PSALM 79
This psalm is another lament. This one is for the whole nation of Israel as opposed to one person.
The Occasion for the Psalm: The Destruction of Jerusalem
79:1-4
These verses appear to describe the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Because of this, there are several connections between this psalm and the Book of Jeremiah and Lamentations.
The psalm is a prayer, as the opening words are addressed to God (“O God”). The writer of the psalm must be a descendant of Asaph who is among the remnant of Israel in exile in Babylon.The first four verses have the psalmist pointing out to God what has happened.
The “nations” (v.1) usually refers to Gentiles (non-Jews) in the Old Testament. The King James Version uses the word “heathen”, a word we do not use much any more, but would refer to these people as pagans.
The psalmist laments that the Babylonians came into the land of Israel, defiled the Temple, destroyed the city, and killed many people. They left the bodies on the dead on the ground and did not bury them.
There is a covenantal undertone to these verses. The psalmist refers to God’s land, his temple, his city, and his people. Israel was God’s inheritance. They lived in a place God gave them, but which is now under the control of Gentiles.
The temple was defiled. Gentiles were not supposed to enter the Temple. But, the Babylonians took sacred objects from it and burned it down. They also destroyed the city, breaking down all of the stone structures and burning all of the wooden ones.
They killed many people and did not bury them. This was an act of disrespect ignominy or disgrace. Jeremiah prophesied that this would happen: “And I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of the who seek their lives. their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth.” (Jeremiah 34:20)
You can read about the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in four places in the Old Testament: 2 Kings 25, 2 Chronicles 36:11-21, Jeremiah 39:1-14, and Jeremiah 52.
The destruction brought disgrace on the nation. They were taunted, mocked, and derided by the nations around them for this great loss. They had claimed to be a special people protected by God, but he let them be utterly defeated.
The Call For God To Act
79:5-7
As in many of the psalms of lament, the psalmist asks how long it will be until God gets over his anger with Israel and punishes those who destroyed it. He asks the Lord to pour out his anger on the Gentiles who do not know him or obey him. (6) He wants them punished for what they did to destroy Israel (referred to here as Jacob).
The psalmist also mentions God’s jealousy, indicating a confession that Israel had gone after other gods\idols. God demanded total loyalty from Israel. He commanded that they have no other gods before him. (Exodus 20:3) He specifically commanded them not to create idols because he is a jealous God. (Exodus 20:5) He is intent on preserving his glory and honor and will not tolerate his people worshipping other gods. In mentioning this, the psalmist recognizes Israel’s infidelity to God. They had indeed worshipped idols from other countries.
The psalmist then asked God to pour out his wrath, not on Israel, but on the nations that do not know and worship him. (6) He wants Babylon and its allies held accountable for what they have done to God’s people. Verses 6-7 are identical to Jeremiah 10:25.
The Prayer For Forgiveness
79:8-12
The psalmist recognized that God’s wrath had been poured out on them because of their wickedness and sin (iniquities). (8) It must have been difficult to be in exile in Babylon and read the warnings God gave them through the prophet Jeremiah. He had asked them “What wrongs did your fathers find I’m that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness and became worthless?”. (Jeremiah 2:5-6) He said “…you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination.” (Jeremiah 2:7)
He asked for grace, expressed as God having compassion to come quickly to their aid. (8) He asked for deliverance and atonement for sins, referring to God as “God of our salvation”. (9) He recognized the connection between their sin and their punishment in exile. Their sin must be atoned for them to be reconciled to God and again receive his blessing and protection.
The psalmist also asked God to act for the glory of his name. His glory and his reputation among the Gentiles was at stake in the defeat of his people. They even asked “where is their God?”. (10) The psalmist asked God to act to avenge Israel by rectifying their situation and defeating their captor and enemy, Babylon. He wanted Babylon punished sevenfold for what it had done to Israel, a complete and full retribution, because they taunted the Lord. (12)
The Promise To Do Better
79:13
In return for God’s deliverance, the psalmist promised that Israel would give thanks and praise to God forever. This is part of repentance, a turning from their sin back to God. They are the sheep of God’s pasture, his flock, and they will want to live that way again.
Takeaways
It is ok to pray for relief from distress. God answered the psalmist’s prayer, though not as soon as the psalmist wanted.
God’s ultimate answer to the psalmist’s prayer for atonement is found in Christ, who has made atonement for our sins by his death on the cross.
Believers are now God’s people, his “own possession”. (1 Peter 2:9-10)
God will eventually give his people the whole earth, the “new earth”. (Revelation 21-22)
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