Your Great Arm

The words of Psalm 79 capture sadness, while offering strength and blessing:

“Asaph sang: G-d, nations came to Your place, defiled Your holy Temple, turned Jerusalem into heaps.

They have delivered Your servants’ corpses as food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your righteous ones to animals of the land.

They spilled their blood like water around Jerusalem, and no one buried (them).

We were a disgrace to our neighbours, ridicule and derision to those around us.

Till when, G-d, will You be angry forever, and Your jealousness burn like fire?

Pour Your anger on the nations who don’t acknowledge You, and on the regimes who don’t call Your name.

For they have devoured Jacob, and desolated his dwelling.

Don’t remember our early sins, quickly speed Your mercy, for we are very poor.

Help us, G-d of our salvation, for the sake of the honour of Your name, and save us and forgive our sins for the sake of Your name.

Why should the nations say, “Where is their G-d?” Let the nations know, before our eyes, the avenging of Your servants’ shed blood.

May a prisoner’s cry come before you, and with the greatness of Your arm, spare those condemned to die.

Repay to our neighbours sevenfold to their bosom, their disgrace that they disgraced You, Lord.

And we are Your nation, sheep that You shepherd, we will thank You forever, in every generation we will tell Your praises.”

In other words, we ask G-d to let the suffering end, and our Redemption begin.