1 O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance: thy holy temple have they defiled, and made Jerusalem an heap of stones.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 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.
2 The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the air: and the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the land.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "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" [Psalm 79:2].
3 Their blood have they shed like water on every side of Jerusalem: and there was no man to bury them.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "They have poured forth their blood like water," that is, abundantly and wantonly, "in the circuit of Jerusalem" [Psalm 79:3]. 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.
4 We are become an open shame to our enemies: a very scorn and derision unto them that are round about us.
Gregory of Nazianzus · AD 390 If you shut the heavens, who will open them? And if you let loose your torrents, who will restrain them? It is an easy thing in your eyes to make some people poor and others rich, to make some alive and to kill others, to strike some with illness and to heal others. Whatever you do according to your will is perfect.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "We have become," he says, "a reproach to our neighbours" [Psalm 79:4]. 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 repetition of the former sentence.
5 Lord, how long wilt thou be angry: shall thy jealousy burn like fire for ever?
Gregory of Nazianzus · AD 390 Some things mentioned in the Bible are not factual; some factual things are not mentioned; some nonfactual things receive no mention there; some things are both factual and mentioned. Do you ask for my proofs here? I am ready to offer them.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 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?" [Psalm 79:5].
6 Pour out thine indignation upon the heathen that have not known thee: and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy Name.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 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" [Psalm 79:6]; this too is a prophecy, not a wish.
7 For they have devoured Jacob: and laid waste his dwelling-place.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Lastly, there follows, "For they have eaten up Jacob, and his place they have made desolate" [Psalm 79:7]....How we should view "the place" of Jacob, must be understood.
8 O remember not our old sins, but have mercy upon us, and that soon: for we are come to great misery.
Jerome · AD 420 Since we have become poor. Since you became poor for our sake, therefore we too have become poor. "The prayer of the poor man, when he is in anguish, and pours out his prayer before the Lord." Since you became poor, though you were rich, we too have become poor.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 ...He subjoineth, "Remember not our iniquities of old" (ver. 8). He saith not bygone, which might have even been recent; but "of old," that is, coming from parents. For to such iniquities judgment, not correction, is owing. "Speedily let Thy mercies anticipate us." Anticipate, that is, at Thy judgment.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy Name: O deliver us, and be merciful unto our sins, for thy Name's sake.
Jerome · AD 420 Help us, O God our Savior. In the Hebrew it has "Help us, O God our Jesus." For wherever there is "Savior," there the Hebrew has "Jesus." Thus Gabriel, when he came to Mary, said, "And you shall call him Jesus: for he shall save his people." Help us, O God our Jesus.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Therefore there followeth, "Help us, O God, our healing One" (ver. 9). By this word which he saith, "our healing One," he doth sufficiently explain what sort of poverty he hath willed to be understood, in that which he had said, "for we have become exceeding poor." For it is that very sickness, to which a healer is necessary.
10 Wherefore do the heathen say: Where is now their God?
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 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.
11 O let the vengeance of thy servants blood that is shed: be openly shewed upon the heathen in our sight.
Jerome · AD 420 Let the groaning of the fettered enter into your sight. This is what those who follow the teachings of Origen are accustomed to say: The groaning of the fettered — that is, of the angels, they say, who have been fettered in bodies.
12 O let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before thee: according to the greatness of thy power, preserve thou those that are appointed to die.
Jerome · AD 420 Render to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom. It seems to me that he does not ask against them, but for them: that is, give them your sabbath. Now "sabbath" is interpreted as rest. What he says is this: make them rest in their wickedness. Or else, otherwise: render it to them here, and do not render it to them in the time to come.
13 And for the blasphemy wherewith our neighbours have blasphemed thee: reward thou them, O Lord, seven-fold into their bosom.
Jerome · AD 420 But we your people and the sheep of your pasture. When he says "sheep," he signifies innocence. Sheep have nothing but a shepherd. We will give you thanks forever. We will confess: either we do penance, or, what is better, we glorify. From generation to generation; among the first people, and among the second people.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Render," he says, "to our neighbours seven times so much into their bosoms" [Psalm 79:13]. 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 number fullness is wont to be signified.
14 So we, that are thy people, and sheep of thy pasture, shall give thee thanks for ever: and will alway be shewing forth thy praise from generation to generation.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "But we Thy people" (ver. 14), must be taken generally of all the race of godly and true Christians. "We," then, whom they thought they had power to destroy, "Thy people, and the sheep of thy flock:" in order that he that glorieth may glory in the Lord, "will confess to Thee for an age." But some copies have it, "will confess to Thee for everlasting." Out of a Greek ambiguity t…