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The Bible Psalms Psalm 78

Psalm 78

Ψαλμοί

Psalm 79 in the Hebrew numbering, which most Western Bibles follow.

1 Ψαλμὸς τῷ Ἀσάφ. Ο ΘΕΟΣ, ἤλθοσαν ἔθνη εἰς τὴν κληρονομίαν σου, ἐμίαναν τὸν ναὸν τὸν ἅγιόν σου, ἔθεντο Ἱερουσαλὴμ ὡς ὀπωροφυλάκιον.

(79) A Psalm for Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into your inheritance; they have polluted your holy temple; they have made Jerusalem a storehouse of fruits.

2 ἔθεντο τὰ θνησιμαῖα τῶν δούλων σου βρώματα τοῖς πετεινοῖς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, τὰς σάρκας τῶν ὁσίων σου τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς·

They have given the dead bodies of your servants [to be] food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your holy ones for the wild beasts of the earth.

3 ἐξέχεαν τὸ αἷμα αὐτῶν ὡσεὶ ὕδωρ κύκλῳ Ἱερουσαλήμ, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ θάπτων.

They have shed their blood as water, round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury [them].

4 ἐγενήθημεν ὄνειδος τοῖς γείτοσιν ἡμῶν, μυκτηρισμὸς καὶ χλευασμὸς τοῖς κύκλῳ ἡμῶν.

We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them [that are] round about us.

5 ἕως πότε, Κύριε, ὀργισθήσῃ εἰς τέλος, ἐκκαυθήσεται ὡς πῦρ ὁ ζῆλός σου;

How long, O Lord? will you be angry for ever? shall your jealousy burn like fire?

6 ἔκχεον τὴν ὀργήν σου ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη τὰ μὴ γινώσκοντά σε καὶ ἐπὶ βασιλείας, αἳ τὸ ὄνομά σου οὐκ ἐπεκαλέσαντο,

Pour out your wrath upon the heathen that have not known you, and upon the kingdoms which have not called upon your name.

7 ὅτι κατέφαγον τὸν Ἰακώβ, καὶ τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ ἠρήμωσαν.

For they have devoured Jacob, and laid his place waste.

8 μὴ μνησθῇς ἡμῶν ἀνομιῶν ἀρχαίων· ταχὺ προκαταλαβέτωσαν ἡμᾶς οἱ οἰκτιρμοί σου, Κύριε, ὅτι ἐπτωχεύσαμεν σφόδρα.

Remember not our old transgressions; let your tender mercies speedily prevent us; for we are greatly impoverished.

9 βοήθησον ἡμῖν, ὁ Θεός, ὁ σωτὴρ ἡμῶν· ἕνεκεν τῆς δόξης τοῦ ὀνόματός σου, Κύριε, ρῦσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ ἱλάσθητι ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν ἕνεκα τοῦ ὀνόματός σου,

Help us, O God our Saviour; for the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us; and be merciful to our sins, for your name's sake.

10 μή ποτε εἴπωσι τὰ ἔθνη· ποῦ ἔστιν ὁ Θεὸς αὐτῶν; καὶ γνωσθήτω ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐνώπιον τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἡμῶν ἡ ἐκδίκησις τοῦ αἵματος τῶν δούλων σου τοῦ ἐκκεχυμένου.

Lest haply they should say amongst the heathen, Where is their God? and let the avenging of your servant's blood that has been shed be known amongst the heathen before our eyes.

11 εἰσελθέτω ἐνώπιόν σου ὁ στεναγμὸς τῶν πεπεδημένων, κατὰ τὴν μεγαλωσύνην τοῦ βραχίονός σου περιποίησαι τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν τεθανατωμένων.

Let the groaning of the prisoners come in before you; according to the greatness of your arm preserve the sons of the slain ones.

12 ἀπόδος τοῖς γείτοσιν ἡμῶν ἑπταπλασίονα εἰς τὸν κόλπον αὐτῶν τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν αὐτῶν, ὃν ὠνείδισάν σε, Κύριε.

Repay to our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, with which they have reproached you, O Lord.

13 ἡμεῖς δὲ λαός σου καὶ πρόβατα νομῆς σου ἀνθομολογησόμεθά σοι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεὰν ἐξαγγελοῦμεν τὴν αἴνεσίν σου.

For we are your people and the sheep of your pasture; we will give you thanks for ever; we will declare your praise throughout all generations.

Greek: the Septuagint as the Orthodox Media Network published it (Mount Athos); 2 Maccabees and the Prayer of Manasseh from Brenton's edition (1851). English: Brenton's translation (1851), its spelling updated by Michael Paul Johnson; public domain. About these texts.