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Do not hold us accountable for the sins of earlier generations.[a]
Quickly send your compassion our way,[b]
for we are in serious trouble.[c]
Help us, O God, our deliverer!
For the sake of your glorious reputation,[d] rescue us.
Forgive our sins for the sake of your reputation.[e]
10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
Before our very eyes may the shed blood of your servants
be avenged among the nations.[f]

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 79:8 tn Heb “do not remember against us sins, former.” Some understand “former” as an attributive adjective modifying sins, “former [i.e., chronologically prior] sins” (see BDB 911 s.v. רִאשׁוֹן). The present translation assumes that רִאשֹׁנִים (riʾshonim, “former”) here refers to those who lived formerly, that is, the people’s ancestors (see Lam 5:7). The word is used in this way in Lev 26:45; Deut 19:14 and Eccl 1:11.
  2. Psalm 79:8 tn Heb “may your compassion quickly confront us.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive, indicating a tone of prayer.
  3. Psalm 79:8 tn Heb “for we are very low.”
  4. Psalm 79:9 tn Heb “the glory of your name.” Here and in the following line “name” stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
  5. Psalm 79:9 tn Heb “your name.”
  6. Psalm 79:10 tn Heb “may it be known among the nations, to our eyes, the vengeance of the shed blood of your servants.”