There’s the belief that has been held throughout history that God is so loving and kind that he would never bring discipline or judgment to his people. He will just forgive. But that is not a good God. Would a good God never do anything about evil?
Israel found that out the hard way.
They had so sinned against God, that God removed his protective hand. When that happened, the enemies of God trampled Jerusalem and utterly ransacked it. Many died and the holy places were torn down. Blood flowed like water in the streets.
“How long, “Yahweh? Will You be angry forever?” (Ps 79:5).
There is first this appeal to God, to not forever count the sins of Israel against them.
“Do not hold past sins against us; let Your compassion come to us quickly, for we have become weak. God of our salvation, help us–for the glory of Your name. Deliver us and atone for our sins because of Your name” (Ps 79:8-9).
Then the psalmist Asaph moves into a plea to bring retribution against those who have desecrated God’s holy place and destroyed God’s people.
“Pour out Your wrath on the nations that don’t acknowledge You, on the kingdoms that don’t call on Your name, for they devoured Jacob and devastated his homeland” (Ps 79:6-7).
“Before our eyes, let vengeance for the shed blood of Your servants be known among the nations” (Ps 79:10).
“Pay back sevenfold to our neighbors the reproach they have hurled at You, Lord” (Ps 79:12).
This sounds like some stout prayers if we’re honest. But if you’ve ever been the recipient of continuous accusation, even if some of it is your fault and some of it isn’t, there is the cry of the heart for retribution and vindication. Right or wrong, it persists in the heart. It’s a pray of God’s mercy for our sins, and a prayer of asking God to act against those who have caused so much suffering.
It makes me think of something similar in Revelation 6:10-11 the words of those who had been killed for their testimony of Jesus:
The world is changing right now and the persecution against God’s people is intensifying and I think will intensify even more. There are more to die for their faith in Jesus.
I do believe this psalm will become in the next 10 years something we will have a much stronger connection to. May God have mercy on us all.
