How does Psalm 79:2 illustrate the consequences of turning away from God? Setting the Scene Psalm 79 is a communal lament attributed to Asaph. Jerusalem has been ravaged, the temple defiled, and the people carried into exile. Behind the devastation lies one undeniable root: covenant unfaithfulness (2 Kings 21:10–15; 2 Chronicles 36:15–17). The Verse in Focus “They have given the corpses of Your servants as food for the birds of the air, the flesh of Your godly ones to the beasts of the earth.” (Psalm 79:2) What Turning Away from God Brought About • Loss of Divine Protection – When Judah rejected God’s commands, the Lord withdrew His shelter. The invaders had free rein, and even the covenant people became prey. • Physical Death and Devastation – The most sobering outcome of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Here, that truth is grimly literal—bodies lie unburied because the nation chose rebellion over obedience. • Public Shame and Dishonor – In the ancient Near East, an unburied corpse was the height of disgrace (Deuteronomy 28:26). Refusing God’s ways led to national humiliation before a watching world. • Desecration of What Was Holy – “Your servants… Your godly ones”—even those set apart for the Lord suffered because the community as a whole forsook Him. Sin’s collateral damage is far-reaching. • A Foretold Judgment Fulfilled – Centuries earlier God had warned, “Your carcasses will be food for every bird of the sky and beast of the earth, and no one will frighten them away” (Deuteronomy 28:26). Psalm 79:2 shows that prophetic warning coming to pass. Echoes Elsewhere in Scripture • Jeremiah 7:33—Judah’s corpses become food for birds and beasts when the nation refuses to listen. • Jeremiah 19:7—The valley of slaughter foretold for idolaters. • Ezekiel 7:4—“I will repay you for your abominations.” • Hosea 8:7—“They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.” Takeaway for Today – God’s Word stands; blessings follow obedience and curses follow rebellion (Deuteronomy 30:15-18). – Individual faithfulness matters, yet a people’s collective stance toward God affects everyone. – Turning back to the Lord is always possible (2 Chronicles 7:14), but refusing Him leads to the kind of devastation pictured in Psalm 79:2. What we cherish most—life, honor, protection—thrives only under the shelter of obedience to the living God. |
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