For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place. This and the preceding verso occur also, almost word for word, in Jeremiah 10:25 . It is difficult to say which writer has quoted from the other. read more
Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen - Punish, as they deserve, the nations that have risen up against thy people, and that have brought; desolation upon the land. The word rendered here pour out is used with reference to a cup or vial, as containing a mixture for the people to drink - of intoxication, or of poison. See the notes at Revelation 16:1; notes at Psalms 11:6; notes at Isaiah 51:17; compare Jeremiah 25:15, Jeremiah 25:17; Matthew 20:22; Matthew 26:39, Matthew 26:42.That have not known... read more
For they have devoured Jacob - literally, “They have eaten.” That is, they have eaten up what the land produced.And laid waste his dwelling-place - His home; his habitation; the residence of Jacob, or of the people of Israel. read more
Psalms 79:6-7. Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen Though we confess that we have deserved thy wrath, yet the heathen, by whom thou hast scourged us, have deserved it much more, as being guilty of far greater impieties than we, living in gross ignorance and contempt of thee and thy worship. And, therefore, we pray thee to transfer thy wrath from us to them. But the prayer is rather to be considered as a prophecy, in which the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and... read more
Psalms 79-80 Cries from a conquered peopleLike a previous psalm of Asaph, Psalms 79:0 is from the time of Jerusalem’s destruction and the taking of the people into captivity. (For an outline of events see introductory notes to Psalms 74:0.) The historical setting for Psalms 80:0 is not clear. Both psalms, 79 and 80, are cries to God for salvation after Israel has suffered defeat and desolation.The scene around Jerusalem is one of horror. The temple has been destroyed, the city is in ruins, and... read more
Pour out. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 . See note on "shed", Psalms 79:3 . not known Thee. Compare Jeremiah 10:25 . read more
they have. So some codices, with Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate. Compare Jeremiah 10:25 . But other codices read "he hath": i.e. the enemy. Jacob. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), App-6 , for the riches of his descendants. dwelling place = pasture. read more
"Pour out thy wrath upon the nations that know thee not,And upon the kingdoms that call not upon thy name."As a nation, Israel had become one and the same as the pagan kingdoms around them. Oh yes, they knew God's name; and, in times of emergency they loved to call upon God for help; but the people as a whole had become even worse than Sodom and Gomorrah (Ezekiel 16). If God's moral character was to be established as a fact in the minds of mankind, something drastic had to be done about Israel... read more
"For they have devoured Jacob,And laid waste his habitation."This and Psalms 79:6 occur almost word for word in Jeremiah 10:25. Many scholars vex themselves almost endlessly trying to figure out who quoted whom; but it is our opinion that in most cases, there is hardly any way to determine such questions. Is it impossible that God, through the Spirit, could have led different writers to use the same words? No one has ever proved such a proposition. As far as this particular instance is... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 79:6-7
Praying against our enemies. The gravest difficulties in treating the Book of Psalms concern the entire psalms, and the passages in the psalms, which seem to be invocations of wrath on personal enemies. This is reasonably felt to be wholly contrary to the spirit of Christianity. It is not, however, usually noticed, that it is a hopeful sign for a man to speak his bad feelings out to God. He will do mischief if he speaks them out to his fellow men. He will do no mischief if he speaks them... read more