What's easily missed here is the profound theological claim that the land, the temple, and Jerusalem aren't just Israel's, but are God's very inheritance. The invaders didn't just attack a nation; they invaded God's own chosen possession, defiled His sacred dwelling, and desecrated the city that bore His name.
O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the heavens for food, the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth. They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them. We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm opens with a raw lament describing the utter devastation of God's chosen land and city by foreign invaders. The psalmist is witnessing the horrifying aftermath of a brutal conquest, where the sacred temple has been defiled and Jerusalem itself reduced to rubble, setting the stage for a plea to God amidst profound national trauma.
Have you ever felt like the very things you hold dear are being attacked? This Psalm starts with a gut-wrenching cry about invasion.
The psalm opens with a stark declaration: "O God, the nations have come into your inheritance." This isn't just a geographical invasion; it's a spiritual one.
Imagine the scene: smoke, rubble, and the silence of destruction. This verse paints a picture of total ruin.
The imagery in this verse is powerful and deliberate, aiming to convey the complete devastation experienced by God's people.
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Understand the original words
Elohim · Hebrew Noun
The Hebrew term used for God as the supreme Ruler and Judge, often used in prayer to invoke His power and authority. It signifies His covenant relationship with His people and His role as Creator.
goy · Hebrew Noun
A term used in the Old Testament to refer to all people groups outside of the covenant nation of Israel. It often implies those who do not know the one true God or who stand in opposition to His people.
nachalah · Hebrew Noun
A possession, portion, or property handed down, often used to describe Israel as the people whom God chose as His own special possession. It reflects the idea of divine ownership and intimacy.
tama' · Hebrew Verb
To make ceremonially or morally impure, specifically referring to the violation of sacred space or objects dedicated to God. It highlights the desecration of that which is set apart for divine use.
hekal · Hebrew Noun
The earthly dwelling place of God’s presence among His people; it represents the center of worship and the place where heaven meets earth. It is considered sacred and inviolable.
ebed · Hebrew Noun
In the Old Testament, those who are consecrated to God and serve Him; the term implies both status and responsibility in fulfilling God’s purpose.
chasid · Hebrew Noun/Adjective
Those who are loyal and devoted to God, often characterized by their covenant-keeping character and steadfast love for Him. It refers to those who trust in God’s promises.
dam · Hebrew Noun
The life force of a living being; in the Old Testament, it is sacred because it belongs to God. Its shedding often signifies death, judgment, or the price of sin.
cherpah · Hebrew Noun
A derisive word or gesture meant to belittle, shame, or mock someone, especially in the context of divine judgment or failure. It is intended to provoke humiliation.
This psalm cries out from the rubble of Jerusalem after its devastating destruction by the Babylonians. The lament highlights how this invasion and desecration were seen not just as a military defeat, but as a profound spiritual crisis, a defilement of God's own chosen inheritance and sanctuary.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar's forces deport many prominent Judeans, including Daniel, to Babylon, marking the beginning of the Babylonian exile and the weakening of Jerusalem.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonian army, under Nebuchadnezzar, destroys Jerusalem, razes the First Temple, and deports the remaining significant population, fulfilling prophecies of judgment.
c. 586 BC - 538 BC
Babylonian Exile
The period of Jewish exile in Babylon, during which Jerusalem lies in ruins and the Temple is non-existent, profoundly shaping Jewish identity and theology.
539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, opening the way for the return of Jewish exiles to their homeland.
c. 516 BC
Dedication of the Second Temple
The rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem is dedicated, marking a significant moment of restoration for the returned exiles, though it is a pale shadow of Solomon's original.
This passage provides a historical account of the Babylonian destruction, detailing how they defiled the Temple by taking its vessels and setting Jerusalem ablaze, directly illustrating the events lamented in Psalm 79:1.
Micah 3:12This verse contains a prophecy that Jerusalem would be 'plowed as a field' and become 'heaps,' directly paralleling the desolation described in Psalm 79:1 and suggesting a fulfillment of God's word in the lament.
Lamentations 1:10This verse describes the enemies entering Jerusalem and desecrating its sanctuary, mirroring the themes of invasion and defilement found in Psalm 79:1 and showing a similar cry of grief and loss.
Ezekiel 7:21-22This prophecy speaks of foreigners defiling God's sanctuary and profaning His treasures, echoing the violation of the Temple mentioned in Psalm 79:1 and highlighting the spiritual dimension of the national catastrophe.
2 Chronicles 36:17-19This historical record details the Chaldeans' invasion, their defilement of the Temple, and the destruction of Jerusalem, providing the historical backdrop and specific actions that Psalm 79:1 is likely lamenting.
pulpitPsalms 79:1: "<> O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps."
Verse 1. - O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance (comp. Psalm 74:2; Psalm 78:62). Israel - alike the people and the land - is "God's inheritance." Thy holy temple have they defiled. The Babylonians defiled the temple by breaking into it, seizing its treasures and ornaments (Jeremiah 52:17-23), and finally setting fire to it (Jeremiah 52:13). Th…
poolePsalms 79:1: "A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps."
THE ARGUMENT This Psalm was doubtless composed upon the sad occasion of the destruction of Judea and Jerusalem, either by Antiochus, or rather by the Chaldeans; as may be gathered from /APC 1Ma 7:16,17 , where, in the relation of the persecution of Antiochus, the second and third verses of this Psalm are cited. The psalmist, complaining of th…
What's easily missed here is the profound theological claim that the land, the temple, and Jerusalem aren't just Israel's, but are God's very inheritance. The invaders didn't just attack a nation; they invaded God's own chosen possession, defiled His sacred dwelling, and desecrated the city that bore His name.
This psalm opens with a raw lament describing the utter devastation of God's chosen land and city by foreign invaders. The psalmist is witnessing the horrifying aftermath of a brutal conquest, where the sacred temple has been defiled and Jerusalem itself reduced to rubble, setting the stage for a plea to God amidst profound national trauma.
This psalm opens with a raw lament describing the utter devastation of God's chosen land and city by foreign invaders. The psalmist is witnessing the horrifying aftermath of a brutal conquest, where the sacred temple has been defiled and Jerusalem itself reduced to rubble, setting the stage for a plea to God amidst profound national trauma.
"O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the heavens for food, th…" — What's easily missed here is the profound theological claim that the land, the temple, and Jerusalem aren't just Israel's, but are God's very inheritance. The invaders didn't just attack a nation…
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Last reviewed October 2026
