1 A psalme of Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into thine, inheritance, thy holy temple haue they defiled: they haue layd Ierusalem on heapes.
2 The dead bodies of thy seruants haue they giuen to bee meate vnto the foules of the heauen: the flesh of thy Saints vnto the beasts of the earth.
3 Their blood haue they shed like water round about Ierusalem: and there was none to burie them.
4 We are become a reproach to our neighbours: a scorne and derision to them that are round about vs.
5 How long, Lord, wilt thou be angry, for euer? shall thy ielousie burne like fire?
6 Powre out thy wrath vpon the heathen that haue not knowen thee, and vpon the kingdomes that haue not called vpon thy name.
7 For they haue deuoured Iacob: and laid waste his dwelling place.
8 O remember not against vs former iniquities, let thy tender mercies speedily preuent vs: for we are brought very low.
9 Helpe vs, O God of our saluation, for the glory of thy Name: and deliuer vs, and purge away our sinnes for thy Names sake.
10 Wherfore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be knowen among the heathen in our sight by the reuenging of the blood of thy seruants which is shed.
11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee, according to the greatnesse of thy power: preserue thou those that are appointed to die.
12 And render vnto our neighbours seuen fold into their bosome, their reproach wherewith they haue reproched thee, O Lord.
13 So we thy people and sheepe of thy pasture, will giue thee thankes for euer: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.
The deplorable condition of the people of God. (1-5) A petition for relief. (6-13)
1-5 God is complained to: whither should children go but to a Father able and willing to help them? See what a change sin made in the holy city, when the heathen were suffered to pour in upon them. God's own people defiled it by their sins, therefore he suffered their enemies to defile it by their insolence. They desired that God would be reconciled. Those who desire God's favour as better than life, cannot but dread his wrath as worse than death. In every affliction we should first beseech the Lord to cleanse away the guilt of our sins; then he will visit us with his tender mercies.
6-13 Those who persist in ignorance of God, and neglect of prayer, are the ungodly. How unrighteous soever men were, the Lord was righteous in permitting them to do what they did. Deliverances from trouble are mercies indeed, when grounded upon the pardon of sin; we should therefore be more earnest in prayer for the removal of our sins than for the removal of afflictions. They had no hopes but from God's mercies, his tender mercies. They plead no merit, they pretend to none, but, Help us for the glory of thy name; pardon us for thy name's sake. The Christian forgets not that he is often bound in the chain of his sins. The world to him is a prison; sentence of death is passed upon him, and he knows not how soon it may be executed. How fervently should he at all times pray, O let the sighing of a prisoner come before thee, according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die! How glorious will the day be, when, triumphant over sin and sorrow, the church beholds the adversary disarmed for ever! while that church shall, from age to age, sing the praises of her great Shepherd and Bishop, her King and her God.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.