Psalm 79

Lamentation (community) / Imprecatory / God and the Nations (Asaph)

Have Mercy on My Sinful Self

            8 Do not remember the iniquities of our forefathers against us;

            Let Your compassion come quickly to meet us,

            For we are brought very low.

            9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name;

              And deliver us and forgive our sins, for Your name’s sake.

·         It is well when men are punished for their sins in time and not eternity; so that we may properly confess, and bewail, and forsake, and obtain pardon for them all.

·         When we are in any trouble, our best resort is to proper acts of devotion, as we learn from this Psalm. If we can bring our woes before God in prayer, we have done the best possible thing.

·         It is an unspeakable blessing, seldom duly prized, to live in times free from bloody persecutions.

·         Whoso learns to sin without remorse will soon learn to sin without measure.

·         God’s delays in sending relief often seem long and even tedious. But let us remember that such delays are doubtless needful, that God’s honor is of more importance than our ease, that God always sees in us just cause for every stroke he inflicts . . .

·         We have great need to ask forgiveness for our old sins. Those enlightened from above do habitually trace their sufferings to some particular sin or sins or to their sinfulness in general. Nor can solid peace ever be secured without an interest in the precious bloodand infinite righteousness of Jesus Christ.

·         Nor will a little mercy answer our purpose. We need mercies, yea, tender mercies, yea, a multitude of his tender mercies.

·         If God shall help us, he must find cause of mercy in himself, and not in us. We are vile. He is perfect and infinite.