Psalms 79

Psalms 79:1-5

This psalm seems to be prophetical of the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, or Vespasian, and may have a further respect to the afflictions of the church of God. We have here, 1. The deplorable condition that the people of God were in at the time, ver. 1—5. 2. A petition to God for success and relief; that their enemies might be reckoned with, ver. 6, 7, 10, 12. their sins pardoned, ver. 8, 9. and they therefore delivered, ver. 11. 3. A plot taken from the readiness of his people to praise him, ver. 13.

¶ A psalm of Asaph. Or, for.

1. O GOD, the heathen are come into thine inheritance, they holy temple have they defiled: they have laid Jerusalem on heaps. 2. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth. 3. Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem: and there was none to bury them. 4. We are become a reproach to our neighbours: a scorn and derision to them that are round about us. 5. How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

In this world the church of Christ is in a militant state: many are the troubles of the righteous; and whither can they so properly carry their complaints, as to him who is able to save them from the hands of their enemies? We have here, 1. Their sorrowful complaint.

[1.] They are invaded, and laid waste. O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance, where God himself abode, and his Israel dwelt by his gift. They holy temple have they defiled, by entering it, and letting up their abominations, as Antiochus had done; or by destroying it, as was the case under Nebuchadnezzar and Titus; and this was a bitter grief to the faithful, to whom this temple was dearer than all they held before. They have laid Jerusalem in heaps; burnt and defolates, and the inhabitants buried in the ruins. Now, The church of God may be sometimes brought to the most abject state of misery, but shall rise as a phoenix from her aforesaid.

[2.] They were thin and exposed. The dead bodies of thy servants, who fell in the common calamity; for in national judgments it is often seen that the righteous perish with the wicked: or, in hatred to their memory, their enemies dug up

Piskin LXXX.

their bodies from the graves; these they have given to be most unto the fruits of the heaven, and the sigh of thy saints unto the heath of the birth. Cruel, and without tremble, their blood have they find like water round about Jerusalem; and, the multitude of the stain to great, or their masses to inveterate against their very complex, that there was none to bury them. See Rev. xi. 7-9.

[3.] They were reviled. We, the few survivors, are become a reproach to our neighbours: they inflict over our fall, Pfad, craculi, 7. a stern and derision to all that are round about us, who mock at our pretended relation to God, and our professions of expected relief. Note, It is no new thing for the people of God to be loaded with reproach, and turned into ridicule by their ungodly neighbours.

2. Their humble expostulation hereupon. How long, Lord, shall these sufferings and reproaches continue? with them be angry for ever? and leave us under their marks of displeasure? Shall thy zealously burn like fire? and utterly continue us? No: his wrath is but for a moment; he keepeth not his anger for ever; and therefore his people must still hope in his mercy. Note, The bitterest part of every Christian’s sufferings arise from the fear of God’s displeasure.

1 Jer. 4. xii. 2 4 Thal. 1. 3. 1 His. Isis. 9. 4 Or, the inquiries of them that were before us. 5 Jsch. xii. 6 PC. xvi. 7 PC. xiii. 10. 8 xix. 2. 9 Jer. 5. 28. 10 PC. xii. 10. 1 Heb. Referer the ch ileus of death. 2 His. Isis. 7. Luke xii. 28. 3 Con. ix. 4 PC. Isa. 5. 6 Ibid. xix. 7, & c. 3.

6. 8 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen 9 that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. 7. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid wafts his dwelling-place. 8. O! remember not against us 9 former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low. 9. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins 10. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight, by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed. 11. Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power 12 preserve thou these that are appointed to die. 12. And render unto our neighbours 13 seven-fold into their bosoms, the reproach wherewith they have reproached thee, O LORD. 13. So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture, will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.

x. 6-13. We have here the requisite of God’s people, under the preliture of their heavy afflictions.

1. They beg God would avenge their quarrel in the punishment of their oppressors. Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen, which is not to be considered as an imprecation of private revenge, but of public justice, their evil character provoking God’s wrath, as it is added, that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. And what also farther contributed to fill up the measure of their iniquities, was, that they have devoured Jacob, and laid wafts his dwelling-place, spreading merciless havock on every side. Note, (1.) They who live in ignorance of God, and neglect of prayer, will affordedly be visited with his wrath. (2.) Though God permit his people to be oppressed and harassed for a while, he will speedily avenge them of their perfections.

2. They intreat him not to remember either their own former iniquities, or those of their forefathers, now also visited upon them; but that their consciences might be purged from guilt, and then they hope the sufferings, which were the effects of their sins, would cease. Note, (1.) When God forgives, he forgets also; and our sins are cast behind his back, as if they had never been. (2.) The blood of Jesus alone can purge the conscience; to this therefore the sinner must apply.

3. They importunately pray for speedy deliverance, pleading the greatness of the affliction, and the glory of God concerned in their salvation. Let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us; for sinners have no merit to plead, nor hope, but in God’s unbounded love. Their case required speedy relief, or they were undone; for we are brought very less, or weak, sin being the disease of the soul, and inevitably mortal, unless the Lord interpose to heal. Help us, O Lord God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name, and deliver us. All other help they knew was vain; and their own strength but weakness: therefore they cast their care upon him, as every perishing sinner must do, trusting his promises, as the God of their salvation, and pleading his own glory, the most prevailing argument; for his name would be dishonoured by their enemies, if they were suffered to prevail and triumph with impunity. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? whilst in the salvation of his people a large revenue of praise would accrue to him; and the deeper their distress, the more would be he magnified in their deliverance. Let him therefore, the God of our salvation, be known among the heathen in our sight, in his righteous judgment, by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed; giving them blood to drink, in revaluation of their cruelty. They urge their present danger, from which nothing but the greatness of his power could refuse

them; prisoners, appointed to die, and ready to be sacrificed by their merciless enemies, they sighed out their foremen, and look to him to render unto their neighbours seven-fold into their bosom, not merely the wrongs they suffered, but the reproach wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord, denying his being, disbelieving his providence, despising his powers, and reviling his true religion and faithful worshippers. Note, (1.) Our greatest extremity in God’s opportunity. (2.) If the criminal appointed to die, even with the halter round his neck, casts his eyes on the cros of Jesus, and in faith cries, Save, Lord, he may in this last sigh still find a pardoning God. (3.) The reproaches cast on God should be a greater grief to us, than any reproaches cast on ourselves. (4.) Where our distress is so great that we can only speak in sighs and groans, that is a language God will hear and answer.

4. They engage to render their hearty thanks for such mercy shown them. So we thy people, and sheep of thy pasture, in which blessed relation they considered themselves in confidence of speedy help, will give thee thanks for ever; the voice of prayer exchanged for praise, and their sighing turned into songs of joy. We will shew forth thy praise unto all generations; recording the wonders of his grace, and ministrying matter of thanksgiving to their grateful posterity. Note, (1.) Praise is the tribute we owe for mercies; and, though ever paying, we must own ourselves poor, even in thanks. (2.) Our experience of Divine grace and providence should be manifested as the succeeding ages, to engage their trust in God, and excite their praise.