1 A Psalme committed to Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance: thine holy Temple haue they defiled, and made Ierusalem heapes 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 seruats haue they giuen to be meat vnto foules of ye heauen: and the flesh of thy Saintes vnto the beastes of the earth.
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 haue they shead like waters rounde about Ierusalem, and there was none to burie 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 Wee are a reproche to our neighbours, euen a scorne and derision vnto them that are round about vs.
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, howe long wilt thou be angrie, for euer? shall thy gelousie burne like fire?
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 Powre out thy wrath vpon the heathen that haue not knowen thee, and vpon the kingdomes that haue not called vpon 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 haue deuoured Iaakob and made his dwelling place desolate.
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 Remember not against vs the former iniquities, but make haste and let thy tender mercies preuent vs: for we are in great miserie.
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 Helpe vs, O God of our saluation, for the glorie of thy Name, and deliuer vs, and be mercifull vnto our sinnes for thy Names 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 should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be knowen among the heathen in our sight by the vengeance of the blood of thy seruants that is shed.
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 Let the sighing of the prisoners come before thee: according to thy mightie arme preserue the children of death,
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 And render to our neighbours seuen folde into their bosome their reproche, wherewith they haue reproched thee, O Lord.
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 So wee thy people, and sheepe of thy pasture shall praise thee for euer: and from generation to generation we will set foorth thy praise.
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.