Psalm 79 3

Psalm 79:3 kjv

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

Psalm 79:3 nkjv

Their blood they have shed like water all around Jerusalem, And there was no one to bury them.

Psalm 79:3 niv

They have poured out blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the dead.

Psalm 79:3 esv

They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.

Psalm 79:3 nlt

Blood has flowed like water all around Jerusalem;
no one is left to bury the dead.

Psalm 79 verses

Psalm 79 3 Meaning

Psalm 79:3 vividly describes a scene of horrific devastation, lamenting the brutal slaughter of God's people. Their blood was shed so profusely that it flowed like common water, disregarded and abundant, permeating the sacred ground around Jerusalem. The anguish is deepened by the chilling reality that there was no one left or able to perform the customary and culturally vital act of burying the dead, leaving bodies exposed and dishonored. This portrays utter defeat, chaos, and a profound lack of respect for human life and dignity.

Psalm 79 3 Context

Psalm 79 is a communal lament, believed to have been composed in the immediate aftermath of the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The entire psalm reflects the deep agony and confusion of a people whose sacred city, considered the dwelling place of God and thus inviolable, has been utterly desecrated. This verse specifically describes the unspeakable horror inflicted by the invading armies. The historical context reveals the brutal siege warfare of the ancient world, where captured cities faced wholesale slaughter, plunder, and the utter breakdown of social order. For the Israelites, the inability to bury their dead was a profound curse and dishonor, contrary to their deeply held cultural and spiritual values concerning the dignity of the departed. The psalm expresses the shock and profound sorrow over this desecration and questions God's inaction, appealing for divine vengeance against their enemies and the restoration of their fortunes.

Psalm 79 3 Word analysis

• Their blood (דָמָם, damām): Refers to the life-force, the essence of the individuals. In Hebrew thought, blood often signifies life and, when shed violently, evokes the sacredness of life and the cry for justice (Gen 4:10). The plural suffix emphasizes the multitude of victims.
• they have poured out (שָׁפְכוּ, šāfəḵû): An active, deliberate verb signifying a ruthless act of intentional shedding. This verb often describes liquids freely flowing or being poured, but here it starkly describes human blood. It implies a sense of ease and casualness with which these lives were extinguished, as if of no value.
• like water (כַּמַּיִם, kammāyim): A chilling simile emphasizing the sheer quantity and worthlessness attributed to the victims' lives by the perpetrators. Water, especially in a thirsty land, is precious, yet when abundant (e.g., in a flood), it can be discarded without thought. This comparison underscores the immense volume of the slain and the lack of reverence for their lives, portraying a boundless and uncontained slaughter.
• all around Jerusalem (סְבִיבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָיִם, səḇîḇōwt yərūšālāim): Specifies the sacred geographical locus of this widespread horror. It highlights the attack on God's chosen city and indicates that the devastation was not localized but encompassed the entire area, suggesting a comprehensive and unsparing massacre that left no corner untouched.
• and there was no one to bury them (וְאֵין קֹבֵר, wə’ên qōḇēr): This is perhaps the most distressing part of the verse. Burial was a fundamental act of respect and mourning in ancient Israel (e.g., 1 Kgs 13:22; Neh 2:3). Its absence was considered a severe curse (e.g., Jer 25:33) and the ultimate indignity, signifying utter chaos, defeat, and dehumanization. It implied the community's total breakdown and the extent of the enemy's ruthlessness. It speaks to a level of suffering where survivors are either too few, too overwhelmed, or too threatened to perform this essential human ritual, leaving the dead exposed and dishonored.
• Words-group Analysis: The combination of "poured out like water" depicts an act of horrific violence on a mass scale, an unprecedented slaughter. "All around Jerusalem" localizes and expands the tragedy, indicating no escape. "No one to bury them" captures the deepest desecration and final indignity, compounding the terror with spiritual and cultural dishonor, showcasing the ultimate breakdown of human society and the rule of law.

Psalm 79 3 Bonus section

The profound grief expressed in Psalm 79:3 is an example of a corporate lament, allowing a whole community to voice its anguish and shock collectively before God. Such laments are vital in biblical spirituality, validating pain while seeking divine intervention, reflecting a deep conviction that God is just and hears the cries of His people even amidst incomprehensible suffering. This vivid portrayal also highlights a common polemic of the era against the belief in impregnable divine protection apart from the covenantal faithfulness of the people, demonstrating that even God's holy city was subject to His judgment. The suffering was perceived not as a failure of God but as a consequence of national sin, even though the immediate focus of the lament is on the perpetrators' cruelty.

Psalm 79 3 Commentary

Psalm 79:3 delivers a profound lament over unimaginable brutality, underscoring the spiritual and physical devastation inflicted upon Jerusalem and its inhabitants. The imagery of blood flowing like water around the city expresses not merely death, but a relentless, boundless massacre that dehumanized its victims, stripping them of dignity in death. The chilling truth that no one was left to bury the slain signifies an ultimate act of desecration and the complete societal collapse that followed the invasion. This desecration of God’s people, left exposed and unburied, was not just a physical suffering but a deep spiritual wound, highlighting the enemies’ disdain for Israel's God and His covenant people. This verse captures the depth of their suffering and cries out for divine intervention and justice, emphasizing that God's name and honor were being blasphemed through His people's plight.