Psalms 79:11

Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;

Let the sighing {H603} of the prisoner {H615} come {H935}{H8799)} before {H6440} thee; according to the greatness {H1433} of thy power {H2220} preserve {H3498}{H8685)} thou those that are appointed {H1121} to die {H8546};

Let the groaning of the captives come before you; by your great strength save those condemned to death.

May the groans of the captives reach You; by the strength of Your arm preserve those condemned to death.

Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee: According to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to death;

Psalm 79:11 is a poignant plea for divine intervention, embedded within a communal lament over the destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering of the Jewish people, likely during or after the Babylonian exile. It expresses the desperate cry of a people facing utter devastation and captivity, appealing to God's immense power for rescue.

Context

Psalm 79 is a powerful lament, one of several "communal laments" in the Psalter. The preceding verses vividly describe the desecration of God's temple, the slaughter of His people, and their humiliation among the nations. This psalm is a direct response to a national catastrophe, where the covenant people of God are suffering immensely. Verse 11 specifically focuses on the plight of those who are captured and facing death, highlighting the extreme vulnerability of the community.

Key Themes

  • Desperate Plea for Deliverance: The verse is a heartfelt cry for God to hear and act. "Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee" emphasizes the depth of their anguish and the urgency of their appeal to the Almighty. It reflects a profound trust that God listens to the cries of His distressed people.
  • God's Omnipotence as Hope: The phrase "according to the greatness of thy power" anchors the prayer in God's limitless strength. Despite their dire circumstances, the psalmist expresses faith that God's power is sufficient to overcome even the most impossible situations, including the threat of death and captivity. This echoes the sentiment found in Jeremiah 32:17, "Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee."
  • Care for the Vulnerable: The "prisoner" (Hebrew: 'asir, meaning 'bound one') and "those that are appointed to die" (Hebrew: b'nei th'mutah, literally 'sons of death' or 'those destined for death') represent the most helpless and oppressed members of society. This highlights God's particular concern for the downtrodden and those facing injustice or imminent demise, demonstrating His compassion for the suffering.

Linguistic Insights

The word "sighing" (Hebrew: 'enqath) is not a casual sigh but a deep groan or moaning, indicative of profound suffering and distress. It signifies a sound of agony that rises from the depths of one's being, a desperate cry for relief. The phrase "appointed to die" (b'nei th'mutah) is a vivid and stark depiction of people whose lives are considered forfeit, awaiting execution or certain death, often in captivity. This imagery underscores the extreme vulnerability and desperation of the suppliants, emphasizing their need for divine preservation.

Practical Application

Psalm 79:11 offers profound encouragement for believers today. It reminds us that:

  • God Hears Our Deepest Cries: Even when words fail, our groans and "sighing" are heard by God. This provides comfort for those enduring immense suffering, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, assuring them that their anguish is not unnoticed by their Creator.
  • Hope in God's Unmatched Power: No situation is too dire for God's intervention. When facing seemingly insurmountable challenges, we can appeal to "the greatness of thy power," trusting that He can deliver from even the brink of death or despair. This aligns with the promise that the LORD looseth the prisoners and raises up those who are bowed down.
  • A Call for Empathy and Action: The verse also implicitly calls us to remember and advocate for those who are truly "prisoners" or "appointed to die" in our world—victims of injustice, persecution, and oppression. It prompts us to pray for and work towards their liberation and preservation, reflecting God's heart for the vulnerable.

This verse serves as a timeless prayer for deliverance, echoing the hope that God will always respond to the earnest pleas of His suffering people, demonstrating His power to preserve and set free.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 102:20

    To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;

  • Psalms 146:6

    Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein [is]: which keepeth truth for ever:

  • Psalms 146:7

    Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:

  • Psalms 69:33

    For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

  • Psalms 12:5

    For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set [him] in safety [from him that] puffeth at him.

  • Isaiah 42:7

    To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, [and] them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

  • Exodus 2:23

    ¶ And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
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