Psalm 79:2

2 They have given the dead bodies of thy servants to be food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of thy holy ones for the wild beasts of the earth.

Psalm 79:2 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 79:2

The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto
the fowls of the heaven
For such there were, both at the time of the Babylonish captivity, and in the times of Antiochus, who were good men, and served the Lord, and yet suffered in the common calamity. Nicanor, a general of Demetrius, in the time of the Maccabees, seems to have been guilty of such a fact as this, since, when he was slain, his tongue was given in pieces to the fowls, and the reward of his madness was hung up before the temple, as in the Apocrypha:

``And when he had cut out the tongue of that ungodly Nicanor, he commanded that they should give it by pieces unto the fowls, and hang up the reward of his madness before the temple.'' (2 Maccabees 15:33)

the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth;
this clause and the following verse are applied to a case in the times of the Maccabees, when sixty men of the Assideans were slain, religious, devout, and holy men, so called from the very word here translated "saints";

``Now the Assideans were the first among the children of Israel that sought peace of them:'' (1 Maccabees 7:13)

``The flesh of thy saints have they cast out, and their blood have they shed round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them.'' (1 Maccabees 7:17)

Psalm 79:2 In-Context

1 O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; they have polluted thy holy temple; they have made Jerusalem a storehouse of fruits.

2 They have given the dead bodies of thy servants to be food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of thy holy ones for the wild beasts of the earth.

3 They have shed their blood as water, round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.

4 We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.

5 How long, O Lord? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

6 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms which have not called upon thy name.

7 For they have devoured Jacob, and laid his place waste.

8 Remember not our old transgressions; let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us; for we are greatly impoverished.

9 Help us, O God our Saviour; for the glory of thy name, O Lord, deliver us; and be merciful to our sins, for thy name’s sake.

10 Lets haply they should say among the heathen, Where is their God? and let the avenging of thy servant’s blood that has been shed be known among the heathen before our eyes.

11 Let the groaning of the prisoners come in before thee; according to the greatness of thine arm preserve the sons of the slain ones.

12 Repay to our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, with which they have reproached thee, O Lord.

13 For we are thy people and the sheep of thy pasture; we will give thee thanks for ever; we will declare thy praise throughout all generations.