Commentary - Psalm 79:9-12

Bird's-eye view

Psalm 79 is a raw and honest lament from a people who have been brought to ruin. The Temple has been defiled, Jerusalem is in heaps, and the bodies of God's saints have become food for the birds. This is a national disaster. But in the midst of this carnage, the psalmist, Asaph, does not appeal to God on the basis of Israel's worthiness, for they have none. The foundation of his prayer is not the goodness of the people but the glory of God's name. This is a prayer of desperation, but it is a theologically grounded desperation. It is an imprecatory prayer, one of those psalms that makes modern, sentimental Christians nervous. But it is a prayer that understands that the central issue in all of human history is the reputation and honor of God Himself. The plea is for help, deliverance, and atonement, all for the sake of God's name, so that the watching pagan nations would know that Israel's God is not to be trifled with.

The logic of the prayer is simple and profound. First, the people cry out for salvation based on God's character (v. 9). Second, they ask for public vindication so that the taunts of the nations against God might be silenced (v. 10). Third, they intercede for the suffering remnant, asking for preservation based on God's great power (v. 11). And finally, they call for a just and complete retribution upon their enemies, not out of personal spite, but because the reproach of the enemy was ultimately a reproach against the Lord Himself (v. 12). This is a prayer that understands covenantal justice and the central importance of God's glory.

Outline

Clause-by-Clause Commentary

Verse 9

Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; The prayer begins where all true prayer must begin: with a confession of utter helplessness and a recognition of who God is. They do not say, "Help us, because we have done our best," or "Help us, because we deserve it." They are in ruins. Their only appeal is to the "God of our salvation." This is not just a God who can save; He is the God whose very nature it is to save. This is His job description. And the ultimate reason they ask for this help is not for their own comfort, but "for the glory of Your name." They are asking God to act in a way that is consistent with His own character, to put His own reputation on public display. God's glory is the highest good in the universe, and so the highest prayer we can pray is for that glory to be manifested.

And deliver us and atone for our sins for Your name’s sake. The psalmist understands that their problem is twofold. There is an external problem, the Babylonians, and there is an internal problem, their sin. They need to be delivered from their enemies, but they also need atonement for their sins, because their sin is what brought the enemies upon them in the first place. This is the heart of the gospel. We need rescue from the consequences of sin, and we need the sin itself to be dealt with. And notice the basis for this plea once again: "for Your name's sake." God atones for our sin not because we are lovely, but because He is glorious. His name is at stake. To leave His people in their sin and under judgment would be to allow His own name to be blasphemed among the nations. The cross of Christ is the ultimate expression of God atoning for our sins for His name's sake.

Verse 10

Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” This is the central question. The pagan nations are looking at the rubble of Jerusalem and the corpses of the Israelites, and they are drawing a theological conclusion. Their conclusion is that either Yahweh is powerless or He does not exist. The suffering of God's people has become a propaganda victory for the idols. The psalmist is therefore asking God to consider how His own reputation is being dragged through the mud. This is not a manipulative prayer; it is a prayer that is jealous for the honor of God. The most painful part of this whole disaster, for the faithful, is not the loss of their homes, but the public dishonoring of their God.

Let it be known among the nations before our eyes: Vengeance for the blood of Your slaves which has been poured out. The answer to the taunt of the nations is a public display of God's justice. The psalmist prays for vengeance, and we must be clear about what this means. This is not a petty desire for personal revenge. Vengeance belongs to God (Rom. 12:19). This is a prayer for God to act as the righteous judge of all the earth and to right a terrible wrong. The blood of His people, His "slaves" or servants, has been unjustly shed. In a world governed by a just God, such an act cannot be the last word. There must be a reckoning. And the psalmist wants this reckoning to be public, "before our eyes," so that the same nations who asked "Where is their God?" will have their question answered in fire and judgment.

Verse 11

Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; God is not deaf to the cries of His people. Even in the midst of overwhelming national disaster, the individual groan of a single prisoner is significant enough to come before the throne of the Almighty. This is a tender and pastoral thought. God is not just concerned with grand geopolitical realities; He is concerned with the suffering of each of His children. The groaning is the sound of deep, inarticulate pain, and the psalmist is confident that God hears and understands it.

According to the greatness of Your power preserve those who are doomed to die. The situation is dire. There are people who are "doomed to die," appointed to death. From a human perspective, their case is hopeless. But the prayer is not based on human perspectives. The appeal is to the "greatness of Your power." Our God is not limited by circumstances. His power is great enough to snatch people from the very jaws of death. This is a prayer of faith, a faith that believes God's power is greater than the enemy's sword and greater than the apparent finality of a death sentence. This is resurrection power, and the psalmist is pleading for a foretaste of it.

Verse 12

And return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom The reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord. This is what is known as an imprecatory prayer, a prayer for God to bring calamity upon His enemies. And it is robustly biblical. The psalmist asks God to repay their neighbors, the surrounding nations who took part in the destruction, "sevenfold." The number seven signifies perfection or completeness. This is a prayer for a full and just retribution. The punishment should fit the crime, and the crime was reproach. And notice where the payment is to be delivered: "into their bosom." This is an intimate, personal judgment. Just as their sin came from their hearts, so the judgment will be delivered to their hearts.

But the crucial, final point is the object of the reproach. They have reproached You, O Lord. The insults, the mockery, the violence against Israel was ultimately an attack on Israel's God. They were shaking their fist at Heaven. Therefore, when the psalmist prays for this sevenfold repayment, he is praying for the vindication of God's holy name. He is asking God to defend His own honor. This is not about settling a personal score. It is about setting the cosmic record straight. It is a prayer that God would show the world that He is God, and that He will not be mocked.

Application

When we find ourselves in deep distress, whether personal or corporate, our first instinct is often to focus on our own pain and our own needs. This psalm teaches us a different way. It teaches us to anchor our prayers in the character and glory of God. Our ultimate plea should not be, "Lord, make me comfortable," but rather, "Lord, glorify Your name." When our lives are in ruins, it is an opportunity for God to display His power in a way that would not be possible if everything were going smoothly. Our weakness becomes the backdrop for His strength.

Furthermore, this psalm gives us permission to be honest with God about the injustices we see in the world. It is not wrong to cry out for God's justice. In fact, it is righteous. To be indifferent to the shedding of innocent blood or the mockery of God's name is not a sign of spiritual maturity; it is a sign of apathy. We are to long for the day when all wrongs will be made right, and we are to pray for that day to come. We do this not with personal vindictiveness in our hearts, but with a zealous desire to see God's honor vindicated and His kingdom come. We leave the execution of vengeance in His hands, but we are right to ask Him to act.

Finally, we must remember that the ultimate answer to this prayer is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the God of our salvation who has atoned for our sins for His name's sake. At the cross, God's justice and mercy met. Vengeance for sin was poured out upon the Son, so that deliverance could be offered to us. And in His resurrection, God publicly vindicated His name, showing all the nations that His power is greater than death itself. Therefore, we can pray these prayers with confidence, knowing that in Christ, God has already provided the ultimate answer.