Scripture Reading : Psalm 79
Theme : Remember Israel
- Lament Over the Destruction of Jerusalem (1–4). Again, Asaph lived during the time of David. He never experienced a desolation of Jerusalem or the temple. He speaks as a prophet. He sees in the future when Jerusalem and the temple will be defiled by the nations/gentiles. The Jews will be slaughtered. There will be blood everywhere, like rivers of water.
- Plea for Deliverance (79:5–12). The suffering of the Jews will not be the result of God’s sinfulness or incompetence, but because of the Jews’ sinfulness and incompetence. So Asaph pleads to God for His gracious grace and mercy, to stop being angry even though He is just and righteous to be angry at their sins. But for the sake of His promise and reputation, God should return to Israel and destroy Israel’s enemies. Then all the nations will know God and Israel will praise God eternally/from generation to generation. Although this prayer is applicable to the two exiles that the Jews have experienced in Babylon and 70 A.D., it is a prophesy and prayer about the end-times deliverance of Israel when all the nations will know God and Israel will never sin against God again but will praise God forever.
Praying the Scripture
The existence of Israel is a clear testimony of God’s faithfulness and that He is the creator of the universe and He rules the whole world. No demons or non-existent aliens rule the world. He is the ultimate ruler and He will always preserve the nation of Israel. One day in the end times, Israel will be defeated, but God will come to rescue Israel and all the nations will fear and be in awe of God and bow down on your knees. As believers, we need to be in awe of God now and bow down on our knees now and anticipate the return of Jesus. Pray to be in awe of God by getting down on your knees and anticipate Jesus’ return.
经文：诗篇79
主题：纪念以色列
- 因以色列的毁灭哀号（1-4）。亚萨是活在大卫时代的人。他不曾经历耶路撒冷或圣殿的毁灭。他是以先知的身份诉说这事。他看到未来当耶路撒冷与圣殿被异国/外邦人玷污的时候。犹太人将被杀戮。地流满了血，如河流一般。
- 求神搭救（5-12）。犹太人受难的原因并不是因为神犯罪或是无能的，乃因犹太人的罪孽与无能。因此，亚萨求神施恩与怜悯，即便因以色列的罪发怒是正直和公义的，也求神息怒。因着神的应许和祂的名，神当回到以色列那儿，消灭以色列的仇敌。这样，列国都要认识神，而以色列也将世世代代赞美神。虽然这个祷告适用于犹太人所经历的两场放逐（巴比伦时代与公元后70年），这实际上是关乎以色列末日拯救的预言和祷告。那时，万国都要认识神，而以色列再也不会得罪神，乃要永永远远地赞美神。
用经文祷告
以色列的存在应证了神的信实；祂是宇宙的造主，是统治全世界的。治理世界的不是鬼魔或不存在的外星人。神是最终的统治者，并会一直守护以色列国。以色列将在末世的某一日被打败，但神要前来拯救以色列，叫万国惧怕并敬畏神，向祂屈膝。身为信徒，我们现在就要敬畏祂，向祂屈膝，并期待耶稣的归来。祷告我们能藉着屈膝大大地敬畏神，期盼耶稣的归来。
