Praying Through: Psalm 79 Faith

The Psalm

Psalm 79 (CSB)
A psalm of Asaph.

1 God, the nations have invaded your inheritance, desecrated your holy temple, and turned Jerusalem into ruins.

2 They gave the corpses of your servants to the birds of the sky for food, the flesh of your faithful ones to the beasts of the earth.

3 They poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.

4 We have become an object of reproach to our neighbors, a source of mockery and ridicule to those around us.

5 How long, LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy keep burning like fire?

6 Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that don’t call on your name,

7 for they have devoured Jacob and devastated his homeland.

8 Do not hold past iniquities against us; let your compassion come to us quickly, for we have become very weak.

9 God of our salvation, help us, for the glory of your name. Rescue us and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake.

10 Why should the nations ask, “Where is their God?” Before our eyes, let vengeance for the shed blood of your servants be known among the nations.

11 Let the groans of the prisoners reach you; according to your great power, preserve those condemned to die.

12 Pay back sevenfold to our neighbors the reproach they have hurled at you, Lord.

13 Then we, your people, the sheep of your pasture, will thank you forever; we will declare your praise to generation after generation.

The Prayer

Faith

You are the Almighty God

  • who rules and reigns
  • over all the earth
  • who demands perfection
  • and holiness
  • and righteousness
  • in order to dwell with you.

But you demand something

  • that is not in us
  • that we cannot make
  • because we are so far from
  • and we have turned from you
  • we have rejected your grace
  • and ignored your mercies
  • because we thought we knew our own way.

So you sent your Son

  • not only to guide us and teach us
  • but to live for us and die for us
  • so that we would live and give glory to you.

Open our eyes to see

  • our ears to hear
  • renew our minds
  • spirit in our bodies
  • remove our old cancerous hearts
  • and replace them with your heart
  • so that we would have new desires for you alone.

Blessed be your glorious name forever.

Amen.