Psalter (cf. 1 Macc. 1:37, καὶ ἐξέχεαν αἷμα ἀθῷον κύκλῳ τοῦ ἁγιάσματος). "As water," i.e., (cf. Deu 15:23) without setting any value upon it and without any scruple about it. Psa 44:14 is repeated in Psa 79:4. At the time of the Chaldaean catastrophe this applied more particularly to the Edomites.
Open source ↗We have here a sad complaint exhibited in the court of heaven. The world is full of complaints, and so is the church too, for it suffers, not only with it, but from it, as a lily among thorns. God is complained to; whither should children go with their grievances, but to their father, to such a father as is able and willing to help? The heathen are complained of, who, being themselves aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, were sworn enemies to it. Though they knew not God, nor owned him, yet, God having them in chain, the church very fitly appeals to him against them; for he is King of nations, to overrule them, to judge among the heathen, and King of saints, to favour and protect them. I. They complain here of the anger of their enemies and the outrageous fury of the oppressor, exerted, 1. Against places, Psa 79:1. They did all the mischief they could, (1.) To the holy land; they invaded that, and made inroads into it: "The heathen have come into thy inheritance, to plunder that, and lay it waste." Canaan was dearer to the pious Israelites as it was God's inheritance than as it was their own, as it was the land in which God was known and his name was great rather than as it was the land in which they were bred and born and which they and their ancestors had been long in possession of. note, Injuries done to religion should grieve us more than even those done to common right, nay, to our own right. We should better bear to see our own inheritance wasted than God's inheritance. This psalmist had mentioned it in the foregoing psalm as an instance of God's great favour to Israel that he had cast out the heathen before them, Psa 78:55. But see what a change sin made; now the heathen are suffered to pour in upon them. (2.) To the holy city: They have laid Jerusalem on heap…
Open source ↗Ps 79 This lament describes the occasion of Jerusalem’s fall in 586 BC. The early history of Israel’s rebellions described in Ps 78 provoked God’s wrath, resulting in the desolation of Zion described here as the defilement of the Temple and the disgraced bodies that littered the landscape. The psalmist then prays for forgiveness and rescue (79:8-9), as well as for God to pay back the nation’s enemies (79:12-13). Other psalms lamenting the Exile include Pss 42–44, 102, 107, 126, 137. 79:1-4 The poet laments the desecration of the Temple and the success of the enemy. 79:1 your special possession: This phrase might refer to the land, the Temple (see 61:5), or the people (see 79:2; 78:71).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
מִזְמוֹר (mizmôwr, H4210) — properly, instrumental music; by implication, a poem set to notes אָסָף (ʼÂçâph, H623) — Asaph, the name of three Israelites, and of the family of the first אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… גּוֹי (gôwy, H1471) — a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight… בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) נַחֲלָה (nachălâh, H5159) — properly, something inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom;… קֹדֶשׁ (qôdesh, H6944) — a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity הֵיכָל (hêykâl, H1964) — a large public building, such as a palace or temple טָמֵא (ṭâmêʼ, H2930) — to be foul, especially in a ceremial or moral sense (contaminated) שׂוּם (sûwm, H7760) — to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and… יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (Yᵉrûwshâlaim, H3389) — Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine עִי (ʻîy, H5856) — a ruin (as if overturned)
Open source ↗נְבֵלָה (nᵉbêlâh, H5038) — a flabby thing, i.e. a carcase or carrion (human or bestial, often collectively);… עֶבֶד (ʻebed, H5650) — a servant נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) מַאֲכָל (maʼăkâl, H3978) — an eatable (includ. provender, flesh and fruit) עוֹף (ʻôwph, H5775) — a bird (as covered with feathers, or rather as covering with wings), often collectively שָׁמַיִם (shâmayim, H8064) — the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds… בָּשָׂר (bâsâr, H1320) — flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the… חָסִיד (châçîyd, H2623) — properly, kind, i.e. (religiously) pious (a saint) חַי (chay, H2416) — alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially… אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
Open source ↗דָּם (dâm, H1818) — blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice… שָׁפַךְ (shâphak, H8210) — to spill forth (blood, a libation, liquid metal; or even a solid, i.e. to mound up); also… מַיִם (mayim, H4325) — water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen סָבִיב (çâbîyb, H5439) — (as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without… יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (Yᵉrûwshâlaim, H3389) — Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine קָבַר (qâbar, H6912) — to inter
Open source ↗חֶרְפָּה (cherpâh, H2781) — contumely, disgrace, the pudenda שָׁכֵן (shâkên, H7934) — a resident; by extension, a fellow-citizen לַעַג (laʻag, H3933) — derision, scoffing קֶלֶס (qeleç, H7047) — a laughing-stock סָבִיב (çâbîyb, H5439) — (as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without…
Open source ↗יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God אָנַף (ʼânaph, H599) — to breathe hard, i.e. be enraged נֶצַח (netsach, H5331) — properly, a goal, i.e. the bright object at adistance travelled towards; hence… קִנְאָה (qinʼâh, H7068) — jealousy or envy בָּעַר (bâʻar, H1197) — to kindle, i.e. consume (by fire or by eating); to be(-come) brutish אֵשׁ (ʼêsh, H784) — fire (literally or figuratively)
Open source ↗שָׁפַךְ (shâphak, H8210) — to spill forth (blood, a libation, liquid metal; or even a solid, i.e. to mound up); also… חֵמָה (chêmâh, H2534) — heat; figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever) גּוֹי (gôwy, H1471) — a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight… יָדַע (yâdaʻ, H3045) — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses,… מַמְלָכָה (mamlâkâh, H4467) — dominion, i.e. (abstractly) the estate (rule) or (concretely) the country (realm) קָרָא (qârâʼ, H7121) — to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of… שֵׁם (shêm, H8034) — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority,…
Open source ↗אָכַל (ʼâkal, H398) — to eat (literally or figuratively) יַעֲקֹב (Yaʻăqôb, H3290) — Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch שָׁמֵם (shâmêm, H8074) — to stun (or intransitively, grow numb), i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both… נָוֶה (nâveh, H5116) — (adjectively) at home; hence (by implication of satisfaction) lovely; also (noun) a home,…
Open source ↗זָכַר (zâkar, H2142) — properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention;… רִאשׁוֹן (riʼshôwn, H7223) — first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun) עָוֺן (ʻâvôn, H5771) — perversity, i.e. (moral) evil רַחַם (racham, H7356) — compassion (in the plural); by extension, the womb (as cherishing the fetus); by… מַהֵר (mahêr, H4118) — properly, hurrying; hence (adverbially) in ahurry קָדַם (qâdam, H6923) — to project (one self), i.e. precede; hence, to anticipate, hasten, meet (usually for help) דָּלַל (dâlal, H1809) — to slacken or be feeble; figuratively, to be oppressed מְאֹד (mᵉʼôd, H3966) — properly, vehemence, i.e. (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication,…
Open source ↗עָזַר (ʻâzar, H5826) — to surround, i.e. protect or aid אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… יֶשַׁע (yeshaʻ, H3468) — liberty, deliverance, prosperity דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause כָּבוֹד (kâbôwd, H3519) — properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness שֵׁם (shêm, H8034) — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority,… נָצַל (nâtsal, H5337) — to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad sense כָּפַר (kâphar, H3722) — to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively, to expiate or condone, to placate or… חַטָּאָה (chaṭṭâʼâh, H2403) — an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or…
Open source ↗גּוֹי (gôwy, H1471) — a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight… אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… יָדַע (yâdaʻ, H3045) — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses,… עַיִן (ʻayin, H5869) — an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape) נְקָמָה (nᵉqâmâh, H5360) — avengement, whether the act of the passion דָּם (dâm, H1818) — blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice… עֶבֶד (ʻebed, H5650) — a servant שָׁפַךְ (shâphak, H8210) — to spill forth (blood, a libation, liquid metal; or even a solid, i.e. to mound up); also…
Open source ↗אֲנָקָה (ʼănâqâh, H603) — shrieking אָסִיר (ʼâçîyr, H615) — bound, i.e. a captive בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… גֹּדֶל (gôdel, H1433) — magnitude (literally or figuratively) זְרוֹעַ (zᵉrôwaʻ, H2220) — the arm (as stretched out), or (of animals) the foreleg; figuratively, force יָתַר (yâthar, H3498) — to jut over or exceed; by implication, to excel; (intransitively) to remain or be left;… בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… תְּמוּתָה (tᵉmûwthâh, H8546) — execution (as a doom)
Open source ↗שׁוּב (shûwb, H7725) — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not… שָׁכֵן (shâkên, H7934) — a resident; by extension, a fellow-citizen שִׁבְעָתַיִם (shibʻâthayim, H7659) — seven-times חֵיק (chêyq, H2436) — the bosom (literally or figuratively) חֶרְפָּה (cherpâh, H2781) — contumely, disgrace, the pudenda חָרַף (châraph, H2778) — to pull off, i.e. (by implication) to expose (as by stripping); specifically, to betroth… אֲדֹנָי (ʼĂdônây, H136) — the Lord (used as a proper name of God only)
Open source ↗עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence… צֹאן (tsôʼn, H6629) — a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men) מִרְעִית (mirʻîyth, H4830) — pasturage; concretely, a flock יָדָה (yâdâh, H3034) — physically, to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship… עוֹלָם (ʻôwlâm, H5769) — properly, concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or… סָפַר (çâphar, H5608) — properly, to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe,… תְּהִלָּה (tᵉhillâh, H8416) — laudation; specifically (concretely) a hymn דּוֹר (dôwr, H1755) — properly, a revolution of time, i.e. an age or generation; also a dwelling
Open source ↗Cross-references
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The adversary has seized all her treasures. For she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary— those You had forbidden to enter Your assembly.
Then the Chaldeans set fire to the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned down all the palaces and destroyed every article of value.
Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the temple mount a wooded ridge.
“Micah the Moreshite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah and told all the people of Judah that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the temple mount a wooded ridge.’
As the LORD had declared, Nebuchadnezzar also carried off all the treasures from the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he cut into pieces all the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD.
He burned down the house of the LORD, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem—every significant building.
So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who put their young men to the sword in the sanctuary, sparing neither young men nor young women, neither elderly nor infirm. God gave them all into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar,
You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of Your inheritance— the place, O LORD, You have prepared for Your dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, Your hands have established.
The Chaldeans set fire to the palace of the king and to the houses of the people, and they broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Do not measure it, because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.