Psalm 79 12

Psalm 79:12 kjv

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

Psalm 79:12 nkjv

And return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom Their reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord.

Psalm 79:12 niv

Pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times the contempt they have hurled at you, Lord.

Psalm 79:12 esv

Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord!

Psalm 79:12 nlt

O Lord, pay back our neighbors seven times
for the scorn they have hurled at you.

Psalm 79 verses

Psalm 79 12 Meaning

Psalm 79:12 is a heartfelt plea for divine justice, asking the Lord to repay the neighboring nations sevenfold for the intense scorn and dishonor they directed towards Him and His people. It expresses a deep longing for God's reputation to be vindicated and for those who have blasphemed His name to receive a full and complete measure of retribution.

Psalm 79 12 Context

Psalm 79 is a lament of the community, profoundly rooted in the devastating experience of Jerusalem's destruction by the Babylonians (586 BCE). The psalm immediately follows a similar communal lament, Psalm 74. It describes the desecration of the Temple, the slaughter of God's people, and their bodies left unburied as food for birds and beasts. The deepest wound, however, is the scorn and mockery poured upon God Himself by the surrounding nations who witnessed Judah's humiliation. These nations question God's power and faithfulness, challenging His very reputation. The psalmist pleads for divine intervention, asking God to remember His name and the blood of His servants. Verse 12 specifically focuses on this reproach, praying for the Lord to retaliate on behalf of His own honor.

Psalm 79 12 Word Analysis

• And render: The Hebrew verb is שָׁבַב (shavav), meaning "to return," "to bring back," or "to repay." It implies not just giving, but causing something to return to its source or due recipient, often in the context of requital or retribution. This is an active divine act sought by the psalmist.
• unto our neighbours: Refers to the nations surrounding Israel who either participated in or gloated over Jerusalem's destruction (e.g., Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre). These nations, having witnessed Judah's plight, took the opportunity to deride not just the people but their God.
• sevenfold: The Hebrew שִׁבְעָתַיִם (shiv'atayim). This is an intensive form derived from "seven" (sheva), symbolizing completeness, fullness, or perfection in both positive and negative contexts throughout Scripture. Here, it denotes a complete, thorough, and perhaps even multiplied recompense for the offenses committed. It's a prayer for an overwhelming and undeniable divine response, a total reversal of the humiliation.
• into their bosom: The Hebrew חֵיק (cheiq) literally means "lap" or "bosom." In ancient Near Eastern culture, the "bosom" or "lap" was where gifts, provisions, or collected items were carried, but also symbolically where recompense, consequences, or blessings were "poured" or returned. To return something "into their bosom" means directly, personally, and inescapably; they would experience the full impact of what they had dispensed.
• their reproach: The Hebrew חֶרְפָּה (cherpah) means "reproach," "disgrace," "shame," "scorn," or "insult." It's a verbal and attitudinal attack intended to demean, especially a public shaming. In the context of this psalm, it refers to the public mockery and questioning of God's power, presence, and faithfulness because of Jerusalem's defeat.
• wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord: This crucial phrase clarifies the target of the reproach. It wasn't just directed at Israel, but fundamentally at Yahweh Himself. The invaders and gloating neighbors questioned the power and very existence of Israel's God, bringing dishonor to His name. This elevates the prayer from mere human vengeance to a plea for the vindication of God's holy name and reputation in the eyes of the nations. "O Lord" (Adonai) acknowledges God's sovereign authority and right to act.

Words-group analysis:

• "render... sevenfold into their bosom their reproach": This phrase captures the essence of the petition: a prayer for divine poetic justice. The full and complete measure of the humiliation and scorn they dished out should boomerang back directly and forcefully upon them. It reflects the theological principle of lex talionis (eye for an eye) but on a divine, intensified scale, where God's just recompense ensures a full restoration of balance.

Psalm 79 12 Bonus Section

This verse highlights the intense shame-honor culture prevalent in the ancient Near East. The reproach against God was not a minor insult; it was a profound dishonor challenging His sovereignty and power among nations. The psalmist's prayer is therefore an urgent appeal for God to assert His divine honor. This prayer for judgment is ultimately a plea for God to act consistently with His divine character as the just and holy God who defends His covenant and His name. It foreshadows the broader biblical theme of God's eschatological judgments where He fully recompenses those who defy Him and humble His people, establishing His ultimate reign and glory for all to see.

Psalm 79 12 Commentary

Psalm 79:12 articulates a profound desire for God to demonstrate His active righteousness and defend His honor in the face of blasphemous reproach. It's a raw expression of lament, seeking not personal vendetta but rather divine vindication for the shame cast upon God's name and people. The "sevenfold" emphasizes a comprehensive and decisive judgment, far beyond mere equivalence, signifying that the retribution will fully cover the extent of their offense. The phrase "into their bosom" powerfully conveys that this recompense will be direct, inescapable, and personal for the aggressors, mirroring how they publicly shamed God. The core of the plea is that the reproach directed against God Himself should return upon the heads of those who uttered it. This serves as a vital reminder that attacks on God's people often, by extension, are attacks on God, and His justice demands a restoration of His rightful glory in the world. It illustrates the people's reliance on God's sovereignty to bring about justice where human efforts had failed.