TRV
Translation
King James Version
Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;
Complete Jewish Bible
Let the groaning of the captives come before you; by your great strength save those condemned to death.
Berean Standard Bible
May the groans of the captives reach You; by the strength of Your arm preserve those condemned to death.
American Standard Version
Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee: According to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to death;
World English Bible Messianic
Let the sighing of the prisoner come before you. According to the greatness of your power, preserve those who are sentenced to death.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Let the sighing of the prisoners come before thee: according to thy mightie arme preserue the children of death,
Young's Literal Translation
Let the groaning of the prisoner come in before Thee, According to the greatness of Thine arm, Leave Thou the sons of death.
In the KJVVerse 15,197 of 31,102
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Commentary on Psalms 79 verses 6–13
6 ¶ Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.
8 O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.
10 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.
11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;
12 And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.
13 So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.
The petitions here put up to God are very suitable to the present distresses of the church, and they have pleas to enforce them, interwoven with them, taken mostly from God's honour.
I. They pray that God would so turn away his anger from them as to turn it upon those that persecuted and abused them (Psa 79:6): "Pour out thy wrath, the full vials of it, upon the heathen; let them wring out the dregs of it, and drink them." This prayer is in effect a prophecy, in which the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Observe here, 1. The character of those he prays against; they are such as have not known God, nor called upon his name. The reason why men do not call upon God is because they do not know him, how able and willing he is to help them. Those that persist in ignorance of God, and neglect of prayer, are the ungodly, who live without God in the world. There are kingdoms that know not God and obey not the gospel, but neither their multitude nor their force united will secure them from his just judgments. 2. Their crime: They have devoured Jacob, Psa 79:7. That is crime enough in the account of him who reckons that those who touch his people touch the apple of his eye. They have not only disturbed, but devoured, Jacob, not only encroached upon his dwelling place, the land of Canaan, but laid it waste by plundering and depopulating it. (3.) Their condemnation: "Pour out thy wrath upon them; do not only restrain them from doing further mischief, but reckon with them for the mischief they have done."
II. They pray for the pardon of sin, which they own to be the procuring cause of all their calamities. How unrighteous soever men were, God was righteous in permitting them to do what they did. They pray, 1. That God would not remember against them their former iniquities (Psa 79:8), either their own former iniquities, that now, when they were old, they might not be made to possess the iniquities of their youth, or the former iniquities of their people, the sins of their ancestors. In the captivity of Babylon former iniquities were brought to account; but God promises not again to do so (Jer 31:29, Jer 31:30), and so they pray, "Remember not against us our first sins," which some make to look as far back as the golden calf, because God said, In the day when I visit I will visit for this sin of theirs upon them, Exo 32:34. If the children by repentance and reformation cut off the entail of the parents' sin, they may in faith pray that God will not remember them against them. When God pardons sin he blots it out and remembers it no more. 2. That he would purge away the sins they had been lately guilty of, by the guilt of which their minds and consciences had been defiled: Deliver us, and purge away our sins, Psa 79:9. Then deliverances from trouble are granted in love, and are mercies indeed, when they are grounded upon the pardon of sin and flow from that; we should therefore be more earnest with God in prayer for the removal of our sins than for the removal of our afflictions, and the pardon of them is the foundation and sweetness of our deliverances.
III. They pray that God would work deliverance for them, and bring their troubles to a good end and that speedily: Let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us, Psa 79:8. They had no hopes but from God's mercies, his tender mercies; their case was so deplorable that they looked upon themselves as the proper objects of divine compassion, and so near to desperate that, unless divine mercy did speedily interpose to prevent their ruin, they were undone. This whets their importunity: "Lord, help us; Lord, deliver us; help us under our troubles, that we may bear them well; help us out of our troubles, that the spirit may not fail. Deliver us from sin, from sinking." Three things they plead: - 1. The great distress they were reduced to: "We are brought very low, and, being low, shall be lost if thou help us not." The lower we are brought the more need we have of help from heaven and the more will divine power be magnified in raising us up. 2. Their dependence upon him: "Thou art the God of our salvation, who alone canst help. Salvation belongs to the Lord, from whom we expect help; for in the Lord alone is the salvation of his people." Those who make God the God of their salvation shall find him so. 3. The interest of his own honour in their case. They plead no merit of theirs; they pretend to none; but, "Help us for the glory of thy name; pardon us for thy name's sake." The best encouragements in prayer are those that are taken from God only, and those things whereby he has made himself known. Two things are insinuated in this plea: - (1.) That God's name and honour would be greatly injured if he did not deliver them; for those that derided them blasphemed God, as if he were weak and could not help them, or had withdrawn and would not; therefore they plead (Psa 79:10), "Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? He has forsaken them, and forgotten them; and this they get by worshipping a God whom they cannot see." (Nil praeter nubes et coeli numen adorant. Juv. - They adore no other divinity than the clouds and the sky.) That which was their praise (that they served a God that is every where) was now turned to their reproach and his too, as if they served a God that is nowhere. "Lord," say they, "Make it to appear that thou art by making it to appear that thou art with us and for us, that when we are asked, Where is your God? we may be able to say, He is nigh unto us in all that which we call upon him for, and you see he is so by what he does for us." (2.) That God's name and honour would be greatly advanced if he did deliver them; his mercy would be glorified in delivering those that were so miserable and helpless. By making bare his everlasting arm on their behalf he would make unto himself an everlasting name; and their deliverance would be a type and figure of the great salvation, which in the fulness of time Messiah the Prince would work out, to the glory of God's name.
IV. They pray that God would avenge them on their adversaries, 1. For their cruelty and barbarity (Psa 79:10): "Let the avenging of our blood" (according to the ancient law, Gen 9:6) "be known among the heathen; let them be made sensible that what judgments are brought upon them are punishments of the wrong they have done to us; let this be in our sight, and by this means let God be known among the heathen as the God to whom vengeance belongs (Psa 94:1) and the God that espouses his people's cause." Those that have intoxicated themselves with the blood of the saints shall have blood given them to drink, for they are worthy. 2. For their insolence and scorn (Psa 79:12): "Render to them their reproach. The indignities which by word and deed they have done to the people of God himself and his name let them be repaid to them with interest." The reproach wherewith men have reproached us only we must leave it to God whether he will render to them or no, and must pray that he would forgive them; but the reproach wherewith they have blasphemed God himself we may in faith pray that God would render seven-fold into their bosoms, so as to strike at their hearts, to humble them, and bring them to repentance. This prayer is a prophecy, of the same import with that of Enoch, that God will convince sinners of all their hard speeches which they have spoken against him (Jde 1:15) and will return them into their own bosoms by everlasting terrors at the remembrance of them.
V. They pray that God would find out a way for the rescue of his poor prisoners, especially the condemned prisoners, Psa 79:11. The case of their brethren who had fallen into the hands of the enemy was very sad; they were kept close prisoners, and, because they durst not be heard to bemoan themselves, they vented their griefs in deep and silent sighs. All their breathing was sighing, and so was their praying. They were appointed to die, as sheep for the slaughter, and had received the sentence of death within themselves. This deplorable case the psalmist recommends, 1. To the divine pity: "Let their sighs come up before thee, and be thou pleased to take cognizance of their moans." 2. To the divine power: "According to the greatness of thy arm, which no creature can contest with, preserve thou those that are appointed to die from the death to which they are appointed." Man's extremity is God's opportunity to appear for his people. See Co2 1:8-10.
Lastly, They promise the returns of praise for the answers of prayer (Psa 79:13): So we will give thee thanks for ever. Observe, 1. How they please themselves with their relation to God. "Though we are oppressed and brought low, yet we are the sheep of thy pasture, not disowned and cast off by thee for all this: We are thine; save us." 2. How they promise themselves an opportunity of praising God for their deliverance, which they therefore desired, and would bid welcome, because it would furnish them with matter for thanksgiving and put their hearts in tune for that excellent work, the work of heaven. 3. How they oblige themselves not only to give God thanks at present, but to show forth his praise unto all generations, that is, to do all they could both to perpetuate the remembrance of God's favours to them and to engage their posterity to keep up the work of praise. 4. How they plead this with God: "Lord, appear for us against our enemies; for, if they get the better, they will blaspheme thee (Psa 79:12); but, if we be delivered, we will praise thee. Lord, we are that people of thine which thou hast formed for thyself, to show forth thy praise; if we be cut off, whence shall that rent, that tribute, be raised?" Note, Those lives that are entirely devoted to God's praise are assuredly taken under his protection.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 6–13. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 79:11 is a fervent and deeply poignant petition for divine intervention, arising from a communal lament in the aftermath of national catastrophe. It articulates the desperate cry of a people facing extreme suffering, captivity, and imminent death, appealing to God's immense power to preserve those on the brink of destruction. This verse encapsulates both profound anguish and unwavering trust in the Almighty's capacity to deliver even from the most dire circumstances, serving as a powerful plea for God's merciful and sovereign hand to act on behalf of the most vulnerable.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 79:11 employs several powerful literary devices to heighten its emotional impact and theological significance. The most prominent is Personification, where the "sighing" is given agency, implored to "come before" God, as if it were a direct messenger carrying the desperate plea of the oppressed. This elevates the wordless groan to a potent form of prayer that demands divine attention. The phrase "appointed to die" (literally "sons of death") is a striking example of Metonymy or Periphrasis, where a characteristic or consequence (death) stands for the people experiencing it, vividly emphasizing their dire fate and the certainty of their demise apart from divine intervention. It also borders on Hyperbole, underscoring the extreme nature of their peril and the overwhelming odds against them. The entire verse is an example of Apostrophe, a direct and passionate address to God ("thee"), creating an intimate, urgent, and deeply personal tone to the communal lament. Finally, the stark juxtaposition of the extreme vulnerability of the "prisoner" and "those appointed to die" with the "greatness of thy power" creates a powerful Antithesis, highlighting the vast disparity between human weakness and divine omnipotence, thereby magnifying God's potential for miraculous deliverance.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 79:11 profoundly connects to the biblical understanding of God's character as one who hears the cries of the afflicted and possesses infinite power to deliver. It speaks to the enduring nature of prayer in suffering, demonstrating that even in the darkest moments, when human help is absent, God remains the ultimate refuge. The verse's emphasis on God's preservation of the most vulnerable foreshadows the broader biblical narrative of God's preferential option for the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized. It is a testament to the theological truth that God's power is most gloriously displayed in rescuing those who are utterly helpless, transforming despair into hope through His sovereign intervention and demonstrating His unwavering commitment to justice and life.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 79:11 offers profound encouragement and a vital framework for believers navigating personal and corporate suffering today. It reminds us that our deepest anguish, even the wordless "sighing" that transcends articulation, is heard and acknowledged by a compassionate God. In moments of overwhelming despair, when we feel "appointed to die" – whether physically, emotionally, spiritually, or relationally – this verse calls us to anchor our hope not in our own strength or external circumstances, but in the "greatness of thy power." It challenges us to expand our empathy beyond our immediate circles, to remember and intercede for those globally who are truly prisoners, victims of injustice, persecution, or violence, and those facing imminent death. This psalm transforms our personal lament into a communal prayer for justice and deliverance, compelling us to both pray fervently and act compassionately, reflecting God's heart for the vulnerable and demonstrating His kingdom values in a broken world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does God truly hear wordless groans or "sighing"?
Answer: Yes, absolutely. The Bible consistently affirms that God is intimately attentive to the cries of His people, even those that are inarticulate or wordless. Psalms 79:11 specifically petitions for the "sighing" to come before God, indicating that such expressions of deep distress are recognized and responded to by Him. This concept is further developed in the New Testament, where Romans 8:26 teaches that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us "with groans that words cannot express," confirming that God understands and responds to our deepest, unarticulated needs and anguish, translating our inarticulate cries into perfect prayers.
How does "the greatness of thy power" relate to human suffering?
Answer: The phrase "according to the greatness of thy power" serves as the foundational appeal for the psalmist's plea for preservation. It acknowledges that human suffering, especially that leading to captivity and imminent death, is often beyond human capacity to overcome. By appealing to God's "greatness of power," the psalmist expresses profound faith that God's omnipotence transcends all human limitations and dire circumstances. It's a declaration that no situation is too dire, no enemy too strong, and no fate too certain for God to intervene and deliver. This echoes the truth found in Luke 1:37, "For nothing will be impossible with God," and reminds us that God's power is not limited by our weakness or the severity of our trials.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 79:11 finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "sighing of the prisoner" and the plight of "those appointed to die" resonate deeply with humanity's universal bondage to sin and the ultimate sentence of spiritual and physical death. Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, entered into this human condition, experiencing profound suffering and ultimately being "appointed to die" on the cross, not for His own sin, but for the sins of the world. Through His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus demonstrated the "greatness of thy power" in its most magnificent form, conquering sin and death itself. He is the one who proclaims liberty to the captives and sets the prisoners free, delivering those held in spiritual bondage. Believers, once "appointed to die" in their trespasses, are now, through faith in Christ, preserved unto eternal life, delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of His beloved Son (as seen in Colossians 1:13). Thus, the ancient plea for preservation becomes a glorious reality in the Christ who delivers us from the ultimate prison and the final death sentence, offering true and lasting freedom.