Psalms 79:3
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Psalms 79:3
3 Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.
Chapter Context
Psalms 79 is a poetic and liturgical chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of righteousness, love, wisdom. Written during various periods (c. 1000-400 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Temple worship utilized these compositions across various periods of Israel's history.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-13: Central message and teachings
This chapter is significant because it establishes important theological principles that resonate throughout Scripture. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Psalms and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Psalms 79:3
3 Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.
Analysis
Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them. The simile "like water" (כַּמַּיִם, kamayim) indicates blood poured out abundantly, carelessly, without value—as common and cheap as water. The Hebrew verb shaphak (שָׁפַךְ, "shed/poured out") appears frequently in contexts of violence and murder, especially innocent bloodshed that cries to God for vengeance (Genesis 9:6; Ezekiel 22:3-4).
"Round about Jerusalem" emphasizes the geographic scope—the holy city itself surrounded by carnage. Jerusalem, the city of shalom (peace), becomes encircled by bloodshed. The irony is devastating: the place where God's presence dwelt, where sacrificial blood was carefully regulated according to Levitical law, now witnesses unregulated slaughter of God's people. Their blood mingles with dust rather than being properly handled as sacred.
"There was none to bury them" (ein qover, אֵין קוֹבֵר) compounds the tragedy. Normal burial required family members performing ritual acts of love and duty. The phrase suggests complete social breakdown—either the living were too few, too traumatized, or themselves threatened with death. This recalls Jeremiah 14:16 and anticipates the mass graves and abandoned bodies following ancient sieges. To die without burial meant being cut off from ancestral rest and communal memory.
Historical Context
The Babylonian siege of Jerusalem lasted approximately 18 months (2 Kings 25:1-3). Ancient siege warfare was brutal—starvation, disease, and ultimately massacre when walls were breached. Babylonian records and biblical accounts confirm mass executions. The phrase "none to bury them" reflects the demographic catastrophe: Jerusalem's population was killed, enslaved, or fled, leaving insufficient survivors to perform burial rites for the dead.
Reflection
- How does this verse inform prayer for regions today where mass atrocities leave believers unable to bury their dead with dignity?
- What does the psalmist's appeal to God's covenant faithfulness teach about bringing unfiltered grief and horror before God in prayer?
- How should awareness of such historical suffering shape Christian perspectives on religious freedom and persecution?
Word Studies
- Blood: דָּם (Dam) H1818 - Blood
Cross-References
- References Jerusalem: Jeremiah 14:16
- Parallel theme: Jeremiah 16:4