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Psalm 79 in Hebrew and English

13 verses, about 1 minute to read aloud. The Hebrew has its vowel points and the English stands under each verse.

The text of the psalm

מִזְמוֹר לְאָסָף אֱלֹהִים בָּאוּ גוֹיִם בְּנַחֲלָתֶךָ טִמְּאוּ אֶת־הֵיכַל קָדְשֶׁךָ שָׂמוּ אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַם לְעִיִּֽים׃

A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into Thine inheritance; They have defiled Thy holy temple; They have made Jerusalem into heaps.

נָתְנוּ אֶת־נִבְלַת עֲבָדֶיךָ מַאֲכָל לְעוֹף הַשָּׁמָיִם בְּשַׂר חֲסִידֶיךָ לְחַיְתוֹ־אָֽרֶץ׃

They have given the dead bodies of Thy servants to be food unto the fowls of the heaven, The flesh of Thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.

שָׁפְכוּ דָמָם כַּמַּיִם סְבִיבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָם וְאֵין קוֹבֵֽר׃

They have shed their blood like water Round about Jerusalem, with none to bury them.

הָיִינוּ חֶרְפָּה לִשְׁכֵנֵינוּ לַעַג וָקֶלֶס לִסְבִיבוֹתֵֽינוּ׃

We are become a taunt to our neighbours, A scorn and derision to them that are round about us.

עַד־מָה יְהוָה תֶּאֱנַף לָנֶצַח תִּבְעַר כְּמוֹ־אֵשׁ קִנְאָתֶֽךָ׃

How long, O LORD, wilt Thou be angry for ever? How long will Thy jealousy burn like fire?

שְׁפֹךְ חֲמָתְךָ אֶל־הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יְדָעוּךָ וְעַל מַמְלָכוֹת אֲשֶׁר בְּשִׁמְךָ לֹא קָרָֽאוּ׃

Pour out Thy wrath upon the nations that know Thee not, And upon the kingdoms that call not upon Thy name.

כִּי אָכַל אֶת־יַעֲקֹב וְאֶת־נָוֵהוּ הֵשַֽׁמּוּ׃

For they have devoured Jacob, And laid waste his habitation.

אַל־תִּזְכָּר־לָנוּ עֲוֺנֹת רִאשֹׁנִים מַהֵר יְקַדְּמוּנוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ כִּי דַלּוֹנוּ מְאֹֽד׃

Remember not against us the iniquities of our forefathers; Let Thy compassions speedily come to meet us; For we are brought very low.

עָזְרֵנוּ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעֵנוּ עַל־דְּבַר כְּבוֹד־שְׁמֶךָ וְהַצִּילֵנוּ וְכַפֵּר עַל־חַטֹּאתֵינוּ לְמַעַן שְׁמֶֽךָ׃

Help us, O God of our salvation, for the sake of the glory of Thy name; And deliver us, and forgive our sins, for Thy name's sake.

לָמָּה יֹאמְרוּ הַגּוֹיִם אַיֵּה אֱלֹהֵיהֶם יִוָּדַע בַּגּוֹיִם לְעֵינֵינוּ נִקְמַת דַּם־עֲבָדֶיךָ הַשָּׁפֽוּךְ׃

Wherefore should the nations say: 'Where is their God?' Let the avenging of Thy servants' blood that is shed Be made known among the nations in our sight. .

תָּבוֹא לְפָנֶיךָ אֶנְקַת אָסִיר כְּגֹדֶל זְרוֹעֲךָ הוֹתֵר בְּנֵי תְמוּתָֽה׃

Let the groaning of the prisoner come before Thee; According to the greatness of Thy power set free those that are appointed to death;

וְהָשֵׁב לִשְׁכֵנֵינוּ שִׁבְעָתַיִם אֶל־חֵיקָם חֶרְפָּתָם אֲשֶׁר חֵרְפוּךָ אֲדֹֽנָי׃

And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom Their reproach, wherewith they have reproached Thee, O Lord.

וַאֲנַחְנוּ עַמְּךָ וְצֹאן מַרְעִיתֶךָ נוֹדֶה לְּךָ לְעוֹלָם לְדֹר וָדֹר נְסַפֵּר תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃

So we that are Thy people and the flock of Thy pasture Will give Thee thanks for ever; We will tell of Thy praise to all generations.

The Hebrew is the Leningrad Codex, compared with a second edition letter by letter. The English is the Jewish Publication Society translation of 1917, in the public domain.

Where this psalm is read

  • The third of the five books of Psalms
  • Read in the monthly cycle on day 16 of the Hebrew month
  • Read in the weekly cycle on Wednesday
  • Its heading names Asaph
  • 13 verses, 132 words, about 1 minute to read

Psalms that are read with this one

All 150 psalms and today's reading·Prayers by the time they are said

Questions about this psalm

How many verses does Psalm 79 have?

Psalm 79 has 13 verses and 132 words.

On which day is Psalm 79 read in the monthly and weekly cycles?

In the monthly cycle it is read on day 16 of the Hebrew month, and in the weekly cycle on Wednesday.

Whose name is in the heading of Psalm 79?

The heading names Asaph.

How long does it take to read Psalm 79?

About 1 minute, at a steady pace.