Psalm 79 is a cry to God from Israel to hurry and deliver
them from God’s hand of discipline. Many Christians deny that at times sickness
and despair come to us as God’s discipline but to say that is to deny scripture.
Hebrews 12:5-11
And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
In Psalm 79 we see the prayers of a people under the hand of
God’s correction.
Psalm 79:1-4
A PSALM OF ASAPH. O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the heavens for food, the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth. They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them. We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us.
A PSALM OF ASAPH. O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the heavens for food, the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth. They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them. We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us.
Israel had the temple; we are the temple. When Israel turned
away from God towards idolatry He used their own enemies to lead them back to
Himself. When we turn to the world and sin against God we find ourselves
lacking closeness to God. The wages of sin is death and death is the absence of
life.
So the psalmist did what we also must do in the times we
have let the world desecrate God’s temple; pray. We see four things the
psalmist prayed for in this psalm.
First he prayed for the Lord to hurry.
Psalm 79:5
How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?
How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?
Next he prayed God would act upon the enemies that have
destroyed the temple.
Psalm 79:6-7
Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your name! For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation.
Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your name! For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation.
When we let the world in it will lay waste God’s temple.
That is us. The world will mess us up.
But the psalmist does the wisest thing possible next; he
appeals to God’s tender mercy. He asks God to forget their sin.
Psalm 79:8
Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.
Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.
In asking for mercy the psalmist humbles himself and asks
God to help. But more importantly notice how he appeals for God’s help. He
appeals for God to do it for the glory of His name. Unlike the psalmist, who
was looking forward in anticipation of the Messiah, we can look back in full
knowledge of the work of Christ. We pray in the name of Jesus.
Psalm 79:9
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name's sake!
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name's sake!
Unlike the psalmist, we live in the age of grace. He would
call for God to destroy his enemies. Our mission from Jesus is to pray for our
enemies to also be saved just as we are.
So if we are in the season of correction from God we should
hit our knees in confession. But we must also cry out in repentance and ask God
to refill us with His Holy Spirit. Our sins are atoned for, but we need God’s
Spirit to help us push out the world in our lives. We are His sheep and Jesus
is the great shepherd who has promised to lead us home.
Psalm 79:13
But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.
But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.
Wherever you are today it is not too late to cry out to
Jesus. Pray for Him to help you as you turn back in repentance. Give thanks and
be His light by telling the generations of His love and mercy.
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