Psalms 79:2
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse doesn't just describe the gruesome outcome of war, but it highlights God's people being called both "servants" and "saints." This phrasing emphasizes that even in their direst suffering, their identity as God's chosen ones remained, making their desecration a profound insult not just to them, but to God Himself.
The psalmist is crying out to God in the midst of national catastrophe, describing the horrifying desecration of Jerusalem by enemy nations. This psalm laments the destruction of God's temple and city, portraying the enemy's brutal actions, including leaving the bodies of God's faithful people unburied and exposed to scavengers. These devastating events lead the psalmist to confess sins and plead for God's intervention to restore His people and vindicate His name.
Imagine the unthinkable: the enemy not only conquers but completely desecrates the fallen. This verse paints a horrifying picture of total disregard for human life and dignity.
In ancient warfare, leaving bodies unburied was a profound insult, not just to the dead and their families, but to the very gods they believed in.
A Savage Victory
This wasn't just about winning a battle; it was about crushing the spirit and demonstrating absolute power. By leaving the bodies of God's people exposed to scavengers, the invaders declared that these lives meant nothing, and neither did the God they served.
A Cosmic Insult
For the people of Israel, burial was a sacred rite, deeply connected to honor and hope for the future. To deny this was to deny their very humanity and their covenant relationship with God. The psalmist describes this as giving God's servants and saints 'to the birds of the heavens' and 'the beasts of the earth,' a stark image of utter abandonment and humiliation.
When God's people suffer such indignities, it doesn't just hurt them; it affects how others perceive God Himself. This verse is a cry not just for help, but for God's honor.
The psalmist isn't just recounting a gruesome scene; he's connecting the physical desecration of his people to the spiritual dishonor of God's name.
The Enemy's Boast
The invaders, by perpetrating such atrocities, implicitly or explicitly mocked God. They acted as if their gods were mightier, or that the God of Israel was powerless to protect His own.
A Plea for Divine Reputation
The suffering of the faithful becomes a public spectacle that challenges God's sovereignty and goodness. The psalmist's lament is a desperate plea for God to intervene, not only to save His people from further suffering but to vindicate His own name before the watching world.
Understand the original words
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.
The horrific imagery of unburied bodies fed to birds and beasts in Psalm 79 directly reflects the brutal reality of the Babylonian conquest and destruction of Jerusalem in 587/586 BC, a common fate for the vanquished in ancient warfare.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon begins his campaigns in the Levant, deporting some of the Judean elite, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Babylon's dominance over Judah.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a Judean revolt, Nebuchadnezzar besieges Jerusalem and deports King Jehoiachin and thousands more of Judah's skilled workers and nobles to Babylon. This significantly weakens the kingdom.
587/586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
After a prolonged siege, Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem, razes the city, destroys Solomon's Temple, and deports the majority of the remaining population to Babylon. This event is the backdrop for Psalm 79.
c. 586 BC
The Aftermath of Jerusalem's Fall
The land is left desolate, with scattered survivors in Judah and a large Jewish diaspora in Babylon. The unburied bodies of the slain lie exposed, fulfilling the psalm's horrific imagery.
This passage echoes the horrific imagery of Psalm 79:2, describing death by various means, including being devoured by scavengers, emphasizing the devastating consequences of sin and judgment.
Deuteronomy 28:26This passage from the Law prophesies the very curse described in Psalm 79:2, where disobedience would lead to the bodies of the Israelites becoming food for birds and beasts, highlighting God's justice.
Ezekiel 29:5Similar to Psalm 79:2, this prophetic passage speaks of Egypt's dead being left unburied, cast out to the birds and beasts, illustrating a complete national downfall and divine judgment.
Revelation 11:9This future prophecy describes enemies looking upon the dead bodies of God's witnesses for three and a half days, with no one allowing them to be buried, mirroring the ultimate desecration and lack of respect for God's people.
pulpitPsalms 79:2: "The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth."
Verse 2. - The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to Be meat unto the fowls of the heaven. A common incident of warfare (see the Assyrian sculptures, passim). The flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth; or, of the land. Hyaenas and jackals would dispute the flesh of the slain with vultures and crows.
clarkePsalms 79:2: "The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth."
The dead bodies of thy servants - It appears that in the destruction of Jerusalem the Chaldeans did not bury the bodies of the slain, but left them to be devoured by birds and beasts of prey. This was the grossest inhumanity.
The verse doesn't just describe the gruesome outcome of war, but it highlights God's people being called both "servants" and "saints." This phrasing emphasizes that even in their direst suffering, their identity as God's chosen ones remained, making their desecration a profound insult not just to them, but to God Himself.
The psalmist is crying out to God in the midst of national catastrophe, describing the horrifying desecration of Jerusalem by enemy nations. This psalm laments the destruction of God's temple and city, portraying the enemy's brutal actions, including leaving the bodies of God's faithful people unburied and exposed to scavengers. These devastating events lead the psalmist to confess sins and plead for God's intervention to restore His people and vindicate His name.
The psalmist is crying out to God in the midst of national catastrophe, describing the horrifying desecration of Jerusalem by enemy nations. This psalm laments the destruction of God's temple and city, portraying the enemy's brutal actions, including leaving the bodies of God's faithful people unburied and exposed to scavengers. These devastating events lead the psalmist to confess sins and plead for God's intervention to restore His people and vindicate His name.
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539 BC
Fall of Babylon
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers the Babylonian Empire. This ushers in a new era for the Jewish exiles.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. This marks the beginning of the return from exile.
"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." — The verse doesn't just describe the gruesome outcome of war, but it highlights God's people being called both "servants" and "saints." This phrasing emphasizes that even in their direst suffering, th…
