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英文原文
This psalm, if penned with any particular event in view, is with most probability made to refer to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and the woeful havoc made of the Jewish nation by the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar. It is set to the same tune, as I may say, with the Lamentations of Jeremiah, and that weeping prophet borrows two verses out of it (Ps 79:6,7) and makes use of them in his prayer, Jer 10:25. Some think it was penned long before by the spirit of prophecy, prepared for the use of the church in that cloudy and dark day. Others think that it was penned then by the spirit of prayer, either by a prophet named Asaph or by some other prophet for the sons of Asaph. Whatever the particular occasion was, we have here, I. A representation of the very deplorable condition that the people of God were in at this time, Ps 79:1-5. II. A petition to God for succour and relief, that their enemies might be reckoned with (Ps 79:6,7,10,12), that their sins might be pardoned (Ps 79:8,9), and that they might be delivered, Ps 79:11. III. A plea taken from the readiness of his people to praise him, Ps 79:13. In times of the church's peace and prosperity this psalm may, in the singing of it, give us occasion to bless God that we are not thus trampled on and insulted. But it is especially seasonable in a day of treading down and perplexity, for the exciting of our desires towards God and the encouragement of our faith in him as the church's patron.
1-5
Mournful Complaints
哀痛的呼吁
亚萨的诗。
¹ 神啊，外邦人进入你的产业，污秽了你的圣殿，使耶路撒冷变成荒堆。
² 把你仆人的尸首交与天空的鸟为食，把你圣民的肉交与地上的野兽。
³ 在耶路撒冷周围流他们的血如水，无人葬埋。
⁴ 我们成为邻邦的羞辱，成为我们四围人的嗤笑讥刺。
⁵ 耶和华啊，这到几时呢？你要动怒到永远吗？你的愤恨要如火焚烧吗？
我们在此看见一份呈到天上法庭的悲惨诉状。世界充满诉苦，教会也是如此，因为它既与世界同受苦，更受世界的苦害——如「荆棘中的百合花」。所投诉的是神；儿女若有冤屈，除了到父亲——这样一位有能力、又愿意帮助的父亲——那里去，还能到哪里去呢？所控诉的是外邦人——他们自己既为以色列国民以外的外人，便是其誓不两立的仇敌。他们虽不认识神，也不承认他，但神既将他们锁链拘禁，教会便很合宜地向他控诉他们；因为他是万国的王，可以管辖他们、在万民中审判，又是圣徒的王，可以眷顾保护他们。
一、他们在此控诉仇敌的暴怒与压迫者肆无忌惮的狂怒，所施之处：
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针对地方（诗79:1）。他们尽力作恶，（1）对那圣地；他们侵入那地，在其中劫掠：「外邦人进入你的产业」，要抢掠、使其荒凉。敬虔的以色列人看迦南为神的产业，比看为自己的产业更为宝贵；因它是神被认识、他名为大的地，胜过因它是他们生养长大、他们和他们的祖先久居之地。注意：对宗教所加的伤害，甚至比对我们普通权益、对我们自身权益所加的伤害，更当叫我们痛心。我们当宁可看见自己的产业被毁，也不愿见神的产业被毁。这位诗人在前一篇中曾以此作为神对以色列大恩的例证：「他在他们面前赶出外邦人」（诗78:55）。但罪所造成的变化何等之大；如今外邦人竟得以涌入。（2）对那圣城：「他们使耶路撒冷变成荒堆」——废墟的堆，有人以为是坟上的堆。居民埋葬在自己房屋的废墟中，他们的居所成了他们的坟墓，他们长久的家。（3）对那圣殿。神所建造如高宫的圣所，曾被以为如地之永固，如今却被夷为平地：「他们污秽了你的圣殿」——进入其中并加以毁坏。神自己的百姓先因罪污秽了它，所以神才容许仇敌借其狂妄污秽它。
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针对人，针对神百姓的身体；他们的恶毒不能再进一步。（1）他们滥流人血，毫不留情地杀戮；他们的眼毫不顾惜，并不留情（诗79:3）：「在耶路撒冷周围流他们的血如水」——他们无论在哪里遇见他们，在耶路撒冷四围，在该城的一切路口；凡「出入的」都「被刀剑等候」。人流血甚多，以至水沟都流着血。他们流人血如倒水一般毫无犹豫、毫不后悔，毫不思想每一滴血在「神究察血流之日」都要被追讨。（2）他们对待死尸极其虐待。杀了之后，他们不容人埋葬。不，已经埋了的——连「神仆人的尸首、他圣民的肉」，他们的名与记念是他们特别嫉恨的——他们竟掘出来，「交与天空的鸟、地上的野兽为食」；或至少，那些被他们所杀的，他们任其暴露；他们把人挂起示众，这在犹太人眼中尤其痛心，因为神曾明令禁止此事，视之为野蛮（申21:23）。基督见证人所受的这种不人道的对待早有预言（启11:9），这样连他们的尸体也成了逼迫者的见证。这事被记下（据奥古斯丁《上帝之城》卷一第十二章），并非作为受逼迫者之苦的例证（因为圣徒的身体无论怎样成为飞禽走兽之食，都必荣耀复活），而是作为逼迫者恶毒的例证。
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针对他们的名（诗79:4）：「我们这些幸存的人成了邻邦的羞辱」；他们都图谋辱骂我们、把藐视堆在我们身上，把我们描述得或是可笑、或是可憎，或是兼而有之，或以我们的罪、或以我们的苦来责备我们，或以我们的受苦否认我们与神的关系、否认我们对他所存的指望；「这样，我们成了四围人的嗤笑讥刺」。神的选民若从他们自己与他们的父辈堕落，便当预期被人指责；若公正的责备能帮助我们真心悔改，便是好的。但福音的以色列常不公正地成为羞辱与讥笑的对象，这已是它的分；连使徒自己也被「看作万物中的渣滓」。
二、他们更惊奇于神的怒气（诗79:5）。这是他们在邻舍的怒气中所察觉的，也是他们最所投诉的：「耶和华啊，这到几时呢？你要『永远』动怒吗？」这话表明他们别无所求，只愿神与他们和好，使他的怒气转消，那么人的余怒便被约束。注意：那些以神的恩惠为胜于生命的人，不能不惧怕、不能不求神免去他的怒气——因它比死亡更可怕。
英文原文
Mournful Complaints
A psalm of Asaph.
¹ O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy 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?
We have here a sad complaint exhibited in the court of heaven. The world is full of complaints, and so is the church too, for it suffers, not only with it, but from it, as a lily among thorns. God is complained to; whither should children go with their grievances, but to their father, to such a father as is able and willing to help? The heathen are complained of, who, being themselves aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, were sworn enemies to it. Though they knew not God, nor owned him, yet, God having them in chain, the church very fitly appeals to him against them; for he is King of nations, to overrule them, to judge among the heathen, and King of saints, to favour and protect them.
I. They complain here of the anger of their enemies and the outrageous fury of the oppressor, exerted,
1. Against places, Ps 79:1. They did all the mischief they could, (1.) To the holy land; they invaded that, and made inroads into it: "The heathen have come into thy inheritance, to plunder that, and lay it waste." Canaan was dearer to the pious Israelites as it was God's inheritance than as it was their own, as it was the land in which God was known and his name was great rather than as it was the land in which they were bred and born and which they and their ancestors had been long in possession of. Note, Injuries done to religion should grieve us more than even those done to common right, nay, to our own right. We should better bear to see our own inheritance wasted than God's inheritance. This psalmist had mentioned it in the foregoing psalm as an instance of God's great favour to Israel that he had cast out the heathen before them, Ps 78:55. But see what a change sin made; now the heathen are suffered to pour in upon them. (2.) To the holy city: They have laid Jerusalem on heaps, heaps of rubbish, such heaps as are raised over graves, so some. The inhabitants were buried in the ruins of their own houses, and their dwelling places became their sepulchres, their long homes. (3.) To the holy house. That sanctuary which God had built like high palaces, and which was thought to be established as the earth, was now laid level with the ground: Thy holy temple have they defiled, by entering into it and laying it waste. God's own people had defiled it by their sins, and therefore God suffered their enemies to defile it by their insolence.
2. Against persons, against the bodies of God's people; and further their malice could not reach. (1.) They were prodigal of their blood, and killed them without mercy; their eye did not spare, nor did they give any quarter (Ps 79:3): Their blood have they shed like water, wherever they met with them, round about Jerusalem, in all the avenues to the city; whoever went out or came in was waited for of the sword. Abundance of human blood was shed, so that the channels of water ran with blood. And they shed it with no more reluctancy or regret than if they had spilt so much water, little thinking that every drop of it will be reckoned for in the day when God shall make inquisition for blood. (2.) They were abusive to their dead bodies. When they had killed them they would let none bury them. Nay, those that were buried, even the dead bodies of God's servants, the flesh of his saints, whose names and memories they had a particular spite at, they dug up again, and gave them to be meat to the fowls of the heaven and to the beasts of the earth; or, at least, they left those so exposed whom they slew; they hung them in chains, which was in a particular manner grievous to the Jews to see, because God had given them an express law against this, as a barbarous thing, De 21:23. This inhuman usage of Christ's witnesses is foretold (Re 11:9), and thus even the dead bodies were witnesses against their persecutors. This is mentioned (says Austin, De Civitate Dei, lib. 1 cap. 12) not as an instance of the misery of the persecuted (for the bodies of the saints shall rise in glory, however they became meat to the birds and the fowls), but of the malice of the persecutors.
3. Against their names (Ps 79:4): "We that survive have become a reproach to our neighbours; they all study to abuse us and load us with contempt, and represent us as ridiculous, or odious, or both, upbraiding us with our sins and with our sufferings, or giving the lie to our relation to God and expectations from him; so that we have become a scorn and derision to those that are round about us." If God's professing people degenerate from what themselves and their fathers were, they must expect to be told of it; and it is well if a just reproach will help to bring us to a true repentance. But it has been the lot of the gospel-Israel to be made unjustly a reproach and derision; the apostles themselves were counted as the offscouring of all things.
II. They wonder more at God's anger, Ps 79:5. This they discern in the anger of their neighbours, and this they complain most of: How long, Lord, wilt thou be angry? Shall it be for ever? This intimates that they desired no more than that God would be reconciled to them, that his anger might be turned away, and then the remainder of men's wrath would be restrained. Note, Those who desire God's favour as better than life cannot but dread and deprecate his wrath as worse than death.
6-13
Petitions for Succor and Relief; Petitions for Deliverance
求救助与解脱的祈求；求拯救的祷告
⁶ 愿你将你的忿怒倾倒在那不认识你的外邦，和那不求告你名的国度。
⁷ 因为他们吞了雅各，把他的住处变为荒场。
⁸ 求你不要记念我们先祖的罪孽，向我们追讨；愿你的慈悲快迎着我们来，因为我们落到极卑微的地步。
⁹ 拯救我们的 神啊，求你因你名的荣耀帮助我们，搭救我们；为你的名，赦免我们的罪。
¹⁰ 为何容外邦人说：「他们的 神在哪里呢？」愿你使我们所流仆人血的冤，在我们眼前向外邦人明明知道了。
¹¹ 愿被囚之人的叹息达到你面前；愿你按你大能的能力，存留那些定死命的人。
¹² 主啊，愿你将我们所受邻邦的羞辱，七倍归到他们怀里。
¹³ 这样，我们作你子民、作你草场的羊的，要永远称谢你；我们要将你的赞美传到万代。
此处向 神所献的祈求，极其适合教会现今的患难；这些祈求又带着为它们加力的凭据，与之交织在一起，大多取自 神的尊荣。
一、他们求 神不仅向他们转消他的怒气，更将怒气倾倒在那逼迫他们、苦待他们的人身上（诗79:6）：「愿你将你的忿怒倾倒」，倾出他忿怒满溢的瓶，「在那不认识你的外邦」；任他们绞出其中的残渣，并饮尽。这祷告实际上是一段预言，其中「神的忿怒从天上显明在一切不虔不义的人身上」。请注意：1. 他所求告反对之人的品性：他们是不认识 神、不求告他名的人。人不求告 神，是因为不认识他——不晓得他是何等有能力、何等愿意帮助他们。那些执意不认识 神、忽略祷告的人，就是那「在世上没有 神」的不虔之人。有些国度不认识 神，也不顺从福音，但他们人多势众的结合，并不能使他们免受 神公义的审判。2. 他们的罪：「他们吞了雅各」（诗79:7）。在那看「凡摸他百姓的，就是摸他眼中的瞳人」的 神看来，这罪已足。他们不仅搅扰，更是吞了雅各；不仅侵犯他的住处——迦南地，更以抢掠、屠灭使之荒凉。（3）他们的定罪：「将你的忿怒倾倒在他们身上」；不要只拦阻他们不作进一步的恶，更要为他们所作的恶与他们算账。
二、他们求赦罪之恩，承认罪是他们一切灾祸的缘由。无论人怎样不义， 神容许他们行出这些事，仍是公义的。他们求：1. 求 神「不要记念我们先祖的罪孽，向我们追讨」（诗79:8）——或指他们自己先前的罪，使他们如今年老之时，不至被迫承受幼年罪孽的报应；或指他们列祖的罪。在被掳巴比伦之时，从前的罪孽被追讨；但 神应许不再如此行（耶31:29-30），于是他们如此祈求：「求你不要记念我们先祖的罪孽。」有人以为这话甚至上溯到金牛犊那件事，因为 神曾说过：「我追讨的日子，必因他们的这罪追讨他们」（出32:34）。儿女若借着悔改与改革，斩断父母之罪的延续，便可凭信心求 神不要向他们追讨。 神赦免罪时，便涂抹它，不再记念。2. 求他洁净他们近来所犯的罪，这些罪的罪咎已经玷污了他们的心思与良心：「搭救我们，赦免我们的罪」（诗79:9）。惟当拯救脱离患难是建立在赦罪之上、并由此流出之时，那样的拯救才是出于爱而赐的，才是真正的怜悯；因此，我们当向 神恳切求除去我们的罪，过于求除去我们的苦难，因为赦罪乃是我们拯救的根基与甘甜。
三、他们求 神为他们施行拯救，使他们的苦难速速得着善终：「愿你的慈悲快迎着我们来」（诗79:8）。除了 神的怜悯——他温柔的慈悲——他们别无指望；他们的境况如此可悲，以致他们看自己是 神圣怜悯合宜的对象；并且近乎绝望，除非 神的怜悯速速介入以阻止他们的灭亡，他们便要沉沦。这更加激励他们的迫切：「主啊，帮助我们；主啊，搭救我们」；帮助我们在患难之下，使我们可以好好忍受；帮助我们出离患难，使心灵不至丧胆。「搭救我们脱离罪，脱离沉沦。」他们陈明三件事：——1. 他们所处的极大困境：「我们落到极卑微的地步」；既已卑微，你若不帮助我们，便要灭亡。我们被降得越低，就越需要从天而来的帮助， 神的大能也在提拔我们之时越发显大。2. 他们对他的倚靠：「你是拯救我们的 神」，惟独你能帮助。「拯救属乎耶和华」，我们所指望的帮助乃是从他而来；因为「主的拯救惟独在乎他百姓的主」。凡以 神为他们拯救之 神的人，必发现他真是如此。3. 他自己尊荣在这事上的关切。他们不凭自己的功劳；他们也不假装有；乃是「因你名的荣耀帮助我们；为你的名赦免我们」。祷告中最好的鼓励，是单从 神而来的，并从他借以显明自己的那些事而来的。这凭据中暗含两件事：——（1） 神若不拯救他们，他的名和他的尊荣必大受损害；因为那些嘲笑他们的，正是亵渎 神，仿佛他软弱无力，不能帮助他们，或他已经转脸，不愿帮助他们；因此他们陈明（诗79:10）：「为何容外邦人说：『他们的 神在哪里呢？』他已经离弃他们，忘记了他们；这就是他们敬拜一位所看不见之 神的报应。」（「他们所敬拜的，不过是云彩与苍天之神罢了。」）那本是他们可夸之处——他们事奉的是一位无所不在的 神——如今竟成了他们的羞辱，也成了他的羞辱，仿佛他们事奉的是一位无所不在的 神。「主啊，」他们说，「求你显明你是，就是借显明你与我们同在、为我们效力而显明；以致人问我们『你们的 神在哪里？』时，我们能回答说：他在我们一切所求告的事上亲近我们，你也借他为我们所作的看见他是如此。」（2） 神若拯救他们，他的名和他的尊荣必大得彰显；他的怜悯要在拯救如此可怜、如此无助之人上得着荣耀。他为他们伸出那永久的膀臂，便要为自己造成永远的名；他们的拯救也将是那大拯救的预表与影像——在时候满足，弥赛亚君王必成全那拯救，使 神的名得着荣耀。
四、他们求 神在仇敌身上为他们伸冤。1. 为他们的残暴与凶残（诗79:10）：「愿我们所流仆人血的冤……明明知道了」，照着古时的律法（创9:6），「在外邦中被知道」；愿他们觉察所降于他们的审判，乃是对他们苦待我们的报应；愿这事「在我们眼前」成全，并借此「使 神在外邦中被知道」，被认识为「那属乎报应的 神」（诗94:1），是为自己百姓之事业挺身而出的 神。那些以圣徒的血灌醉自己的人，必「有血赐给他们喝」，因为他们是配得的。2. 为他们的狂妄与讥诮（诗79:12）：「愿你将他们所受的羞辱归给他们。」他们借言语和行为向 神百姓、也向 神自己的名所行的种种凌辱，愿连本带利偿还给他们。人向我们——仅向我们——所加的羞辱，我们当交托给 神，由他定夺是否要向他们追讨，并当求他赦免他们；但他们向 神自己所行的亵渎，我们便可凭信心求 神七倍归到他们怀里，直击他们的心，使他们谦卑，领他们悔改。这祷告是一段预言，与以诺的预言同义： 神必使罪人承认他们向他所说的一切刚愎之言（犹15），并要在他们追念之时，以永远的恐惧将这些话归还他们自己怀里。
五、他们求 神为他可怜的囚犯——尤其是定死命的囚犯——开辟救援之路（诗79:11）。他们落在仇敌手中的弟兄，境况甚是悲惨；他们被严密囚禁，因不敢出声哀叹，便以深沉无声的叹息抒发他们的悲伤。他们一切呼吸都是叹息，他们的祷告也是如此。他们被判定死，如同宰杀的羊，并且在自己心里已经领了死的判语。诗人将这可悲的境况陈明：1. 交托给 神的怜悯：「愿他们的叹息达到你面前」，愿你乐意垂听他们的呻吟。2. 交托给 神的大能：「按你大能的能力」——这是受造之物所不能抗拒的——「存留那些定死命的人」脱离他们所被判定的死。人的绝境，正是 神为他百姓显出来的良机。见林后1:8-10。
最后，他们为祷告的应许献上赞美为还（诗79:13）：「这样，我们要永远称谢你。」请注意：1. 他们如何以自己与 神的关系自慰：「我们虽然受压迫、被降卑，仍是『你草场的羊』，并未因此被否认、被弃绝：『我们是属你的，求你拯救我们。』」2. 他们如何指望有赞美 神的机会，以为他们拯救的报答；他们「所以」渴慕拯救，并要欢迎它的到来，因为拯救必为他们提供感恩的题材，并使他们心弦合于那极美之工——天上之工的音调。3. 他们如何承担义务，不仅现今要感谢 神，更要「将他的赞美传到万代」，就是尽其所能，使 神向他们所施恩惠的纪念得以长存，并激发他们的后裔持守赞美之工。4. 他们如何以此向 神恳求：「主啊，求你为我们起来攻击我们的仇敌；因为他们若得胜，必『亵渎你』（诗79:12）；但我们若蒙拯救，就要赞美你。主啊，我们就是你那『为自己所造的百姓，为要述说你的赞美』；我们若被剪除，这租、这贡要从何处征得？」请注意，凡全然献上为赞美 神而活的生命，必确实蒙他保护。
英文原文
Petitions for Succor and Relief; Petitions for Deliverance
⁶ Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.
⁷ For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.
⁸ O remember not against us 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, for thy name's sake.
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 preserve thou those that are appointed to die;
¹² And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their 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 show forth thy praise to all generations.
The petitions here put up to God are very suitable to the present distresses of the church, and they have pleas to enforce them, interwoven with them, taken mostly from God's honour.
I. They pray that God would so turn away his anger from them as to turn it upon those that persecuted and abused them (Ps 79:6): "Pour out thy wrath, the full vials of it, upon the heathen; let them wring out the dregs of it, and drink them." This prayer is in effect a prophecy, in which the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Observe here, 1. The character of those he prays against; they are such as have not known God, nor called upon his name. The reason why men do not call upon God is because they do not know him, how able and willing he is to help them. Those that persist in ignorance of God, and neglect of prayer, are the ungodly, who live without God in the world. There are kingdoms that know not God and obey not the gospel, but neither their multitude nor their force united will secure them from his just judgments. 2. Their crime: They have devoured Jacob, Ps 79:7. That is crime enough in the account of him who reckons that those who touch his people touch the apple of his eye. They have not only disturbed, but devoured, Jacob, not only encroached upon his dwelling place, the land of Canaan, but laid it waste by plundering and depopulating it. (3.) Their condemnation: "Pour out thy wrath upon them; do not only restrain them from doing further mischief, but reckon with them for the mischief they have done."
II. They pray for the pardon of sin, which they own to be the procuring cause of all their calamities. How unrighteous soever men were, God was righteous in permitting them to do what they did. They pray, 1. That God would not remember against them their former iniquities (Ps 79:8), either their own former iniquities, that now, when they were old, they might not be made to possess the iniquities of their youth, or the former iniquities of their people, the sins of their ancestors. In the captivity of Babylon former iniquities were brought to account; but God promises not again to do so (Jer 31:29,30), and so they pray, "Remember not against us our first sins," which some make to look as far back as the golden calf, because God said, In the day when I visit I will visit for this sin of theirs upon them, Ex 32:34. If the children by repentance and reformation cut off the entail of the parents' sin, they may in faith pray that God will not remember them against them. When God pardons sin he blots it out and remembers it no more. 2. That he would purge away the sins they had been lately guilty of, by the guilt of which their minds and consciences had been defiled: Deliver us, and purge away our sins, Ps 79:9. Then deliverances from trouble are granted in love, and are mercies indeed, when they are grounded upon the pardon of sin and flow from that; we should therefore be more earnest with God in prayer for the removal of our sins than for the removal of our afflictions, and the pardon of them is the foundation and sweetness of our deliverances.
III. They pray that God would work deliverance for them, and bring their troubles to a good end and that speedily: Let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us, Ps 79:8. They had no hopes but from God's mercies, his tender mercies; their case was so deplorable that they looked upon themselves as the proper objects of divine compassion, and so near to desperate that, unless divine mercy did speedily interpose to prevent their ruin, they were undone. This whets their importunity: "Lord, help us; Lord, deliver us; help us under our troubles, that we may bear them well; help us out of our troubles, that the spirit may not fail. Deliver us from sin, from sinking." Three things they plead:—1. The great distress they were reduced to: "We are brought very low, and, being low, shall be lost if thou help us not." The lower we are brought the more need we have of help from heaven and the more will divine power be magnified in raising us up. 2. Their dependence upon him: "Thou art the God of our salvation, who alone canst help. Salvation belongs to the Lord, from whom we expect help; for in the Lord alone is the salvation of his people." Those who make God the God of their salvation shall find him so. 3. The interest of his own honour in their case. They plead no merit of theirs; they pretend to none; but, "Help us for the glory of thy name; pardon us for thy name's sake." The best encouragements in prayer are those that are taken from God only, and those things whereby he has made himself known. Two things are insinuated in this plea:—(1.) That God's name and honour would be greatly injured if he did not deliver them; for those that derided them blasphemed God, as if he were weak and could not help them, or had withdrawn and would not; therefore they plead (Ps 79:10), "Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? He has forsaken them, and forgotten them; and this they get by worshipping a God whom they cannot see." (Nil præter nubes et cœli numen adorant. Juv.—They adore no other divinity than the clouds and the sky.) That which was their praise (that they served a God that is every where) was now turned to their reproach and his too, as if they served a God that is nowhere. "Lord," say they, "Make it to appear that thou art by making it to appear that thou art with us and for us, that when we are asked, Where is your God? we may be able to say, He is nigh unto us in all that which we call upon him for, and you see he is so by what he does for us." (2.) That God's name and honour would be greatly advanced if he did deliver them; his mercy would be glorified in delivering those that were so miserable and helpless. By making bare his everlasting arm on their behalf he would make unto himself an everlasting name; and their deliverance would be a type and figure of the great salvation, which in the fulness of time Messiah the Prince would work out, to the glory of God's name.
IV. They pray that God would avenge them on their adversaries, 1. For their cruelty and barbarity (Ps 79:10): "Let the avenging of our blood" (according to the ancient law, Ge 9:6) "be known among the heathen; let them be made sensible that what judgments are brought upon them are punishments of the wrong they have done to us; let this be in our sight, and by this means let God be known among the heathen as the God to whom vengeance belongs (Ps 94:1) and the God that espouses his people's cause." Those that have intoxicated themselves with the blood of the saints shall have blood given them to drink, for they are worthy. 2. For their insolence and scorn (Ps 79:12): "Render to them their reproach. The indignities which by word and deed they have done to the people of God himself and his name let them be repaid to them with interest." The reproach wherewith men have reproached us only we must leave it to God whether he will render to them or no, and must pray that he would forgive them; but the reproach wherewith they have blasphemed God himself we may in faith pray that God would render seven-fold into their bosoms, so as to strike at their hearts, to humble them, and bring them to repentance. This prayer is a prophecy, of the same import with that of Enoch, that God will convince sinners of all their hard speeches which they have spoken against him (Jude 1:15) and will return them into their own bosoms by everlasting terrors at the remembrance of them.
V. They pray that God would find out a way for the rescue of his poor prisoners, especially the condemned prisoners, Ps 79:11. The case of their brethren who had fallen into the hands of the enemy was very sad; they were kept close prisoners, and, because they durst not be heard to bemoan themselves, they vented their griefs in deep and silent sighs. All their breathing was sighing, and so was their praying. They were appointed to die, as sheep for the slaughter, and had received the sentence of death within themselves. This deplorable case the psalmist recommends, 1. To the divine pity: "Let their sighs come up before thee, and be thou pleased to take cognizance of their moans." 2. To the divine power: "According to the greatness of thy arm, which no creature can contest with, preserve thou those that are appointed to die from the death to which they are appointed." Man's extremity is God's opportunity to appear for his people. See 2Co 1:8-10.
Lastly, They promise the returns of praise for the answers of prayer (Ps 79:13): So we will give thee thanks for ever. Observe, 1. How they please themselves with their relation to God. "Though we are oppressed and brought low, yet we are the sheep of thy pasture, not disowned and cast off by thee for all this: We are thine; save us." 2. How they promise themselves an opportunity of praising God for their deliverance, which they therefore desired, and would bid welcome, because it would furnish them with matter for thanksgiving and put their hearts in tune for that excellent work, the work of heaven. 3. How they oblige themselves not only to give God thanks at present, but to show forth his praise unto all generations, that is, to do all they could both to perpetuate the remembrance of God's favours to them and to engage their posterity to keep up the work of praise. 4. How they plead this with God: "Lord, appear for us against our enemies; for, if they get the better, they will blaspheme thee (Ps 79:12); but, if we be delivered, we will praise thee. Lord, we are that people of thine which thou hast formed for thyself, to show forth thy praise; if we be cut off, whence shall that rent, that tribute, be raised?" Note, Those lives that are entirely devoted to God's praise are assuredly taken under his protection.
本篇若因任何特殊事件而作,则最可能是指耶路撒冷与圣殿被毁、犹太国民在尼布甲尼撒所率的迦勒底人手下大遭屠戮一事。它与耶利米的《哀歌》可以说是同一调子,那位流泪的先知从其中借了两节(诗79:6,7),用在他的祷告中(耶10:25)。有人以为它远在那事之前借预言的灵而写,为要在那阴暗之日供教会使用;另有人以为它是那时借祷告的灵而写,或是一位名为亚萨的先知、或是某位先知为亚萨的子孙而写。无论其特殊缘由为何,我们在其中看见:一、此时神百姓所处极其可悲的景况(诗79:1-5);二、向神所呈求助解救的请愿——求神清算他们的仇敌(诗79:6,7,10,12)、赦免他们的罪(诗79:8,9),并拯救他们(诗79:11);三、从他百姓乐意赞美他而作的恳求(诗79:13)。在教会平安兴盛之时,唱这首诗可给我们机会称颂神,因我们没有这样被践踏、被凌辱;但在被践踏与艰难之日,它尤其合时,可以激发我们对神的渴慕,并坚固我们以神为教会保护者的信心。