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In this week’s study from Tehillim / Psalms 79:1-13, the psalm opens saying, א מִזְמוֹר לְאָסָף אֱלֹהִים בָּאוּ גוֹיִם | בְּנַחֲלָתֶךָ טִמְּאוּ אֶת-הֵיכַל קָדְשֶׁךָ שָֹמוּ אֶת-יְרוּשָׁלַם לְעִיִּים: A Psalm for Asaph. 79:1 O God, the nations have invaded Your inheritance; They have defiled Your holy temple; They have laid Jerusalem in ruins. (NASB) This seems to be a description of the result of the Babylonian siege of the city and the Temple. Asaph continues saying, ב נָתְנוּ אֶת-נִבְלַת עֲבָדֶיךָ מַאֲכָל לְעוֹף הַשָּׁמָיִם בְּשַֹר חֲסִידֶיךָ לְחַיְתוֹ-אָרֶץ: ג שָׁפְכוּ דָמָם | כַּמַּיִם סְבִיבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָם וְאֵין קוֹבֵר: 79:2 They have given the dead bodies of Your servants for food to the birds of the heavens, The flesh of Your godly ones to the beasts of the earth. 79:3 They have poured out their blood like water round about Jerusalem; And there was no one to bury them. (NASB) He describes a great slaughter. He says, ד הָיִינוּ חֶרְפָּה לִשְׁכֵנֵינוּ לַעַג וָקֶלֶס לִסְבִיבוֹתֵינוּ: ה עַד-מָה יְהֹוָה תֶּאֱנַף לָנֶצַח תִּבְעַר כְּמוֹ-אֵשׁ קִנְאָתֶךָ: ו שְׁפֹךְ חֲמָתְךָ אֶל-הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יְדָעוּךָ וְעַל מַמְלָכוֹת אֲשֶׁר בְּשִׁמְךָ לֹא קָרָאוּ: ז כִּי-אָכַל אֶת-יַעֲקֹב וְאֶת-נָוֵהוּ הֵשַׁמּוּ: 79:4 We have become a reproach to our neighbors, A scoffing and derision to those around us. 79:5 How long, O Lord? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire? 79:6 Pour out Your wrath upon the nations which do not know You, And upon the kingdoms which do not call upon Your name. 79:7 For they have devoured Jacob And laid waste his habitation. (NASB) How does destruction cause the nation to become a reproach to their neighbors? Read more here: Tehillim 79-Part1
