The Meaning of Psalms 79:13 Explained

Psalms 79:13

KJV: So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.

YLT: And we, Thy people, and the flock of Thy pasture, We give thanks to Thee to the age, To all generations we recount Thy praise!

Darby: And we, thy people and the sheep of thy pasture, will give thanks unto thee for ever; we will shew forth thy praise from generation to generation.

ASV: So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture Will give thee thanks for ever: We will show forth thy praise to all generations.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So we thy people  and sheep  of thy pasture  will give thee thanks  for ever:  we will shew forth  thy praise  to all  generations. 

What does Psalms 79:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The psalmist promised that God"s people would reward Him with unceasing praise if He would give them deliverance. He viewed the people as God"s helpless sheep. He said their praise for this salvation would be public from then on.
"The cross of Jesus Christ is for us today the only evidence we need that God loves us ( Romans 5:8)." [1]
It is appropriate to petition God for vengeance when enemies defeat God"s people and consequently make Him look bad. He will deliver eventually because He has promised to preserve His own. However, discipline may continue a long time if sin has been gross.

Context Summary

Psalms 79:1-13 - "help Us, O God Of Our Salvation"
It was the period of the Chaldean invasion. This cry of horror went forth from the heart of the Chosen People, who had looked upon the sacred shrine as inviolable. They could not believe that the tide of invasion could break in upon Jerusalem, or that the Holy City should be defiled by the profane feet of the heathen. This psalm should be compared with the book of Lamentations. We there find the same horror, the same anguish, the same sense of surprise, the same hatred of the foe, the same cry to God.
Does it seem as if God were angry with you? Have the heathen forced their way into the inner shrine and city of your heart? Are you brought very low and near unto death? Then begin to inquire whether some sin may not have alienated God from you. Confess it and put it away. Turn to God with a free and glad faith. Ask that His mercies may prevent (literally, "go before") and His help succor you, for His Name's sake. The sighing of the captive and the greatness of God power, Psalms 79:11, are in close affinity; and when you are delivered, remember your vows, and show forth His praise to all within your reach. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 79

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

What do the individual words in Psalms 79:13 mean?

So we Your people and sheep of Your pasture will give thanks You forever to and all generations we will show forth Your praise
וַאֲנַ֤חְנוּ עַמְּךָ֨ ׀ וְצֹ֥אן מַרְעִיתֶךָ֮ נ֤וֹדֶ֥ה לְּךָ֗ לְע֫וֹלָ֥ם לְדֹ֥ר וָדֹ֑ר נְ֝סַפֵּ֗ר תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ

וַאֲנַ֤חְנוּ  So  we 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, first person common plural
Root: אֲנַחְנוּ  
Sense: we (first pers.
עַמְּךָ֨ ׀  Your  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וְצֹ֥אן  and  sheep 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular construct
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
מַרְעִיתֶךָ֮  of  Your  pasture 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: מַרְעִית  
Sense: pasturing, pasturage, shepherding.
נ֤וֹדֶ֥ה  will  give  thanks 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: יָדָה 
Sense: to throw, shoot, cast.
לְע֫וֹלָ֥ם  forever 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
וָדֹ֑ר  and  all  generations 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דֹּור 
Sense: period, generation, habitation, dwelling.
נְ֝סַפֵּ֗ר  we  will  show  forth 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: סָפַר 
Sense: to count, recount, relate.
תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ  Your  praise 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: תְּהִלָּה  
Sense: praise, song or hymn of praise.