TRV
Translation
King James Version
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
Help us, God of our salvation, for the sake of the glory of your name. Deliver us, forgive our sins, for your name's sake.
Berean Standard Bible
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; deliver us and atone for our sins, for the sake of Your name.
American Standard Version
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name; And deliver us, and forgive our sins, for thy name’s sake.
World English Bible Messianic
Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of your name. Deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Helpe vs, O God of our saluation, for the glorie of thy Name, and deliuer vs, and be mercifull vnto our sinnes for thy Names sake.
Young's Literal Translation
Help us, O God of our salvation, Because of the honour of Thy name, And deliver us, and cover over our sins, For Thy name's sake.
See also
In the KJVVerse 15,195 of 31,102
Study This Verse
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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Gregory of NazianzusAD 390
ON THE HOLY SPIRIT, THEOLOGICAL ORATION 5[31].22
Some things mentioned in the Bible are not factual; some factual things are not mentioned; some nonfactual things receive no mention there; some things are both factual and mentioned. Do you ask for my proofs here? I am ready to offer them. In the Bible, God “sleeps,” “wakes up,” “is angered,” “walks” and has a “throne of cherubim.” Yet when has God ever been subject to emotion? When do you ever hear that God is a bodily being? This is a nonfactual, mental picture. We have used names derived from human experience and applied them so far as we could, to aspects of God. His retirement from us, for reason known to himself into an almost unconcerned inactivity, is his “sleeping.” Human sleeping, after all, has the character of restful inaction. When he alters and suddenly benefits us, that is his “waking up.” Waking up puts an end to sleep, just as looking at somebody puts an end to turning away from him. We have made his punishing us, his “being angered”; for with us, punishment is born of anger. His acting in different places, we call “walking,” for walking is a transition from one place to another. His resting among the heavenly powers, making them almost his haunt, we call his “sitting” and “being enthroned”; this too is human language. The divine, in fact, rests nowhere as he rests in the saints. God’s swift motion we call “flight;” his watching over us is his “face”;12 his giving and receiving is his “hand.” In short every faculty or activity of God has given us a corresponding picture in terms of some thing bodily.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
SERMON 293:5
There, at last, gaze on "In the beginning was the Word." The Word was not, you see, made at some time or other; but it just was in the beginning. Not like creation, of which it is said, "In the beginning God made heaven and earth." As for the Word that was in the beginning, there was no time when it was not. So this that "was in the beginning, and was the Word with God, and the Word itself was God; and all things were made through him, and without him was nothing made"; and in him "what was made is life." This Word came to us. To whom? To us as worthy? Perish the thought! No, but to us as unworthy. After all, "Christ died for the ungodly," and the unworthy, while being worthy himself. We were unworthy, you see, for him to have pity on; but he was worthy to take pity on us, to be told, "Because of your pity, Lord, deliver us." Not because of any previous merits of ours, but "because of your pity, Lord, deliver us; and be lenient with our sins, because of your name," not because of our merit. Obviously, not because of the merit of our sins, but "because of your name." I mean, the merit of our sins, of course, is not reward but revenge. So therefore, "because of your name."
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 79
Therefore there follows, "Help us, O God, our healing One" [Psalm 79:9]. By this word which he says, "our healing One," he does sufficiently explain what sort of poverty he has willed to be understood, in that which he had said, "for we have become exceeding poor." For it is that very sickness, to which a healer is necessary. But while he would have us to be aided, he is neither ungrateful to grace, nor does he take away free-will. For he that is aided, does also of himself something. He has added also, "for the glory of Your Name, O Lord, deliver us:" in order that he who glories, not in himself, but in the Lord may glory. [1 Corinthians 1:31] "And be merciful," he says, "to our sins for Your Name's sake:" not for our sake. For what else do our sins deserve, but due and condign punishments? But "be merciful to our sins, for Your Name's sake." Thus then You deliver us, that is, rescue us from evil things, while You both aid us to do justice, and art merciful to our sins, without which in this life we are not. For "in Your sight shall no man living be justified." But sin is iniquity. And "if You shall have marked iniquities, who shall stand?"
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 79:9 is a fervent communal lament, a desperate cry from a people ravaged by national catastrophe, likely the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple. It is a profound appeal to God as the "God of our salvation," imploring Him to intervene, deliver, and cleanse His people from sin, not based on their merit, but solely "for the glory of thy name" and "for thy name's sake." This verse encapsulates a pivotal theological truth: God's ultimate motivation for acting on behalf of His people is the vindication and honor of His own holy character and reputation among the nations.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 79 is a communal lament, one of several psalms (e.g., Psalm 74) that grapple with the profound trauma of national disaster. It immediately follows Psalm 78, which recounts Israel's history of rebellion and God's patience. Psalm 79 opens with vivid imagery of Jerusalem in ruins, the Temple defiled, and the bodies of God's servants left unburied, serving as food for birds and beasts (e.g., Psalms 79:1-4). The psalm moves from a description of suffering to a plea for divine vengeance against the nations who mock God (e.g., Psalms 79:10) and culminates in a renewed commitment to praise Him. Verse 9 represents the turning point where the focus shifts from the devastation to a direct, humble, and theologically rich appeal for God's intervention, grounded in His character rather than the people's worthiness.
Historical & Cultural Context: The historical backdrop for Psalm 79 is almost certainly the destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BC, an event meticulously documented in historical books like 2 Kings 25 and Jeremiah 52. This catastrophe was not merely a military defeat; it was a profound theological crisis. The Temple was the dwelling place of God's presence, and its destruction, along with the subsequent exile, led surrounding nations to mock Israel's God, questioning His power and faithfulness (e.g., Psalms 79:10). In ancient Near Eastern cultures, a nation's defeat often implied the defeat of its gods. Thus, the psalmist's plea for God to act "for thy name's sake" was not just a pious expression but an urgent appeal for God to vindicate His own honor and reputation in the eyes of a skeptical world, proving His sovereignty despite the apparent triumph of pagan deities. The communal nature of the lament reflects the collective shame, grief, and spiritual disorientation experienced by the entire nation.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully articulates several core themes prevalent throughout the Psalms and the broader Old Testament. Firstly, the theme of Divine Sovereignty and Salvation is paramount, as God is addressed as the "God of our salvation," emphasizing His inherent nature as the deliverer and rescuer of His people from all forms of distress, whether physical or spiritual. This echoes the concept of Yahweh as the ultimate source of rescue, as seen in passages like Psalm 68:20. Secondly, the Glory and Honor of God's Name is the central driving force behind the plea. The repeated phrases "for the glory of thy name" and "for thy name's sake" underscore the theological principle that God acts to uphold His own reputation and covenant faithfulness, not primarily due to human merit. This theme is foundational to God's redemptive acts throughout Israel's history, as He declares in Ezekiel 36:22-23. Thirdly, the theme of Sin and Forgiveness is crucial. The plea to "purge away our sins" acknowledges that the people's suffering is, at least in part, a consequence of their corporate sin and rebellion against God, as often highlighted in prophetic books like Isaiah 59:2. This recognition of culpability and the humble request for cleansing are vital steps toward national restoration and reconciliation with God, demonstrating a profound understanding of the covenant relationship.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 79:9 employs several potent literary devices to convey its urgent and theologically rich message. The most prominent is Lament, characteristic of the entire psalm, which expresses deep sorrow, distress, and a plea for divine intervention in the face of overwhelming catastrophe. The direct address "O God of our salvation" is an example of Apostrophe, where the psalmist directly addresses God, creating an intimate and fervent tone. The powerful and deliberate Repetition of "for the glory of thy name" and "for thy name's sake" serves to underscore the central theological motivation for God's action, emphasizing that His honor is paramount. This repetition also functions as a form of Anaphora if considering the broader context of similar pleas in other psalms. Furthermore, the phrase "for thy name's sake" can be seen as Metonymy, where "name" stands in for God's entire character, reputation, and essence, highlighting that God's actions are intrinsically tied to who He is. The psalm also uses Parallelism in the requests "deliver us, and purge away our sins," linking external rescue with internal spiritual cleansing.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 79:9 stands as a powerful testament to the biblical understanding of God's character and His relationship with His people. It highlights that God's redemptive acts are ultimately driven by His commitment to His own glory and the sanctity of His name, rather than solely by human worthiness. This principle undergirds much of salvation history, where God intervenes not because Israel deserved it, but because His covenant faithfulness and reputation were at stake. The recognition of corporate sin and the plea for cleansing also connect this verse to the broader theme of divine judgment and restoration, where sin leads to consequence, but repentance and God's grace lead to renewal. This profound prayer models a posture of humble dependence, acknowledging both human culpability and divine sovereignty, and ultimately trusting in God's inherent nature as the "God of our salvation."
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 79:9 offers a profound blueprint for prayer and spiritual posture, particularly in times of personal or communal crisis. It teaches us that even when facing overwhelming suffering, humiliation, or the consequences of our own failings, our ultimate appeal must rest on God's unchanging character and His commitment to His own glory. This shifts our perspective from self-pity or demanding based on perceived rights to a humble plea rooted in God's honor. It reminds us that our deliverance, whether from external pressures or internal sin, is fundamentally tied to God's purpose to magnify His name in the world. This verse calls believers to a radical dependence, acknowledging that true salvation and cleansing come from God alone, and that our greatest desire should be for His name to be hallowed and glorified, even in our darkest moments. It challenges us to examine our own prayers: are they primarily self-centered, or do they ultimately seek the vindication of God's name and the advancement of His kingdom?
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does the psalmist emphasize God's "name" and "glory" so much in this desperate plea?
Answer: The emphasis on God's "name" and "glory" is central because in ancient Israelite thought, God's name represented His very character, reputation, and power. When Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed, and God's people were humiliated and exiled, the surrounding pagan nations mocked them, asking, "Where is their God?" (Psalms 79:10). This was not just a taunt against Israel, but a direct challenge to the power and existence of Yahweh Himself. The psalmist understands that God's honor and credibility are at stake. Therefore, the plea "for the glory of thy name" and "for thy name's sake" is an appeal to God to act in a way that vindicates His own holy character, demonstrates His sovereignty over all nations, and proves His faithfulness to His covenant promises, thereby silencing the mockery and restoring His reputation in the world. It shifts the motivation for divine intervention from human merit to divine purpose, recognizing that God's ultimate concern is the hallowing of His own name, as seen in Ezekiel 36:22-23.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 79:9, with its fervent plea for salvation and the purging of sins for God's name's sake, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is, in the fullest sense, the "God of our salvation" (Titus 2:10), the one through whom God accomplished the definitive rescue of humanity. The psalmist's cry to "purge away our sins" anticipates the perfect and final atonement that Christ would provide. Unlike the temporary sacrifices of the Old Covenant, which merely covered sins, Jesus, through His death on the cross, truly "purged our sins" once for all (Hebrews 1:3). His sacrifice was not only for humanity's benefit but supremely "for the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:11). In Christ, God's name is supremely glorified as His justice and mercy meet at the cross, demonstrating His power to save and His faithfulness to His covenant promises. The shame and humiliation of Israel, and indeed of all humanity under sin, are fully redeemed through the cross, where God's name is vindicated and His saving power revealed to the nations (John 12:28).