Psalms 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 {H5038} of thy servants {H5650} have they given {H5414}{H8804)} to be meat {H3978} unto the fowls {H5775} of the heaven {H8064}, the flesh {H1320} of thy saints {H2623} unto the beasts {H2416} of the earth {H776}.

They have given the corpses of your servants as food for the birds in the air, yes, the flesh of those faithful to you for the wild animals of the earth.

They have given the corpses of Your servants as food to the birds of the air, the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth.

The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be food unto the birds of the heavens, The flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.

Commentary

Psalm 79:2 is a deeply poignant verse from a communal lament, expressing profound grief and horror over the devastation inflicted upon Jerusalem and its people. The psalmist cries out to God, describing the ultimate indignity suffered by the faithful:

Context

This psalm is widely believed to be a response to the destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple by the Babylonian empire in 586 BC. The invaders not only conquered the city but also desecrated holy sites and slaughtered its inhabitants. The unburied dead, left as carrion for animals, represented a severe curse and a profound insult to the deceased, denying them proper burial rites which were crucial in ancient Near Eastern cultures. This imagery underscores the utter defeat and humiliation experienced by God's people. For more on the destruction of the Temple, see 2 Kings 25:9 or Jeremiah 52:13.

Key Themes

  • Desecration and Indignity: The verse vividly portrays the ultimate disrespect shown to the slain, whose bodies are left unburied. This was a grave insult, suggesting that even in death, God's servants were afforded no honor.
  • Profound Suffering: It highlights the extreme suffering endured by the Israelites, not just in death, but in the aftermath, as their loved ones faced such a gruesome fate.
  • Divine Silence and Plea: While not explicitly stated in this verse, the psalm as a whole is a desperate plea to God to remember His covenant and intervene, questioning why such calamity has befallen His chosen people. The horror described here serves as a powerful argument for divine action.
  • Consequences of Sin (Implied): Though the psalm focuses on the enemy's actions, the broader biblical narrative often links such national calamities to the nation's departure from God's commands, leading to prophetic warnings like those in Jeremiah 16:4.

Linguistic Insights

The parallelism in the verse, "dead bodies of thy servants" and "flesh of thy saints," emphasizes the identity of the victims. The Hebrew word for "servants" is 'avadayikha (ืขึฒื‘ึธื“ึถื™ืšึธ), denoting those who serve God, while "saints" is chasidayikha (ื—ึฒืกึดื™ื“ึถื™ืšึธ), referring to those who are loyal, devout, and godly. The use of these terms heightens the tragedy, as those dedicated to the Lord are subjected to such barbaric treatment. This stands in stark contrast to the divine perspective on the death of the righteous, as seen in Psalms 116:15, which states, "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints."

Practical Application

While the specific horror of unburied bodies may not be a common experience today, Psalm 79:2 speaks to the profound pain and trauma caused by warfare, persecution, and injustice. It reminds us:

  • The Reality of Suffering: The Bible does not shy away from depicting the brutal realities of human suffering, even among God's people. This honest portrayal can be a source of comfort for those experiencing deep pain.
  • The Value of Human Dignity: The lament over desecrated bodies underscores the inherent dignity of human life, even in death. It calls us to respect the deceased and to advocate for humane treatment, even in conflict.
  • A Call to Prayer: Like the psalmist, we are called to bring our laments and pleas for justice before God when we witness or experience profound injustice and suffering. This verse is a powerful example of crying out to God from the depths of despair, trusting in His ultimate sovereignty and justice, even when His ways are incomprehensible.
Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 7:33

    And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray [them] away.

  • Jeremiah 34:20

    I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth.

  • Jeremiah 16:4

    They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; [but] they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.

  • Deuteronomy 28:26

    And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray [them] away.

  • Jeremiah 19:7

    And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives: and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.

  • Jeremiah 15:3

    And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.
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