4 We are become a reproach H2781 to our neighbours, H7934 a scorn H3933 and derision H7047 to them that are round about H5439 us.
Thou makest H7760 us a strife H4066 unto our neighbours: H7934 and our enemies H341 laugh H3932 among themselves.
And thou shalt become an astonishment, H8047 a proverb, H4912 and a byword, H8148 among all nations H5971 whither the LORD H3068 shall lead H5090 thee.
Then will I cut off H3772 Israel H3478 out H6440 of the land H127 which I have given H5414 them; and this house, H1004 which I have hallowed H6942 for my name, H8034 will I cast out H7971 of my sight; H6440 and Israel H3478 shall be a proverb H4912 and a byword H8148 among all people: H5971
But when Sanballat H5571 the Horonite, H2772 and Tobiah H2900 the servant, H5650 the Ammonite, H5984 and Geshem H1654 the Arabian, H6163 heard H8085 it, they laughed us to scorn, H3932 and despised H959 us, and said, H559 What is this thing H1697 that ye do? H6213 will ye rebel H4775 against the king? H4428
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat H5571 heard H8085 that we builded H1129 the wall, H2346 he was wroth, H2734 and took great H7235 indignation, H3707 and mocked H3932 the Jews. H3064 And he spake H559 before H6440 his brethren H251 and the army H2428 of Samaria, H8111 and said, H559 What do H6213 these feeble H537 Jews? H3064 will they fortify H5800 themselves? will they sacrifice? H2076 will they make an end H3615 in a day? H3117 will they revive H2421 the stones H68 out of the heaps H6194 of the rubbish H6083 which are burned? H8313 Now Tobiah H2900 the Ammonite H5984 was by him, H681 and he said, H559 Even that which they build, H1129 if a fox H7776 go up, H5927 he shall even break down H6555 their stone H68 wall. H2346 Hear, H8085 O our God; H430 for we are despised: H939 and turn H7725 their reproach H2781 upon their own head, H7218 and give H5414 them for a prey H961 in the land H776 of captivity: H7633
All that pass by H5674 the way H1870 spoil H8155 him: he is a reproach H2781 to his neighbours. H7934
For thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 the God H430 of Israel; H3478 As mine anger H639 and my fury H2534 hath been poured forth H5413 upon the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem; H3389 so shall my fury H2534 be poured forth H5413 upon you, when ye shall enter H935 into Egypt: H4714 and ye shall be an execration, H423 and an astonishment, H8047 and a curse, H7045 and a reproach; H2781 and ye shall see H7200 this place H4725 no more.
All that pass H5674 by clap H5606 their hands H3709 at thee; H1870 they hiss H8319 and wag H5128 their head H7218 at the daughter H1323 of Jerusalem, H3389 saying, Is this the city H5892 that men call H559 The perfection H3632 of beauty, H3308 The joy H4885 of the whole earth? H776 All thine enemies H341 have opened H6475 their mouth H6310 against thee: they hiss H8319 and gnash H2786 the teeth: H8127 they say, H559 We have swallowed her up: H1104 certainly H389 this is the day H3117 that we looked for; H6960 we have found, H4672 we have seen H7200 it.
And thou shalt know H3045 that I am the LORD, H3068 and that I have heard H8085 all thy blasphemies H5007 which thou hast spoken H559 against the mountains H2022 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 They are laid desolate, H8074 H8077 they are given H5414 us to consume. H402
Therefore prophesy H5012 and say, H559 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Because they have made you desolate, H8074 and swallowed you up H7602 on every side, H5439 that ye might be a possession H4181 unto the residue H7611 of the heathen, H1471 and ye are taken up H5927 in the lips H8193 of talkers, H3956 and are an infamy H1681 of the people: H5971
O Lord, H136 according to all thy righteousness, H6666 I beseech thee, let thine anger H639 and thy fury H2534 be turned away H7725 from thy city H5892 Jerusalem, H3389 thy holy H6944 mountain: H2022 because for our sins, H2399 and for the iniquities H5771 of our fathers, H1 Jerusalem H3389 and thy people H5971 are become a reproach H2781 to all that are about H5439 us.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 79
Commentary on Psalms 79 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 79
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 (v. 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,
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.
A psalm of Asaph.
Psa 79:1-5
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.
Psa 79:6-13
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.