And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.
Pay back our neighbors seven times over for the insults they have hurled at you, O Lord, let their shame return to them completely.
The writer is asking God to fully repay their enemies for the way they have mocked and dishonored God himself.
📚 Historical Context
Psalms 79 is a lament psalm attributed to Asaph, likely written during a time of invasion and destruction in ancient Israel, such as the Babylonian conquest around 586 BC, when enemies overran Jerusalem and desecrated the temple. In this context, the psalm expresses the deep grief and outrage of the people as foreign nations mocked God while attacking His chosen ones, pleading for divine justice and restoration. The verse specifically calls for God to repay the enemies' insults sevenfold, reflecting the cultural understanding of retribution in the ancient Near East where such phrases symbolized complete and severe judgment.
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