A psalm of Asaph.
This song was written by Asaph. If this was the Asaph of King David’s reign, then he is looking prophetically into the future. Another option is that the author was a descendant of Asaph who witnessed the temple destruction of 586 B.C.
79:1 O God, foreigners have invaded your chosen land; they have polluted your holy temple and turned Jerusalem into a heap of ruins.
This song begins with a prayer to God. Gentiles have invaded Israel. They have polluted the temple and reduced Jerusalem to rubble. The Babylonians destroyed the Jewish temple and the city in 586 B.C.
Another possibility is that Asaph is looking prophetically to the Great Tribulation. The Antichrist will profane the temple. Jerusalem will be destroyed.
79:2 They have given the corpses of your servants to the birds of the sky; the flesh of your loyal followers to the beasts of the earth.
The birds and wild beasts were eating the corpses of the Jewish citizens.
79:3 They have made their blood flow like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury them.
The people of Jerusalem were slaughtered and left unburied.
79:4 We have become an object of disdain to our neighbors; those who live on our borders taunt and insult us.
The surrounding Gentile nations were glad that Jerusalem had been destroyed. They taunted and insulted the Israelites.
79:5 How long will this go on, O Lord? Will you stay angry forever? How long will your rage burn like fire?
Asaph asked Jehovah how long this slaughter would continue? How long would Jehovah remain angry at Israel?
79:6 Pour out your anger on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that do not pray to you!
Asaph asked Jehovah to pour out His anger on the Gentile nations who do not acknowledge or pray to Him.
79:7 For they have devoured Jacob and destroyed his home.
The Babylonians destroyed Judah.
79:8 Do not hold us accountable for the sins of earlier generations! Quickly send your compassion our way, for we are in serious trouble!
Asaph asked Jehovah to not punish his generation for the sins of prior generations. He asked Jehovah to send compassion to Jerusalem as quickly as possible, because they were in serious trouble.
79:9 Help us, O God, our deliverer! For the sake of your glorious reputation, rescue us! Forgive our sins for the sake of your reputation!
Asaph asked God to deliver Israel from the Babylonians. He asked Jehovah to save Jerusalem for the sake of His own reputation. The Babylonians would brag that their demonic gods were more powerful than Jehovah, because Jehovah could not save Jerusalem. Asaph asked Jehovah to forgive Israel of their sins so that He could save His own reputation.
79:10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Before our very eyes may the shed blood of your servants be avenged among the nations!
The other Gentiles were mocking Israel, because Jehovah did not save them.
79:11 Listen to the painful cries of the prisoners! Use your great strength to set free those condemned to die!
Many Jewish prisoners were being condemned to death. Many of the ancient nations decapitated, impaled, and flayed their prisoners.
79:12 Pay back our neighbors in full! May they be insulted the same way they insulted you, O Lord!
Asaph asked Jehovah to pay back the surrounding nations who were mocking Israel’s defeat. Since the surrounding nations insulted Jehovah, Asaph wanted God to pay them back with a kind-for-kind curse.
79:13 Then we, your people, the sheep of your pasture, will continually thank you. We will tell coming generations of your praiseworthy acts.
God was the Shepherd and Israel was the sheep. Asaph wanted God to take revenge on their enemies and bring them back into safe pasture. This prayer will be fulfilled during the Millennial Kingdom. When Israel is restored to her land, then they will continually thank Jehovah. They will also teach future generations about the praiseworthy acts of Jehovah.