Psalms  ◦   Chapter 79

1O God, the selfish have invaded the land where you chose to reveal your remedy;
they have defiled the little theater-temple set apart to teach your healing plan
and have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.

2They have left for the vultures the corpses of your helpers,
and the bodies of your friends to be devoured by wild beasts.

3The blood they have shed runs down the streets of Jerusalem like water,
and there is no one to bury the dead.

4The other nations look down upon us;
they ridicule us, mock us and make jokes about us.

5How long, O Lord, will this go on?
Will you leave us to our own devices forever?
How long must your fiery truth burn before we finally learn?

6Let the selfish nations go —
those who do not know you;
let go of the kingdoms
that do not value your character of love,

7for they have feasted on Israel — devouring their innocence —
and have destroyed their families.

8Do not hold against us the self-destructive choices of our ancestors,
but send to us quickly your tender compassion — your healing remedy —
for we are in desperate need.

9Help us, O God our Savior,
so that your character of love may be exalted in the universe;
deliver us from selfishness and fix all deviations from your design within us,
so that your character of love may be magnified.

10Why should the nations wonder
if our Creator God is true?
Let us watch as the nations learn that they cannot escape the reality
of the destructive results of killing your helpers who spread your remedy.

11May those suffering from fear and selfishness cry out to you;
may your powerful remedy heal and restore the terminal —
those condemned to die because they are out of harmony with your design for life.

12To the hearts of our selfish neighbors,
return all the lies and insults they have hurled at you, O Lord.

13Then we, the people who trust and follow you like sheep their shepherd,
will praise you forever and ever;
we will proclaim your greatness for all generations.