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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
繁體中文
求拯救與救助的祈求；求釋放的祈求
⁶ 願你將你的忿怒傾倒在那不認識你的外邦，和那不呼求你名的列國。 ⁷ 因為他們吞滅了雅各，把他的住處變為荒場。 ⁸ 求你不要向我們追討我們先祖的罪孽；願你的慈悲快快迎着我們；因為我們落到極卑微的地步。 ⁹ 拯救我們的神啊，求你為你名的榮耀幫助我們；又救我們、贖我們的罪，是為你名的緣故。 ¹⁰ 為何容外邦人說：他們的神在哪裏呢？願你在我們眼前，使外邦人知道你曾伸了你僕人流血的冤。 ¹¹ 願被囚之人的歎息達到你面前；願你按你大能的膀臂，存留那些定死罪的人。 ¹² 主啊，願你將我們鄰舍所加給你的羞辱，七倍歸到他們自己的懷裏。 ¹³ 這樣，我們作你子民、作你草場之羊的，要永遠稱謝你；我們要世世代代傳揚你的讚美。
此處向神所獻上的祈求，十分合乎教會當前的苦難；與這些祈求編織在一起的，還有強化它們的憑據，多半取自神的尊榮。
一、 他們求神將怒氣從他們身上轉移到那些逼迫虐待他們的人身上（詩 79:6）：「願你將你的忿怒」——盛滿的忿怒之瓶——「傾倒在外邦身上；叫他們榨出其中的渣滓，並喝下去。」 這禱告實際上是一段預言，其中神的忿怒從天上顯明在人一切不虔不義之上。 請留意：1。 他所求告對付之人的特徵；他們是不認識神、不呼求祂名的人。人不呼求神，原因在於不認識祂——不曉得祂是何等有能力又何等樂意幫助他們。凡固執於不認識神、忽略禱告的人，都是不敬虔的人，他們在世上沒有神。有些國家不認識神，也不順從福音，但他們無論人數或勢力的聯合，都不能使他們在祂公義的審判前得着保障。2。 他們的罪行：他們吞滅了雅各，詩 79:7。在那位認為凡摸祂百姓的就是摸祂眼中的瞳人看來，這已是足夠的罪。他們不僅擾亂，更吞滅了雅各；不僅侵佔他的住處——迦南地，更藉着劫掠和屠殺使其荒涼。（3）他們的定罪：「將你的忿怒傾倒在他們身上；不僅僅阻止他們再行惡事，更要為他們所行的惡事與他們算帳。」
二、 他們求神赦罪，承認罪是他們一切災禍的根源。無論人如何不義，神容許他們行所行的事，卻是公義的。他們求：1。 神不要記念他們先祖的罪孽（詩 79:8）——或他們自己先前的罪孽，好叫他們如今年老之時，不致擔當年少時的罪孽；或他們列祖先前的罪孽——祖宗的罪。在被擄巴比倫時，先前的罪孽都被追討；但神應許不再如此行（耶 31:29,30），所以他們求：「求你不要記念我們起初的罪」，有人以為這話追溯到金牛犢那件事，因為神曾說：到我追討的日子，我必追討他們這罪，出 32:34。兒女若藉着悔改和改革斷絕父母之罪的遺傳，便可憑信心求神不要記念這些罪來反對他們。 神赦罪之時，便將之塗抹，不再記念。2。 神潔除他們近來所犯的罪——這些罪已玷污了他們的心思和良心：救我們，並贖我們的罪，詩 79:9。惟有當拯救脫離患難是建基於罪的赦免、並從其中流出之時，才是出於愛的賜予，才是真正的憐憫；所以我們當更迫切地向神求除罪，過於求除患難；罪的赦免乃是我們得釋放的根基與甘甜。
三、 他們求神為他們施行拯救，使他們的患難得以善終，並且速速如此：願你的慈悲快快迎着我們，詩 79:8。他們別無指望，惟獨仰望神的慈悲——祂的慈愛；他們的處境如此可悲，以致他們看自己為神聖憐憫的合適對象；又如此近乎絕望，以致若非神的慈悲快快介入以阻止他們的滅亡，他們便要滅亡。這加增了他們的迫切：「主啊，幫助我們；主啊，拯救我們」——在患難中幫助我們，使我們能好好忍受；又把我們從患難中救出來，使我們的心不致發沉。「救我們脫離罪，救我們免於沉淪。」他們提出三個憑據：1。 他們已落到何等大的窘境：「我們落到極卑微的地步；既已卑微，你若不幫助，我們便要滅亡。」 我們越被降卑，就越需要天上的幫助，神把我們扶起之時，祂的大能也越發彰顯。2。 他們對祂的倚靠：「你是我們拯救的神，惟獨你能幫助。拯救屬乎耶和華」——我們指望從祂那裏得幫助；因為拯救屬乎祂的百姓，惟獨在耶和華裏面。 凡以神為他們拯救之神的，必得見祂如此。3。 在他們的事上神自己的尊榮。他們不求自己的功勞；他們也假裝沒有；只說：「為你名的榮耀幫助我們；為你名的緣故赦免我們。」 禱告中最好的鼓勵，莫過於那些單單取自神自己、取自祂藉以使人認識祂之事的鼓勵。這憑據中暗含兩件事：（1）若神不拯救他們，祂的名和尊榮便大受損害；因為那些譏誚他們的，也褻瀆了神，彷彿祂軟弱不能幫助他們，或已退去不願幫助他們；所以他們求（詩 79:10）：「為何容外邦人說：他們的神在哪裏呢？祂已經離棄他們，忘記他們了；他們敬拜一位看不見的神，所得的就是這個。」（他們除了雲彩和蒼天之外，別無神明可拜。）他們本來以為這是他們的誇耀（他們事奉的是一位無所不在的神），如今竟成了他們的羞辱，也成了神的羞辱，好像他們事奉的是一位哪裏都不在的神。他們說：「主啊，求你顯明你是，正如顯明你與我們同在、為我們而來；當人問我們：你們的神在哪裏？ 我們便能回答：在我們所求告的一切事上，祂與我們相近；你們也從祂為我們所行的，看見祂確實如此。」（2）神若拯救他們，祂的名和尊榮便大得高舉；祂的憐憫要因拯救如此悲慘無助之人而得榮耀。祂藉着為他們露出永遠的膀臂，便為自己建立了永遠的名；他們的得拯救也將成為那大拯救的預表與影像——那拯救乃是彌賽亞君王在時候滿足之時所要成就的，為使神的名得榮耀。
四、 他們求神在他們的仇敵身上為他們報仇，1。 因仇敵的殘忍和野蠻（詩 79:10）：「願為我們流的血伸冤（照着古時的律法，創 9:6）在外邦中間被人知道；讓他們感受到所降的審判乃是對他們苦待我們的刑罰；願這事在我們眼前成就，並藉此讓神在外邦中間被認識——認識祂是那位屬伸冤的神（詩 94:1），又是那位與祂百姓事業聯合的神。」那些喝醉了聖徒之血的人，神必給他們血喝，因為他們是配得的。2。 因仇敵的傲慢和譏誚（詩 79:12）：「將他們的羞辱歸給他們。 他們對神百姓並對祂的名所言所行的輕慢，願連本帶利還給他們。」人所加給我們的羞辱，我們只當留給神來定是否要歸還，並當求神赦免他們；但他們對神自己所行的褻瀆，我們卻可以憑信心求神七倍歸入他們懷中，直擊他們的心，使他們謙卑、領他們悔改。這禱告是一段預言，與以諾的預言意義相同：神必使罪人承認他們對祂所說的一切剛愎的話（猶 1:15），並要因他們記起這些話時永遠的恐懼，將這一切還入他們自己的懷中。
五、 他們求神為祂可憐的囚犯——尤其是定死罪的囚犯——尋得一條解救之路，詩 79:11。那些落在仇敵手中的弟兄處境十分悲慘；他們被嚴密囚禁，因為不敢出聲哀歎，便以深沉而無聲的歎息來發抒悲哀。他們的呼吸就是歎息，他們的禱告也是如此。他們被定死罪，如羊被牽到宰殺之地，並在自己裏面領了死的判決。詩人將這可悲的處境推薦：1。 給神的憐憫：「願他們的歎息達到你面前，願你悅納垂聽他們的哀聲。」 2。 給神的大能：「按着你大能的膀臂——無人能與之爭競——求你存留那些定死罪的人，使他們脫離所判的死刑。」 人的絕路乃是神為祂百姓顯現的機會。見林後 1:8-10。
末了， 他們應許以讚美回報蒙允的禱告（詩 79:13）：這樣，我們要永遠稱謝你。 請留意：1。 他們以自己與神的關係自慰：「我們雖被欺壓降卑，卻仍是你草場之羊，並未因此被你棄絕：我們是你的，求你拯救我們。」2。 他們指望將來有機會因得拯救而讚美神，這正是他們所以渴望並樂意迎接拯救的原因，因為這要為他們提供感恩的材料，並使他們的心調適於那極美的功夫——就是天上的功夫。3。 他們自許不僅在如今稱謝神，更要世世代代傳揚祂的讚美——即盡一切所能，使神對他們的恩惠長久被記念，並激發他們的後裔保持讚美之工。4。 他們以此向神懇求：「主啊，求你為我們起來反對仇敵；因為他們若得勝，便要褻瀆你（詩 79:12）；但我們若得拯救，就要稱謝你。主啊，我們就是你那為自己造作的百姓，為要傳揚你的讚美； 我們若被剪除，那份租金、那份貢物，又要從何而來？」須知，那完全獻給神為讚美之用的生命，必定被祂所保護。
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
繁體中文
求救助與解救；求拯救
⁶ 願你將你的怒氣傾倒在那不認識你的外邦，和那不求告你名的國度身上。 ⁷ 因為他們吞了雅各，把他的住處變為荒場。 ⁸ 求你不要記念我們先祖的罪孽向我們追討；願你的慈悲快快迎著我們，因為我們落到極卑微的地步。 ⁹ 拯救我們的神啊，求你因你名的榮耀幫助我們，為你名的緣故搭救我們，赦免我們的罪。 ¹⁰ 為何容外邦人說：他們的神在哪裏呢？願你將你僕人所流的血之伸冤，在我們眼前向外邦人顯明出來。 ¹¹ 願被囚之人的歎息達到你面前；願你按你的大能力，存留那些定死罪的人。 ¹² 主啊，願你將我們鄰邦所加給你的羞辱，七倍歸到他們的懷裏。 ¹³ 這樣，我們作你的子民、你草場的羊，要稱謝你，直到永遠；我們要發出你的讚美，直到萬代。
此處向神所獻的祈求，與教會當前的患難十分相稱，其中又交織著促請垂聽的理由，多取自神的榮耀。
一、他們求神將怒氣從他們身上轉移、傾倒在那些逼迫虐待他們的人身上（詩79:6）：願你將你的怒氣——就是怒氣的滿杯——傾倒在外邦身上；讓他們擠出其渣滓喝下去。這禱告實際上是一個預言，在其中神的震怒從天上顯明在一切不虔不義的人身上。請注意， 1. 他所求告攻擊之人的品格：他們就是不認識神、不求告他名的人。人不求告神，原因乃在於不認識他——不知道他是何等有能力、又何等樂意幫助人。那些堅持在無知和忽略禱告之中的人，就是不虔之人，他們在世上沒有神。有些國家不認識神、也不順從福音，但他們的人數再多、聯合的力量再大，也不能使他們逃脫他公義的審判。 2. 他們的罪：他們吞了雅各（詩79:7）。在那看來「摸我百姓的，就是摸我眼中的瞳人」者眼中，這已經是罪大惡極了。他們不僅侵擾雅各，更是吞滅了雅各；不僅侵佔他的住處——迦南地——更以擄掠和屠殺使之荒涼。 （3）他們的定罪：願你將怒氣傾倒在他們身上；不僅攔阻他們再進一步行惡，更要為他們所已行的惡與他們算帳。
二、他們求神赦免罪惡——他們承認這是招致一切災禍的緣由。無論人何等不義，神容許他們行這事，卻是公義的。他們求： 1. 求神不要向他們記念先前的罪孽（詩79:8）——或指他們自己先前的罪孽，好叫他們如今年老之時，不必承擔幼年之罪的後果；或指他們百姓先前的罪孽、祖先的罪。在被擄巴比倫之時，先前的罪孽被算帳了；但神應許不再如此行（耶31:29-30），他們便如此求：「求你不要向我們追討我們起初的罪」——有人以為這話可追溯至金牛犢的罪，因為神曾說：到我追討的日子，我必追討他們的這罪（出32:34）。兒女若藉悔改和歸正斷絕父母之罪的延續，便可憑信求神不要向他們記念那些罪。神赦罪之時，便塗抹它，不再記念。 2. 求神潔除他們近來所犯的罪——這些罪的罪咎已經玷污了他們的心思和良心：拯救我們，赦免我們的罪（詩79:9）。惟有當拯救是建立在赦罪的根基上、並從其而出之時，那脫離患難的拯救才是出於愛的賜予，才是真正的憐憫；因此我們當向神更懇切地求除去我們的罪，過於求除去我們的苦難，而罪的赦免乃是我們拯救的根基和甘甜。
三、他們求神為他們施行拯救，使患難迅速地有美好的結局：願你的慈悲快快迎著我們（詩79:8）。他們別無盼望，惟獨仰望神的慈悲——他溫柔的慈悲；他們的光景如此悲慘，便看自己是神聖憐憫最適宜的對象；又如此近乎絕望，若神的慈悲不快快介入攔阻他們的毀滅，他們便全然敗亡。這便激發他們的懇切：「主啊，幫助我們；主啊，拯救我們；幫助我們在患難之下，使我們能好好忍受；幫助我們脫離患難，免得我們的心發昏。拯救我們脫離罪，脫離沉淪。」他們提出三個理由： 1. 他們被帶到極大的困境：我們落到極卑微的地步；既已卑微，你若不幫助我們，便必滅亡。我們被帶得越低，便越需要從天而來的幫助，神大能在我們被舉起之事上也越發顯大。 2. 他們對他的倚靠：你是我們拯救的神，惟獨你能幫助。拯救屬乎耶和華；我們指望從他得著幫助，因為耶和華他百姓的拯救惟獨在他。凡以神為他們拯救之神的人，必發現他確是如此。 3. 他自己的榮耀與他們的事相關。他們不提自己的功勞，也不假裝有功勞；而是說：「求你因你名的榮耀幫助我們；為你名的緣故赦免我們。」禱告中最好的鼓勵，乃是單單取自神、又取自那些他藉以啟示自己的事。這請求中暗含兩件事： （1）神若不拯救他們，他的名和榮耀便大受損傷；因為那些嘲笑他們的，褻瀆了神，彷彿他軟弱不能幫助他們，或已退去不願幫助他們；所以他們求（詩79:10）：*為何容外邦人說：他們的神在哪裏呢？*他已離棄他們，忘記他們了；這便是他們敬拜一位看不見之神的下場。（Nil præter nubes et cœli numen adorant. Juv.——他們所敬拜的神明，不過是雲和天而已。）他們的稱讚（他們事奉一位無所不在的神）如今反倒成了他們的羞辱，也成了他的羞辱——彷彿他們事奉一位無處可尋的神。「主啊，」他們說，「求你顯明你是存在的，方法是顯明你與我們同在、是幫助我們的；這樣，當人問我們說：*你們的神在哪裏呢？*我們便能回答：他在我們一切所求告的事上與我們相近，你們也從他為我們所作的事上看見他確是如此。」 （2）神若拯救他們，他的名和榮耀便大得高舉；他的慈悲要在拯救如此悲慘無助之人上得著榮耀。他若為他們露出他永遠的膀臂，便為自己造成了永遠的名；他們的拯救也將成為那大拯救的預表和影像——那大拯救，是彌賽亞君王在時候滿足之時所要成全的，為使神的名得榮耀。
四、他們求神為他們向仇敵報復。 1. 因他們的殘忍和野蠻（詩79:10）：「願我們的血被伸冤（照著古老的律法，創9:6），在外邦中被知道；使他們感到如今臨到他們的審判，正是他們向我們所行惡事的刑罰；願這事在我們眼前成就，藉此在外邦中顯明神——顯明他是那屬乎報應的神（詩94:1），又是他百姓事業的神。」那些喝醉了聖徒之血的，必有血賜給他們喝，因為他們是配得的。 2. 因他們的狂妄和嘲笑（詩79:12）：*願你將他們的羞辱歸給他們。*他們藉著言語和行為向神的百姓、並向他自己和他的名所行的凌辱，願連本帶利地償還給他們。人若只是向我們所行的羞辱，我們惟獨將報應與否交託給神，並當求神赦免他們；但他們若是褻瀆神自己，我們便可憑信求神將那羞辱七倍歸到他們懷中，直擊他們的心，使他們謙卑、領他們悔改。這禱告是一個預言，與以諾的預言意義相同——神必使罪人確知他們向他所說的一切剛硬的話（猶15），又必以永遠的驚恐在他們回想之時將這些話歸回他們自己懷中。
五、他們求神為他可憐的囚犯——尤其是定死罪的囚犯——開一條出路（詩79:11）。他們落在仇敵手中的弟兄光景十分悽慘；他們被嚴密監禁，因不敢被人聽見哀嘆，便以深沉無聲的歎息發洩悲傷。他們一切的呼吸就是歎息，他們的禱告也是如此。他們如同宰殺的羊被定死罪，在自己裏面已經得了死的判決。詩人將這可悲的光景推薦： 1. 交託給神的憐憫：願他們的歎息達到你面前，又願你樂意察看他們的呻吟。 2. 交託給神的大能：照你膀臂的偉大——這是無人能與之爭競的——求你存留那些定死罪的人，救他們脫離那被定要受的死。人的絕境正是神為他百姓出頭的機會（見林後1:8-10）。
末了，他們應許以感恩回報垂聽（詩79:13）：這樣，我們要永遠稱謝你。請注意： 1. 他們如何以自己與神的關係自慰。「我們雖被壓制、落到卑微，卻仍是你草場的羊，並未因此被你否認、被你棄絕：我們是你的；求你拯救我們。」 2. 他們如何指望自己有機會為著拯救稱謝神；他們因此渴望拯救、也要歡迎拯救，因為這將為他們提供感恩的題材，又使他們的心調和，預備好作那極美的工——天上的工。 3. 他們如何約束自己不僅如今要感謝神，更要將他的讚美發出到萬代——就是說，要盡一切所能，既使神向他們所施恩惠的記念得以長存，又使他們的後裔繼續這讚美之工。 4. 他們如何以此向神懇求：「主啊，求你為我們抵擋仇敵而出頭；因為他們若佔了上風，便要褻瀆你（詩79:12）；但我們若蒙拯救，便要稱謝你。主啊，我們就是你那為自己所造的百姓，為要述說你的美德；我們若被剪除，這租金、這貢物又要從何處徵收呢？」注意，凡完全獻上為神之讚美的生命，必確然蒙他保護。
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.
本篇詩篇若為某特定事件而作，則最有可能是指耶路撒冷與聖殿被毀，以及迦勒底人在尼布甲尼撒率領下對猶太民族所造成的可悲浩劫。可說它與耶利米的《耶利米哀歌》曲調相同，而那位流淚的先知更從中借用兩節（詩 79:6-7），用於他的禱告之中（耶 10:25）。有人認為本篇遠在事件發生之前，便藉著預言的靈寫成，預備教會在那陰暗之日使用。也有人認為是在當時藉著禱告的靈而寫，作者或是名為亞薩的先知，或是其他先知為亞薩的子孫而作。無論其特定緣由為何，本篇內容為：一、描述此時神的百姓所處極其可悲的境況（詩 79:1-5）。二、向神祈求救助與解救，願仇敵受到報應（詩 79:6-7、10、12），罪過得蒙赦免（詩 79:8-9），並得著釋放（詩 79:11）。三、根據百姓樂意讚美祂而提出的祈求（詩 79:13）。在教會平安昌盛之時歌唱本篇，可使我們有機會為自己未遭如此踐踏與侮辱而稱頌神。然而在遭踐踏與困苦之日，它尤為合時，用以激發我們對神的渴慕，並堅固我們對祂作為教會保護者的信心。