Psalm 79:10
New International Version
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Before our eyes, make known among the nations that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants.

New Living Translation
Why should pagan nations be allowed to scoff, asking, “Where is their God?” Show us your vengeance against the nations, for they have spilled the blood of your servants.

English Standard Version
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes!

Berean Standard Bible
Why should the nations ask, “Where is their God?” Before our eyes, make known among the nations Your vengeance for the bloodshed of Your servants.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let there be known among the nations in our sight The avenging of the blood of Your servants which has been shed.

New American Standard Bible
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let vengeance for the blood of Your servants which has been shed Be known among the nations in our sight.

NASB 1995
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let there be known among the nations in our sight, Vengeance for the blood of Your servants which has been shed.

NASB 1977
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let there be known among the nations in our sight, Vengeance for the blood of Thy servants, which has been shed.

Legacy Standard Bible
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let it be known among the nations before our eyes: Vengeance for the blood of Your slaves which has been poured out.

Amplified Bible
Why should the [Gentile] nations say, “Where is their God?” Let there be known [without delay] among the nations in our sight [and to this generation], Your vengeance for the blood of Your servants which has been poured out.

Christian Standard Bible
Why should the nations ask, “Where is their God? ” Before our eyes, let vengeance for the shed blood of your servants be known among the nations.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Why should the nations ask,” Where is their God?” Before our eyes, let vengeance for the shed blood of Your servants be known among the nations.

American Standard Version
Wherefore should the nations say, Where is their God? Let the avenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed Be known among the nations in our sight.

Contemporary English Version
Why should nations ask us, "Where is your God?" Let us and the other nations see you take revenge for your servants who died a violent death.

English Revised Version
Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed be known among the heathen in our sight.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Why should the nations [be allowed to] say, "Where is their God?" Let us watch as the nations learn that there is punishment for shedding the blood of your servants.

Good News Translation
Why should the nations ask us, "Where is your God?" Let us see you punish the nations for shedding the blood of your servants.

International Standard Version
Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let vengeance for the blood of your servants be meted out before our eyes and among the nations.

Majority Standard Bible
Why should the nations ask, ?Where is their God?? Before our eyes, make known among the nations Your vengeance for the bloodshed of Your servants.

NET Bible
Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Before our very eyes may the shed blood of your servants be avenged among the nations!

New Heart English Bible
Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes, that vengeance for your servants' blood is being poured out.

Webster's Bible Translation
Why should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by avenging the blood of thy servants which is shed.

World English Bible
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes, that vengeance for your servants’ blood is being poured out.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Why do the nations say, “Where [is] their God?” Let [it] be known among the nations before our eyes, "" The vengeance of the blood of Your servants that is shed.

Young's Literal Translation
Why do the nations say, 'Where is their God?' Let be known among the nations before our eyes, The vengeance of the blood of Thy servants that is shed.

Smith's Literal Translation
Wherefore shall the nations say, Where is their God? He will make known among the nations before our eyes the vengeance of the blood of thy servants being poured out.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Lest they should say among the Gentiles: Where is their God? And let him be made known among the nations before our eyes, By the revenging the blood of thy servants, which hath been shed:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Let them not say among the Gentiles, “Where is their God?” And may your name become known among the nations before our eyes. For the retribution of your servants’ blood, which has been poured out:

New American Bible
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Before our eyes make known to the nations that you avenge the blood of your servants which has been poured out.

New Revised Standard Version
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
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.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Lest the Gentiles say, "Where is your God?” Let the vengeance of the blood of your Servants that is shed be known among the Gentiles before our eyes.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Wherefore should the nations say: 'Where is their God?' Let the avenging of Thy servants' blood that is shed Be made known among the nations in our sight.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
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.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Prayer for Deliverance
9Help 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. 10Why should the nations ask, “Where is their God?” Before our eyes, make known among the nations Your vengeance for the bloodshed of Your servants. 11May the groans of the captives reach You; by the strength of Your arm preserve those condemned to death.…

Cross References
Ezekiel 36:20-23
And wherever they went among the nations, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, yet they had to leave His land.’ / But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they had gone. / Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: It is not for your sake that I will act, O house of Israel, but for My holy name, which you profaned among the nations to which you went. ...

Joel 2:17
Let the priests who minister before the LORD weep between the portico and the altar, saying, “Spare Your people, O LORD, and do not make Your heritage a reproach, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

Deuteronomy 32:27
if I had not dreaded the taunt of the enemy, lest their adversaries misunderstand and say: ‘Our own hand has prevailed; it was not the LORD who did all this.’”

Isaiah 52:5
And now what have I here? declares the LORD. For My people have been taken without cause; those who rule them taunt, declares the LORD, and My name is blasphemed continually all day long.

Jeremiah 14:7-9
Although our iniquities testify against us, O LORD, act for the sake of Your name. Indeed, our rebellions are many; we have sinned against You. / O Hope of Israel, its Savior in times of distress, why are You like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays but a night? / Why are You like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? Yet You are among us, O LORD, and we are called by Your name. Do not forsake us!

Micah 7:10
Then my enemy will see and will be covered with shame—she who said to me, “Where is the LORD your God?” My eyes will see her; at that time she will be trampled like mud in the streets.

Psalm 42:3
My tears have been my food both day and night, while men ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”

Psalm 115:2
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”

Jeremiah 10:25
Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge You, and on the families that do not call on Your name. For they have devoured Jacob; they have consumed him and finished him off; they have devastated his homeland.

Lamentations 2:15-16
All who pass by clap their hands at you in scorn. They hiss and shake their heads at the Daughter of Jerusalem: “Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth?” / All your enemies open their mouths against you. They hiss and gnash their teeth, saying, “We have swallowed her up. This is the day for which we have waited. We have lived to see it!”

2 Kings 19:16-19
Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see. Listen to the words that Sennacherib has sent to defy the living God. / Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste these nations and their lands. / They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands. ...

Daniel 9:16-19
O Lord, in keeping with all Your righteous acts, I pray that Your anger and wrath may turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all around us. / So now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of Your servant. For Your sake, O Lord, cause Your face to shine upon Your desolate sanctuary. / Incline Your ear, O my God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before You because of our righteous acts, but because of Your great compassion. ...

Romans 2:24
As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Revelation 6:10
And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge those who dwell upon the earth and avenge our blood?”

Matthew 27:39-43
And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads / and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” / In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying, ...


Treasury of Scripture

Why 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 your servants which is shed.

wherefore

Psalm 42:3,10
My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? …

Psalm 115:2
Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?

Joel 2:17
Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

let him

Psalm 9:16
The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.

Psalm 58:11
So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

Psalm 83:17,18
Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: …

by the

Jeremiah 51:35
The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say.

Revelation 18:20
Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

revenging.

Romans 12:19
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

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Psalm 79
1. The psalmist complains of the desolation of Jerusalem
8. He prays for deliverance
13. and promises thankfulness














Why should the nations say
This phrase begins with a rhetorical question that reflects a deep concern for God's reputation among the nations. The Hebrew word for "nations" is "goyim," which often refers to Gentile peoples or those outside the covenant community of Israel. Historically, Israel was surrounded by such nations, often hostile, and their perception of Israel's God was crucial. The psalmist is concerned that the nations might question God's power or faithfulness due to Israel's current plight. This reflects a broader biblical theme where God's actions are often intended to demonstrate His sovereignty and holiness to all peoples.

Where is their God?
This phrase captures the taunt or challenge from the surrounding nations. In ancient Near Eastern culture, the power and presence of a deity were often judged by the success and prosperity of its people. The Hebrew word for "God" here is "Elohim," a term that emphasizes God's might and authority. The psalmist is troubled by the implication that God is absent or powerless, which would be a grave misunderstanding of His nature. This concern for God's honor is a recurring theme in the Psalms, where the psalmist often pleads for God to act for the sake of His name.

Before our eyes
This phrase indicates a desire for a visible, undeniable demonstration of God's intervention. The Hebrew word "ayin" for "eyes" suggests not just physical sight but also perception and understanding. The psalmist longs for a manifestation of God's justice and power that would be evident to all, leaving no room for doubt about His presence and involvement in the world. This reflects a biblical pattern where God acts in history in ways that are meant to be seen and recognized by His people and the nations.

make known among the nations
Here, the psalmist calls for God to reveal His power and justice to the nations. The Hebrew root "yada" for "make known" implies a deep, experiential knowledge. The psalmist desires that God's actions would lead to a recognition of His sovereignty and righteousness among all peoples. This aligns with the biblical mission for Israel to be a light to the nations, demonstrating the reality and supremacy of the one true God.

the avenging of the outpoured blood of Your servants
This phrase speaks to a plea for divine justice. The Hebrew word for "avenging" is "naqam," which conveys the idea of retribution or justice. The "outpoured blood" refers to the suffering and martyrdom of God's faithful ones, His "servants." In the biblical context, God is often portrayed as a just judge who will vindicate His people and punish wrongdoing. This plea is not just for personal vengeance but for the upholding of divine justice and the restoration of God's honor. The psalmist's cry reflects a deep trust in God's righteous character and His ultimate plan to set things right.

(10) Wherefore.--Taken from Joel 2:17.

Let him be known.--Better, Let it be known, i.e., where God is. Let the answer to the question be given in vengeance, and let us see it.

Verse 10. - Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? (so Joel 2:17). A triumph over a foreign nation was always regarded in the ancient world as a triumph over their gods. Their gods were bound to protect them, and, if they did not, must either have been absent or powerless (comp. 2 Kings 18:33-35; 2 Kings 19:12). Let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed; rather, let there be shown forth among the heathen in our sight vengeance for the blood of thy servants that has been shed; or, in other words, "Let an evident judgment, visible to us, fall upon the heathen who have shed the blood of our brethren, thy true servants." An immediate judgment is prayed for; but it did not please God to send the judgment till after the expiration of a long term of years.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Why
לָ֤מָּה ׀ (lām·māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

should the nations
הַגּוֹיִם֮ (hag·gō·w·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

ask,
יֹאמְר֣וּ (yō·mə·rū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Where
אַיֵּ֪ה (’ay·yêh)
Interrogative
Strong's 346: Where?

is their God?”
אֱ‍ֽלֹהֵ֫יהֶ֥ם (’ĕlō·hê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

Before our eyes,
לְעֵינֵ֑ינוּ (lə·‘ê·nê·nū)
Preposition-l | Noun - cdc | first person common plural
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

make known
יִוָּדַ֣ע (yiw·wā·ḏa‘)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

among the nations
בַּגּוֹיִ֣ם (bag·gō·w·yim)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

Your vengeance
נִ֝קְמַ֗ת (niq·maṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 5360: Avengement

for the bloodshed
דַּֽם־ (dam-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed

of Your servants.
עֲבָדֶ֥יךָ (‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant


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OT Poetry: Psalm 79:10 Why should the nations say Where (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 79:9
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