Psalm 79

A prayer for the Church in tribulation, commemorating God's former favours.

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 80, and the previous psalm is known as Psalm 79.

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 Unto the end, for them that shall be changed, a testimony for Asaph, a psalm.

2 Give ear, O thou that rulest Israel: thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep. Thou that sittest upon the cherubims, shine forth
3 Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasses. Stir up thy might, and come to save us.
4 Convert us, O God: and show us thy face, and we shall be saved.
5 O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy servant?
6 How long wilt thou feed us with the bread of tears: and give us for our drink tears in measure?
7 Thou hast made us to be a contradiction to our neighbours: and our enemies have scoffed at us.
8 O God of hosts, convert us: and show thy face, and we shall be saved.
9 Thou hast brought a vineyard out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the Gentiles and planted it.
10 Thou wast the guide of its journey in its sight: thou plantedst the roots thereof, and it filled the land.
11 The shadow of it covered the hills: and the branches thereof the cedars of God.
12 It stretched forth its branches unto the sea, and its boughs unto the river.
13 Why hast thou broken down the hedge thereof, so that all they who pass by the way do pluck it?
14 The boar out of the wood hath laid it waste: and a singular wild beast hath devoured it.
15 Turn again, O God of hosts, look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vineyard:
16 And perfect the same which thy right hand hath planted: and upon the son of man whom thou hast confirmed for thyself.
17 Things set on fire and dug down shall perish at the rebuke of thy countenance. Things set on fire, etc... So this vineyard of thine, almost consumed already, must perish, if thou continue thy rebukes.
18 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand: and upon the son of man whom thou hast confirmed for thyself. The man of thy right hand... Christ.
19 And we depart not from thee, thou shalt quicken us: and we will call upon thy name.
20 O Lord God of hosts, convert us and show thy face, and we shall be saved.

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 In finem, pro iis qui commutabuntur. Testimonium Asaph, psalmus.

2 Qui regis Israël, intende;
qui deducis velut ovem Joseph.
Qui sedes super cherubim, manifestare
3 coram Ephraim, Benjamin, et Manasse.
Excita potentiam tuam, et veni,
ut salvos facias nos.
4 Deus, converte nos, et ostende faciem tuam,
et salvi erimus.
5 Domine Deus virtutum,
quousque irasceris super orationem servi tui?
6 cibabis nos pane lacrimarum,
et potum dabis nobis in lacrimis in mensura?
7 Posuisti nos in contradictionem vicinis nostris,
et inimici nostri subsannaverunt nos.
8 Deus virtutum, converte nos, et ostende faciem tuam,
et salvi erimus.
9 Vineam de Ægypto transtulisti:
ejecisti gentes, et plantasti eam.
10 Dux itineris fuisti in conspectu ejus;
plantasti radices ejus, et implevit terram.
11 Operuit montes umbra ejus,
et arbusta ejus cedros Dei.
12 Extendit palmites suos usque ad mare,
et usque ad flumen propagines ejus.
13 Ut quid destruxisti maceriam ejus,
et vindemiant eam omnes qui prætergrediuntur viam?
14 Exterminavit eam aper de silva,
et singularis ferus depastus est eam.
15 Deus virtutum, convertere,
respice de cælo, et vide,
et visita vineam istam:
16 et perfice eam quam plantavit dextera tua,
et super filium hominis quem confirmasti tibi.
17 Incensa igni et suffossa,
ab increpatione vultus tui peribunt.
18 Fiat manus tua super virum dexteræ tuæ,
et super filium hominis quem confirmasti tibi.
19 Et non discedimus a te:
vivificabis nos, et nomen tuum invocabimus.
20 Domine Deus virtutum, converte nos, et ostende faciem tuam,
et salvi erimus.

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