Psalm 79:10 kjv
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.
Psalm 79:10 nkjv
Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let there be known among the nations in our sight The avenging of the blood of Your servants which has been shed.
Psalm 79:10 niv
Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Before our eyes, make known among the nations that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants.
Psalm 79:10 esv
Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes!
Psalm 79:10 nlt
Why should pagan nations be allowed to scoff,
asking, "Where is their God?"
Show us your vengeance against the nations,
for they have spilled the blood of your servants.
Psalm 79 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 115:2-3 | Why should the nations say, "Where, now, is their God?" But our God is in the heavens... | Direct echo of the taunt and affirmation of God's sovereignty. |
| Ezek 36:23 | I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations... and the nations shall know that I am the LORD. | God's intention to sanctify His name through His actions among the nations. |
| Exo 32:11-12 | Moses implored the LORD his God... "Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, ‘He brought them out with evil intent...’" | Moses' intercession for God's honor to prevent Gentile slander. |
| Num 14:15-16 | "Now if You kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard Your fame will say, ‘Because the LORD was not able...’" | Moses' plea for God's reputation before the nations. |
| Deut 32:43 | "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; for He will avenge the blood of His servants, And render vengeance to His adversaries..." | Prophetic promise of God avenging His people and revealing His justice to the nations. |
| Rom 12:19 | Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. | New Testament principle of divine retribution, linking to God's sovereign justice. |
| Rev 6:9-10 | ...I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God... And they cried out... "How long, O Lord... will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood...?" | Martyrs' cry for divine vengeance for shed innocent blood, reflecting Ps 79:10's theme. |
| Rev 19:2 | "for He has judged the great harlot... And He has avenged on her the blood of His bond-servants shed by her." | God's ultimate justice at the end times, avenging the blood of His faithful. |
| Lk 18:7-8 | "Now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?..." | Jesus' parable affirming God's readiness to provide justice for His persecuted elect. |
| Ps 42:3 | My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" | Personal lament with the same taunt of the nations. |
| Ps 42:10 | As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me, While they say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" | Another example of the same scornful questioning of God's presence. |
| Joel 2:17 | "Let the priests... cry, 'Spare Your people, O LORD... Why should they say among the peoples, "Where is their God?"'" | Similar communal lament addressing the taunt directly to God in a time of crisis. |
| Isa 52:10 | The LORD has bared His holy arm In the sight of all the nations; And all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God. | God’s visible demonstration of power and salvation before all peoples. |
| Ps 9:16 | The LORD has made Himself known; He has executed judgment; In the work of His own hands the wicked is snared. | God is known through His righteous acts of judgment and justice. |
| Lam 2:15-16 | All who pass along the way clap their hands in derision at you... "Is this the city of which they said, 'The perfection of beauty?'" | Jerusalem's enemies taunting after its destruction, relating to the shame. |
| Zeph 2:8 | "I have heard the taunting of Moab And the revilings of the sons of Ammon, With which they have taunted My people..." | God’s awareness of and planned response to the taunts against His people. |
| Jer 51:36 | Therefore thus says the LORD, "Behold, I am going to plead your case And exact full vengeance for you..." | God promising vengeance on Babylon for its actions against His people. |
| Ps 83:18 | That they may know that You alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth. | Prayer for God to be revealed and known universally as sovereign. |
| 2 Ki 9:7 | "You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets..." | God's explicit command for vengeance upon an oppressive regime. |
| Ps 74:10 | How long, O God, will the adversary revile, and the enemy spurn Your name forever? | Another psalm asking how long God will allow His name to be dishonored. |
Psalm 79 verses
Psalm 79 10 Meaning
Psalm 79:10 is a passionate plea born out of deep national suffering. It expresses the psalmist’s fervent desire for God to act decisively against the nations who have desecrated His sanctuary and slaughtered His people. The verse is fundamentally a cry for God to vindicate His own holy Name and reputation. It highlights the psalmist’s anguish over the taunts of the nations, who question God’s existence or power by asking, "Where is their God?" The plea is for God to visibly demonstrate His sovereignty and justice, not for mere human vengeance, but so that His righteous character and power will be revealed and acknowledged among all peoples by justly avenging the innocent blood of His servants.
Psalm 79 10 Context
Psalm 79 is a lament psalm from the community, expressing profound distress after the devastating destruction of Jerusalem, likely by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The city, the Temple, and the lives of God's people have been violently assaulted, and the bodies of the slain left unburied. This catastrophic event not only inflicted immense physical suffering but also profoundly challenged Israel's understanding of God's covenant and protection. The psalm articulates a desperate plea to God, not just for rescue or comfort, but for the vindication of His holy Name. Verse 10 stands at the heart of this plea, confronting the public shame and blasphemy caused by the enemy's taunt, "Where is their God?" This mockery impugns God’s power, presence, and faithfulness, and thus the psalmist petitions God to act demonstrably and powerfully in His justice, revealing His sovereignty to all nations.
Psalm 79 10 Word analysis
- Why: לָמָּה (lāmâ) – This is a rhetorical question, characteristic of biblical laments. It conveys deep anguish, confusion, and a heartfelt plea. It's not seeking information but expresses desperate desire for divine intervention and rectification of an unjust situation that dishonors God.
- should the nations: גּוֹיִם (gôyim) – Refers to the non-Israelite peoples, often hostile pagan nations. The focus here is on the international implications of Israel's defeat, and how it reflects on the God of Israel. Their actions and taunts are a direct challenge to God's honor.
- say, 'Where is their God?': אַיֵּה אֱלֹהֵיהֶם (ʾayyēh ʾĕlōhêhem) – This is a core part of the taunt and represents a direct polemic. It questions God’s existence, power, and presence. In the ancient Near East, a defeated people implied their god was weaker than the victor's god. This taunt is blasphemous, suggesting the God of Israel is either nonexistent, powerless, or unfaithful. It challenges God's covenant with Israel and His unique status as the living God.
- Let Him be known: יִוָּדַע (yiwwādāʿ) – This verb is in the Niphal imperative (or jussive, expressing a strong wish/command). It means "let Him make Himself known" or "let Him be recognized/perceived." It implies a demand for a visible, unmistakable demonstration of God’s character, power, and righteousness to silence the taunts. It's an active manifestation of His sovereignty.
- among the nations: בַּגּוֹיִם (bəggôyim) – This reinforces the public and global scope of God's desired manifestation. God’s vindication is not only for Israel’s internal solace but for the entire world to witness and acknowledge His power.
- in our sight: לְעֵינֵינוּ (ləʿênênû) – Literally "in our eyes." This emphasizes the longing for a tangible, undeniable display of God’s justice and power. It's about personal and collective witnessing of divine intervention. It would validate their faith and God's promises before the very people who mock them.
- by the avenging: נִקְמַת (niqmaṯ) – This refers to "vengeance" or "retribution." It’s crucial to understand this not as human, personal revenge driven by malice, but as divine, righteous justice. God’s vengeance is the upholding of His moral order and the rectification of egregious wrongs, particularly against His covenant people. It’s an act of judicial consequence.
- of the blood of Your servants: דַּם־עֲבָדֶיךָ (dam ʿăḇāḏeyḵā) – "Blood" symbolizes innocent life violently taken. In biblical thought, spilled innocent blood cries out from the earth for justice (Gen 4:10). "Your servants" denotes the faithful Israelites, martyrs for their faith, whose suffering is deeply linked to God's honor and covenantal responsibility.
- which has been shed: הַשָּׁפוּךְ (haššāfûḵ) – Describes the "pouring out" of blood, indicating violent, widespread, and often sacrilegious slaughter. This phrase emphasizes the brutality and extent of the enemy’s actions and the depth of the wrong committed.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Why should the nations say, 'Where is their God?'": This phrase captures the immediate pain and core theological dilemma. The taunt exposes the enemy’s challenge to God’s very being and potency. It's a prayer rooted in the defense of God's honor, indicating that His glory is tied to the well-being and justice experienced by His people. The rhetorical "why" expresses the profound anomaly of the situation—God’s honor being impugned by the very people He sovereignly rules over.
- "Let Him be known among the nations in our sight": This forms the crucial plea for active divine revelation. It's a call for God to rise up and visibly demonstrate His identity and power. The desired outcome is not merely relief for Israel, but God's public glorification and recognition on a global scale, witnessed by both Israel and the nations who previously mocked. It links Israel’s salvation directly to God’s worldwide reputation.
- "by the avenging of the blood of Your servants which has been shed": This defines the specific means by which God is to make Himself known—through divine justice and retribution for the innocent bloodshed. It clarifies that this "vengeance" is a righteous act of a sovereign Judge, designed to uphold His law and His covenant promises. It connects the spilled blood to the public demonstration of God's righteous character, turning the tragedy into a moment of divine revelation.
Psalm 79 10 Bonus section
This verse carries a profound missiological undertone. The desire for God to "be known among the nations" through His actions suggests that even in extreme distress, the psalmists recognized the ultimate purpose of God's covenant with Israel extended beyond Israel itself, towards a universal witness of His character and power. The vindication of God's Name among the "goyim" anticipates a time when all peoples will acknowledge the uniqueness and sovereignty of Yahweh. This lament, therefore, contains a hopeful and even prophetic element: that God's justice will serve as a global witness, leading to His recognition and glorification, turning the very occasion of shame into an occasion for divine revelation and widespread worship. It underscores that God's honor is intrinsically linked to His active rule in the world and His protection of His covenant people.
Psalm 79 10 Commentary
Psalm 79:10 is a poignant expression of a people's theological distress when facing existential threats and public humiliation. It highlights that Israel’s suffering under the nations was not merely a physical ordeal but a theological crisis, impacting God’s own name and reputation. The core petition is for God to act, not out of passive human desire for revenge, but for the sake of His own glory. The taunt, "Where is their God?" encapsulates the essence of the theological battle: Is the God of Israel real? Is He powerful enough? Is He faithful? The psalmist’s urgent plea is for God to answer these questions through a powerful, visible act of justice. By avenging the innocent blood of His servants, God would demonstrably prove His existence, power, and unwavering commitment to His covenant, ensuring His sovereign rule is recognized universally. This is a prayer for divine intervention that simultaneously resolves the immediate crisis and upholds God's honor globally, ensuring His unique standing as the true God is made known to all, including the very nations who sought to discredit Him.