Psalm 78

The Church in time of persecution prays for relief. It seems to belong to the time of the Maccabees.

Does this psalm differ from what you were expecting? Don't be confused. There are two systems for arranging the psalms: the Septuagint and the Masoretic. We use the Septuagint system here. In the Masoretic system, which is used in most modern Bible translations, this psalm is called Psalm 79, and the previous psalm is known as Psalm 78.

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 A psalm for Asaph.

O God, the heathens are come into thy inheritance, they have defiled thy holy temple: they have made Jerusalem as a place to keep fruit.
2 They have given the dead bodies of thy servants to be meat for the fowls of the air: the flesh of thy saints for the beasts of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood as water, round about Jerusalem and there was none to bury them.
4 We are become a reproach to our neighbours: a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.
5 How long, O Lord, wilt thou be angry for ever: shall thy zeal be kindled like a fire?
6 Pour out thy wrath upon the nations that have not known thee: and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.
7 Because they have devoured Jacob; and have laid waste his place.
8 Remember not our former iniquities: let thy mercies speedily prevent us, for we are become exceeding poor.
9 Help us, O God, our saviour: and for the glory of thy name, O Lord, deliver us: and forgive us our sins for thy name's sake:
10 Lest they should say among the Gentiles: Where is their God? And let him be made known among the nations before our eyes, By the revenging the blood of thy servants, which hath been shed:
11 Let the sighing of the prisoners come in before thee. According to the greatness of thy arm, take possession of the children of them that have been put to death.
12 And render to our neighbours sevenfold in their bosom: the reproach wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.
13 But we thy people, and the sheep of thy pasture, will give thanks to thee for ever. We will show forth thy praise, unto generation and generation.

Old Testament first published 1609 by the English College at Douay
New Testament first published 1582 by the English College at Rheims
Revised and Annotated 1749 by Bishop Richard Challoner
Imprimatur. +James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, September 1, 1899

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

1 Psalmus Asaph.

Deus, venerunt gentes in hæreditatem tuam;
polluerunt templum sanctum tuum;
posuerunt Jerusalem in pomorum custodiam.
2 Posuerunt morticina servorum tuorum escas volatilibus cæli;
carnes sanctorum tuorum bestiis terræ.
3 Effuderunt sanguinem eorum tamquam aquam in circuitu Jerusalem,
et non erat qui sepeliret.
4 Facti sumus opprobrium vicinis nostris;
subsannatio et illusio his qui in circuitu nostro sunt.
5 Usquequo, Domine, irasceris in finem?
accendetur velut ignis zelus tuus?
6 Effunde iram tuam in gentes quæ te non noverunt,
et in regna quæ nomen tuum non invocaverunt:
7 quia comederunt Jacob,
et locum ejus desolaverunt.
8 Ne memineris iniquitatum nostrarum antiquarum;
cito anticipent nos misericordiæ tuæ,
quia pauperes facti sumus nimis.
9 Adjuva nos, Deus salutaris noster,
et propter gloriam nominis tui, Domine, libera nos:
et propitius esto peccatis nostris, propter nomen tuum.
10 Ne forte dicant in gentibus: Ubi est Deus eorum?
et innotescat in nationibus coram oculis nostris
ultio sanguinis servorum tuorum qui effusus est.
11 Introëat in conspectu tuo gemitus compeditorum;
secundum magnitudinem brachii tui posside filios mortificatorum:
12 et redde vicinis nostris septuplum in sinu eorum;
improperium ipsorum quod exprobraverunt tibi, Domine.
13 Nos autem populus tuus, et oves pascuæ tuæ,
confitebimur tibi in sæculum;
in generationem et generationem annuntiabimus laudem tuam.

Transcribed as part of the Clementine Vulgate Project
Please notify the original transcriber (little.mouth@soon.com) of any errors in this Latin edition