1 A psalm of Asaph. God, nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have made Jerusalem into ruins.
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.
A Prayer for Deliverance 2 They have given the corpses of your servants as food to the birds of the heavens, the flesh of your loyal ones to the beasts of the earth.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "They have defiled Your holy Temple, they have made Jerusalem for a keeping of apples." "They have made 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]. "They have poured forth their blood like water in the circuit of Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them" [Psalm 79:3].
3 They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one burying.
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 have become a reproach to our neighbors, a mockery and derision to those around 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 How long, LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn 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 Pour out your wrath on the nations that have not known you, and on kingdoms that have not called on your 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 he has devoured Jacob and laid waste his pasture.
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 Do not remember against us the iniquities of former ones; quickly let your compassions meet us, for we are brought very low.
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, God of our salvation, for the sake of the glory of your name; and rescue us and atone for our sins, for the sake of your name.
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 ...There see: In the beginning was the Word. For it was not made at any time: but in the beginning it was. Not like a creature, of which it is said: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let it be known among the nations before our eyes — the vengeance for the poured-out blood of your servants.
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 groaning of the prisoner come before you; according to the greatness of your arm, preserve the sons 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 return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach with which they reproached you, 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 But we, your people and the flock of your pasture, will give you thanks forever; to generation and generation we will recount your 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.