Bible in Basic English
They have given the bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, and the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth.
Their blood has been flowing like water round about Jerusalem; there was no one to put them in their last resting-place.
We are looked down on by our neighbours, we are laughed at and made sport of by those who are round us.
How long, O Lord? will you be angry for ever? will your wrath go on burning like fire?
Let your wrath be on the nations who have no knowledge of you, and on the kingdoms who have not made prayer to your name.
For they have taken Jacob for their meat, and made waste his house.
Do not keep in mind against us the sins of our fathers; let your mercy come to us quickly, for we have been made very low.
Give us help, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; take us out of danger and give us forgiveness for our sins, because of your name.
Why may the nations say, Where is their God? Let payment for the blood of your servants be made openly among the nations before our eyes.
Let the cry of the prisoner come before you; with your strong arm make free the children of death;
And give punishment seven times over into the breast of our neighbours for the bitter words which they have said against you, O Lord.
So we your people, and the sheep of your flock, will give you glory for ever: we will go on praising you through all generations.
— Psalms 79:2-1964, Bible in Basic English
“The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth. Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them. We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us. How long, Lord? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire? Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place. O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low. 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. 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. Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die; And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord. So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations. ”
O God, the nations have come into your heritage; they have made your holy Temple unclean; they have made Jerusalem a mass of broken walls.
They have given the bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, and the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth.
Their blood has been flowing like water round about Jerusalem; there was no one to put them in their last resting-place.
We are looked down on by our neighbours, we are laughed at and made sport of by those who are round us.
How long, O Lord? will you be angry for ever? will your wrath go on burning like fire?
Let your wrath be on the nations who have no knowledge of you, and on the kingdoms who have not made prayer to your name.
For they have taken Jacob for their meat, and made waste his house.
Do not keep in mind against us the sins of our fathers; let your mercy come to us quickly, for we have been made very low.
Give us help, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; take us out of danger and give us forgiveness for our sins, because of your name.
Why may the nations say, Where is their God? Let payment for the blood of your servants be made openly among the nations before our eyes.
Let the cry of the prisoner come before you; with your strong arm make free the children of death;
And give punishment seven times over into the breast of our neighbours for the bitter words which they have said against you, O Lord.
So we your people, and the sheep of your flock, will give you glory for ever: we will go on praising you through all generations.