Psalm 79 9

Psalm 79:9 kjv

Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.

Psalm 79:9 nkjv

Help us, O God of our salvation, For the glory of Your name; And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, For Your name's sake!

Psalm 79:9 niv

Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake.

Psalm 79:9 esv

Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name's sake!

Psalm 79:9 nlt

Help us, O God of our salvation!
Help us for the glory of your name.
Save us and forgive our sins
for the honor of your name.

Psalm 79 verses

Psalm 79 9 Meaning

Psalm 79:9 is a fervent prayer of a suffering people, beseeching God for His intervention not based on their own merit, but for the honor and vindication of His holy Name. It implores Him to act as the God of their salvation, delivering them from distress and forgiving their grievous sins, thereby restoring His own glory and reputation among the nations who might otherwise mock His power and faithfulness.

Psalm 79 9 Context

Psalm 79 is a lament from a community experiencing profound national catastrophe. It vividly describes the desecration of Jerusalem and the Temple, the slaughter of its inhabitants, and their bodies left unburied as food for scavengers. This devastation is commonly understood to refer to the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple in 586 BC, as described in 2 Kings 25 and Jer 52. The psalmist expresses deep anguish, humiliation, and distress, highlighting how surrounding nations mock Israel and, by extension, God's perceived inability to protect His people. Verse 9 shifts from the lament to a direct, fervent appeal to God, grounding the request not in the suffering people's innocence (as they admit their sins implicitly through the plea for forgiveness) but solely in God's character and the honor of His Name among the gentiles. It marks a turn from despair to faith, recognizing God as the ultimate source of salvation despite the severity of their condition.

Psalm 79 9 Word analysis

• Help us (עֶזְרֵנוּ, `ezrênû):
  • Meaning: A direct imperative plea for divine aid and support.
  • Significance: Implies human inability to deliver themselves from their plight; complete dependence on God.
  • Context: Used in a military or a crisis context where assistance is desperately needed.
• O God (אֱלֹהֵי, `Ĕlōhê):
  • Meaning: Referring to Elohim, the plural form of "God" used as a singular for the supreme deity, emphasizing His power and might.
  • Significance: Addresses God as the mighty, covenant-keeping deity.
• of our salvation (יִשְׁעֵנוּ, yiš‘ênû):
  • Meaning: "Our rescue," "our deliverance," "our victory," or "our saving help."
  • Significance: Identifies God as the ultimate source and possessor of their desired rescue. He is the inherent Giver of salvation, not merely an external aid. It points to a profound understanding of God's character.
• for the glory (עַל־כְּבוֹד, `al-kĕḇôḏ):
  • Meaning: "On account of the weight/honor/majesty." "Kavod" signifies intrinsic honor, reputation, and manifest presence.
  • Significance: The primary motivation for God's action is His own intrinsic worth and how that worth is displayed. It’s not about appeasement but upholding His own standard.
• of your name (שְׁמֶךָ, šǝmeḵā):
  • Meaning: God's revealed character, His very being, His reputation and authority. "Name" (Shem) in ancient thought encapsulates a person's entire nature.
  • Significance: God is asked to act because His character, revealed to the world through His people, is at stake. The desolation of Israel could imply God's weakness to pagan nations.
• deliver us (וְהַצִּילֵנוּ, wəhaṣṣîlēnû):
  • Meaning: "And rescue us," "snatch us away," "preserve us from danger." A specific request for immediate, concrete action.
  • Significance: A plea for protection from enemies and current destruction.
• and forgive our sins (וְכַפֵּר עַל־חַטֹּאתֵינוּ, wəḵappêr `al-ḥaṭṭōʾṯêrū):
  • Meaning: "And atone for/cover/purify our misdeeds/trespasses/failures." "Kapar" relates to atonement and covering, often with sacrificial connotations. "Haṭṭōʾt" indicates moral failing, deviation from God's standard.
  • Significance: Acknowledges their responsibility and that their suffering is linked to their iniquities. Forgiveness is crucial for divine intervention, removing the barrier between them and God's favor. It implies a recognition of guilt and a desire for reconciliation.
• for your name's sake (לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ, lĕma‘an šǝmeḵā):
  • Meaning: "On account of your name," "because of your name." Reiteration for emphasis.
  • Significance: This phrase underscores the self-sacrificial motivation from God's perspective. It emphasizes that God's actions are driven by His own integrity, faithfulness, and sovereign purposes, not by the people's worthiness. It stands as a theological cornerstone: God’s deepest reason for acting is rooted in who He is.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Help us, O God of our salvation": This opening establishes God as the exclusive source of their help and salvation. It immediately sets the tone of dependence and identifies God by His primary salvific attribute, asserting His power even in their weakness.
• "for the glory of your name": This provides the core motivation for their plea. It moves beyond a cry for relief based on suffering alone, anchoring the request in God's own honor. The desecration of Israel brings reproach to Yahweh among the nations; His vindication is tied to theirs. This highlights God's self-revelation and commitment to His renown.
• "deliver us, and forgive our sins": These two petitions cover both external rescue from physical peril and internal spiritual cleansing. They recognize that their outward suffering is connected to their inward spiritual condition. Deliverance requires addressing the root of their plight – sin – which erected a barrier between them and divine favor.
• "for your name's sake!": This concluding phrase strongly reiterates and seals the plea. It ensures that God’s actions, whether rescue or forgiveness, are understood not as a reward for their merit or pleading but as an act consistent with His character, covenant faithfulness, and supreme desire to glorify Himself. It's a powerful and humble appeal to divine self-interest, ultimately for human good. This also directly counters pagan notions where gods acted on human appeasement; here, God acts out of His own sovereign nature.

Psalm 79 9 Bonus section

• The request for forgiveness for God's name's sake foreshadows the ultimate work of atonement through Christ, where sin is forgiven not through human merit or efforts, but purely through the divine initiative and perfect sacrifice, culminating in God's ultimate glory and the triumph of His Name (e.g., Phil 2:9-11).
• The concept of God acting "for His name's sake" (or "for my own sake") is a powerful theme found frequently in prophetic literature (especially Isaiah, Ezekiel), highlighting divine sovereignty and purpose even amidst human failure. This polemic against idol worship of the time reinforced that Yahweh is self-sufficient, unlike other gods needing human propitiation.
• The Psalm reminds believers that our suffering and deliverance are not solely about us; they have cosmic implications related to God's self-revelation to the world. When God’s people are in distress, and then are delivered, it showcases God’s power and faithfulness to all who observe.
• This verse can be applied individually as well. When we face trials due to our own failings, we are called to confess our sins and appeal to God’s nature as a forgiving God, praying for His intervention to bring glory to His name through our restoration, not our personal deserving.

Psalm 79 9 Commentary

Psalm 79:9 presents a profound theological and practical model for prayer during national or severe personal distress. The supplicant does not appeal to their own innocence or past merits, which in this context of catastrophe are evidently lacking. Instead, the appeal is entirely upon God’s character and reputation. The core motivation, repeated for emphasis, is "for the glory of your name" and "for your name's sake." This profound plea demonstrates an understanding that God's honor is intrinsically linked to the well-being of His covenant people. If His people are utterly destroyed or continuously ridiculed by the nations, it would seem to other peoples that Yahweh is either powerless, uncaring, or worse, has abandoned His promises.

Therefore, the psalmist is asking God to act as a witness to His own power, faithfulness, and covenant love in the face of pagan mockery. The prayer acknowledges the people's sin as a reason for their plight, humbly asking for "forgiveness of sins," which implies a recognition of divine justice. Yet, even this request for forgiveness is presented for God's name's sake, signifying that God's compassion and desire for reconciliation are rooted in His own merciful character rather than any human ability to atone. It encapsulates both corporate repentance and confident trust, revealing a deep theological understanding of God's redemptive purpose that extends beyond individual salvation to the global witness of His holy Name.