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)
The psalm highlights a profound indignity: not only were God's people killed, but their bodies were left exposed, serving as food for scavengers. This wasn't just a brutal act of war, but a deliberate desecration, leaving no one to perform the rites of burial and showing utter contempt for God's faithful.
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)
This psalm is a raw cry of anguish following a devastating invasion where Jerusalem and God's temple have been desecrated and destroyed by foreign nations. The psalmist describes the horrific aftermath, emphasizing that the bodies of God's people were left unburied and exposed to wild animals and birds, a profound dishonor and a stark sign of their nation's utter ruin. This brutal scene serves as the backdrop for a prayer of confession and a plea for God's intervention and restoration.
When an army conquers, the aftermath of battle is often brutal. But this verse speaks of a horror that goes beyond mere death, touching on something far more profound.
The psalmist isn't just describing the physical reality of unburied corpses left to decay. He's painting a picture of ultimate desecration. In ancient Near Eastern culture, proper burial was deeply tied to honor and remembrance. To be denied this rite was to be utterly shamed, forgotten, and even cursed. The enemies here weren't just killing God's people; they were attempting to erase their very existence and deny them any dignity, even in death. This act speaks to a profound hatred and a desire to inflict the deepest possible humiliation.
The Shame of Exposure
Leaving bodies for birds and beasts wasn't just practical; it was a deliberate display of contempt. It communicated that these lives, and the God they served, were worthless. It was an attack on their identity and their relationship with the divine.
The enemies' actions are horrific, but the psalmist sees a deeper wound being inflicted. It's not just about the dead; it's about the living God.
When God's people suffer such indignity, it's not just their own honor that is at stake. The psalmist, and the commentaries, emphasize that this invasion and desecration are seen as an affront to God Himself.
The "Heathen" Perspective
The invaders are described as "heathen" or "nations." Their actions raise a question in the minds of onlookers: "Where is their God?" (Psalm 79:10). The implication is that if God's people are so easily destroyed and dishonored, then perhaps their God is weak, absent, or powerless.
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Divine Reputation at Risk
This is why the psalmist cries out to God. The suffering of His people, and the shame inflicted upon their dead bodies, directly impacts the reputation of God in the eyes of the world. Allowing this ultimate desecration to stand unaddressed would be a public statement that God is unable to protect or vindicate those who belong to Him.
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 raw imagery of unburied bodies devoured by birds and beasts reflects the utter devastation and humiliation experienced by the people of God during the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem in 586 BC. This catastrophe left their city in ruins and their dead exposed, a stark testament to God's judgment and the enemy's cruelty.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar I of Babylon begins deporting Jewish leaders and skilled workers to Babylon, including elements of the royal family and prophetic figures like Daniel. This marks the start of Judah's subjugation.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a rebellion, Jerusalem is besieged and more exiles, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin, are taken to Babylon. The kingdom of Judah is significantly weakened.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II completely destroys Jerusalem and the Temple, ending the kingdom of Judah. The remaining population is largely deported to Babylon, leaving the land desolate.
c. 586 - 538 BC
Babylonian Exile
The majority of the Jewish population lives in exile in Babylon, maintaining their religious identity under difficult circumstances. This period profoundly shapes Jewish theology and practice.
160s BC
Maccabean Revolt Begins
The Jewish people revolt against the Seleucid Empire's oppressive rule and forced Hellenization, leading to a period of intense conflict and martyrdom.
This passage directly prophesies the outcome described in Psalm 79:2, stating that the slain would become food for birds and wild animals if Israel disobeyed God.
Jeremiah 10:25This verse echoes the lament of Psalm 79, calling upon God to pour out His wrath on the nations that have devoured Jacob and laid waste to his dwelling, reflecting the desolation and judgment described.
Ezekiel 39:17-20This prophetic passage vividly describes a future battle where the slain will be left as food for birds and beasts, mirroring the graphic imagery of Psalm 79:2 and emphasizing divine judgment.
This apocryphal text recounts a historical event where the tongue of a defeated enemy was given to birds, illustrating the fulfillment of the horrific fate described in Psalm 79:2 in a later period of Israel's history.
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 psalm highlights a profound indignity: not only were God's people killed, but their bodies were left exposed, serving as food for scavengers. This wasn't just a brutal act of war, but a deliberate desecration, leaving no one to perform the rites of burial and showing utter contempt for God's faithful.
This psalm is a raw cry of anguish following a devastating invasion where Jerusalem and God's temple have been desecrated and destroyed by foreign nations. The psalmist describes the horrific aftermath, emphasizing that the bodies of God's people were left unburied and exposed to wild animals and birds, a profound dishonor and a stark sign of their nation's utter ruin. This brutal scene serves as the backdrop for a prayer of confession and a plea for God's intervention and restoration.
This psalm is a raw cry of anguish following a devastating invasion where Jerusalem and God's temple have been desecrated and destroyed by foreign nations. The psalmist describes the horrific aftermath, emphasizing that the bodies of God's people were left unburied and exposed to wild animals and birds, a profound dishonor and a stark sign of their nation's utter ruin. This brutal scene serves as the backdrop for a prayer of confession and a plea for God's intervention and restoration.
"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 psalm highlights a profound indignity: not only were God's people killed, but their bodies were left exposed, serving as food for scavengers. This wasn't just a brutal act of war, but a deliberat…
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Last reviewed October 2026