Psalm 79 1

Psalm 79:1 kjv

O god, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.

Psalm 79:1 nkjv

A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the nations have come into Your inheritance; Your holy temple they have defiled; They have laid Jerusalem in heaps.

Psalm 79:1 niv

A psalm of Asaph. O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.

Psalm 79:1 esv

O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.

Psalm 79:1 nlt

O God, pagan nations have conquered your land,
your special possession.
They have defiled your holy Temple
and made Jerusalem a heap of ruins.

Psalm 79 verses

Psalm 79 1 Meaning

Psalm 79:1 is a lament by the people of God, crying out to the Lord because foreign nations have invaded and devastated His sacred inheritance—the land of Israel—and desecrated His holy temple in Jerusalem, reducing the city to utter ruins. It expresses profound sorrow, outrage, and an urgent appeal for divine attention to a profound violation of God's honor and presence.

Psalm 79 1 Context

Psalm 79 is a communal lament, part of the "Psalms of Asaph" in the Book of Psalms. Its historical backdrop is widely understood to be the destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple by Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian army in 586 BC. This catastrophic event involved the burning of the sacred Temple, the tearing down of city walls, the slaughter of many inhabitants, and the deportation of the surviving population to Babylon. The psalmist expresses the profound agony, shame, and theological crisis of a people who witnessed God's chosen dwelling desecrated and His city utterly ruined by pagan invaders. This verse, therefore, sets the tone for a desperate plea for divine intervention, highlighting not just the human suffering but primarily the grievous offense against God's own holiness and name.

Word Analysis

• O God: (אֱלֹהִים - Elohim) – A fundamental divine title in Hebrew, often denoting God's might, sovereignty, and role as Creator. The direct address is an urgent, desperate cry, appealing to the ultimate authority in a situation far beyond human redress. It acknowledges God's power even in the midst of perceived abandonment.
• the nations: (גּוֹיִם - goyim) – Refers to Gentile, non-Israelite peoples. This term frequently carries the connotation of those outside God's covenant, often hostile or ignorant of the true God. Here, "the nations" signifies the pagan, unholy invaders who, by their actions, defy God and His distinct people.
• have come into Your inheritance: (בָּאוּ בְּנַחֲלָתֶךָ - ba’u b’nachalathekha) – Nachalah means "inheritance," a possession or allotted portion. In this context, it refers primarily to the land of Israel, which God Himself designated as His unique possession and gift to His people (Dt 4:20; 1 Ki 8:51). The phrase "have come into" implies violent invasion, appropriation, and a profound violation of God's proprietorship over the land.
• they have defiled: (טִמְּאוּ - timm'u, from tame') – To make unclean, desecrate, pollute, or make ceremonially impure. This is a potent theological term indicating a grave offense against holiness, making something consecrated to God unfit for His presence or sacred use. It speaks to a deep spiritual violation and an act of blasphemy against God's character.
• Your holy temple: (הֵיכַל קָדְשֶׁךָ - heikhal qodeshekha) – Heikhal refers to the palace or sanctuary, specifically the Temple in Jerusalem. Qodeshekha means "Your holiness" or "Your sanctuary." This signifies the sacred dwelling place of God's tangible presence among His people (Ex 25:8). Its defilement is an assault on the very seat of God's manifested glory and an affront to His holiness.
• they have laid Jerusalem: (שָׂמוּ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם - samu Yerushalayim) – "Laid" or "made," indicating an intentional and destructive act. Jerusalem, the "city of peace" and the chosen place for God's name (1 Ki 11:36), was the spiritual and political capital of God's kingdom on earth. Its destruction represents the obliteration of Israel's national and spiritual identity.
• in ruins: (לְעִיִּים - l'iyyim) – Means "into heaps," "rubble," or "ruinous piles." This vivid imagery conveys utter desolation, a city reduced to an unrecognizable mass of destruction and waste. It signifies complete devastation, leaving no habitable structure or trace of its former glory.

Psalm 79 1 Bonus section

This verse encapsulates a pivotal moment in Israelite theology—the wrestling with God's sovereignty and righteousness when His covenant promises appear to fail, and His holiness is overtly challenged. The immediate focus on "Your inheritance" and "Your holy temple" (rather than simply "our land" or "our temple") elevates the complaint from human suffering to a direct grievance against God's honor. This highlights a recurring prophetic theme: God's ultimate concern for His name's reputation among the nations, which drives His actions of judgment and salvation. The psalm transitions from a prayer rooted in current agony to a demand for divine vengeance, showcasing an unwavering belief in God's eventual justice, despite present circumstances. It underscores that the suffering of God's people is intimately tied to the honor of His name among the world.

Psalm 79 1 Commentary

Psalm 79:1 articulates a cry of unparalleled grief and indignation arising from the devastating impact of the Babylonian conquest on Jerusalem. The psalmist's appeal is immediately directed to God, using Elohim, implying a desperate appeal to His power amidst the profound theological crisis presented by such a calamity. The central thrust of the lament is not merely the suffering of the people but the direct insult and affront to God Himself. "The nations" (goyim), viewed as pagan and alien, are portrayed as having directly attacked God's proprietary rights by invading "Your inheritance"—the sacred land promised to Israel—and committing the ultimate act of desecration by "defiling Your holy temple." This desecration (tame') was a sacrilege, implying not just physical destruction but spiritual pollution, making God's dwelling unfit for His holy presence and dishonoring His name among the surrounding nations. The culmination, "laid Jerusalem in ruins," emphasizes the thorough physical obliteration of the city that was the symbol of God's covenant presence and earthly kingdom. This opening verse, therefore, casts the national tragedy as a cosmic disgrace to God, setting the stage for a plea that God act not just for His people's sake, but, more importantly, for the vindication of His own glorious name and honor in the world.