Matthew Poole and continuators on Psalms 79

1 O God, the heathen are come unto thine inheritance , thy holy temple have they defiled , they have laid Jerusalem on heaps .

As Invaders and Conquerors.

Into Canaan and Iudaea, which thou didst chuse for thine inheritance.

By entring into it, and touching and carrying away its holy Vessels, and shedding blood in it, and burning of it.

Made of the ruines of those goodly houses which they burned, or threw down.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters]al. 74. 5.

2 The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of heaven , the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.

Either 1. Of thy faithful and holy servants, whom they used as cruelly as the worst of the people. Or 2. Of the Jews, whom, though the generality of them were very wicked, he calleth God's Servants and Saints, because they were all such by profession; and some of them were really such; and the Chaldaeans did never know nor regard those that were so, but promiscuously destroyed all that came in their way.

By casting them out like dung upon the face of the earth, and not suffering any to bury them.

3 Their blood they shed like water round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them .

Plentifully and contemptuously, valuing it no more than common water.

Because their friends who should have done it were either slain or fled, or were not permitted, or durst not undertake to perform that Office to them.

Marginal references: Psal. 141. 7. Jer. 14. 16. and 16. 4.

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

We who were their terrour and scourge are now neither feared nor pityed, but become the matter of their scoffs and reproaches. See Psal. 80. 6. and 137. 7. Ezek. 35 2, 12, &c.

Marginal references: Psal. 44. 13.

6 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name .

Though we confess that we have deserved thy wrath▪ yet the Heathen, by whom thou hast scourged us, deserve it much more, as being guilty of far greater impieties than we, living in gross ignorance and contempt of God and of his worship. And therefore we pray transfer thy wrath from us to them.

Though we confess that we have deserved thy wrath▪ yet the Heathen, by whom thou hast scourged us, deserve it much more, as being guilty of far greater impieties than we, living in gross ignorance and contempt of God and of his worship. And therefore we pray transfer thy wrath from us to them.

Marginal references: Jer. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. 25.

7 For they have devoured Jacob , and laid waste his dwelling place.

The posterity of Iacob, whom thou didst love, and with whom and his Seed thou madest a sure and everlasting Covenant; whereby thou didst ingage thy self to be an enemy to their enemies, Exod. 23. 22. Besides thou ha[illegible: 1+ letters]est cruelty, especially when the wicked devour those who are more righteous than themselves. Habak. 1. 13.

8▪ O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us , for we are brought very low .

The sins committed by our Forefathers, and by us who have filled up the measure of their sins, for which, we confess▪ thou hast most righteously brought this desolating judgment upon us.

Upon which all our confidence is fixed; for merit and righteousness we have none. See Dan. 9 7, 9.

Prevent our utter extirpation which we have deserved, and have great reason to expect.

Past the hopes of all humane help, and therefore the glory or our deliverance will be wholly thine.

Marginal references: Isa. 64. 9; Or, the iniquities of them that were before us.

9 Help us, O God of our salvation , for the glory of thy name : and deliver us, and purge away our sins for thy names sake.

From whom we have oft received, and from whom alone we now expect, salvation.

Which is now obscured by the insolency and blasphemy of thine enemies, who ascribe this Conquest to their Idols, and triumph over thee no less than over thy people, as one unable to deliver them out of their hands. See Dan. 3. 15.

Marginal references: Heb. attone▪ or, expiate.

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.

He whom they served, and of whom they boasted. He is lost and gone, or grown impotent or idle.

By the expectation of his judgments upon them according to Psal. 9. 16.

That we may live to see it and praise thy name for it.

Marginal references: Psal. 42. 10. and 115. 2.; Heb. vengeance.

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 .

Of thy poor people now in prison, or at least, in captivity.

Heb. the children of death, (i. e.) Which were either designed to death, or in manifest danger of it, as being wholly in the power of their cruel and barbarous enemies.

Marginal references: Psal. 102. 20.; Heb. thine arm.; Heb. reserve the children of death.

12 And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom , there reproach wherewith they have reproached thee, , O Lord.

(i. e.) Either 1. Abundantly, as this Phrase notes, Isa. 65. 6, 7. Ier. 32. 18. Luke 6. 38. Or 2. Sensibly, so as it may come home to them, and fall heavily upon them in their own persons.

As impotent or unfaithful or unmerciful to his own people. So they intimate that this dedesire did not proceed from a revengeful mind, but from a due sence of God's favour.