O Lord, pay back our neighbors seven times for the scorn they have hurled at you.
Parallel translations
- WEB Pay back to our neighbors seven times into their bosom their reproach with which they have reproached you, Lord.
- KJV And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.
- BSB Pay back into the laps of our neighbors sevenfold the reproach they hurled at You, O Lord.
- NKJV And return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom Their reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord.
- NASB And return to our neighbors seven times as much into their lap Their taunts with which they have taunted You, Lord.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The psalmist asks God to repay the neighbors sevenfold for their reproach. He seeks full divine justice for insults against the Lord.
Overview
The plea for 'seven times' repayment seeks complete justice, noting that the reproach was ultimately aimed at the Lord Himself. The wrong done to God's people was an affront to God. While the psalm leaves judgment in God's hands, the gospel also opens the way for enemies to repent and find mercy in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Jer 32:18who show loving kindness to thousands, and recompense the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them; the great, the mighty God, Yahweh of Armies is his name;
- Gen 4:15Yahweh said to him, “Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain, so that anyone finding him would not strike him.
- Lev 26:21“‘If you walk contrary to me, and won’t listen to me, then I will bring seven times more plagues on you according to your sins.
- Lev 26:28then I will walk contrary to you in wrath. I will also chastise you seven times for your sins.
- Ps 74:18–22Remember this, that the enemy has mocked you, Yahweh. Foolish people have blasphemed your name.
- Luke 6:38“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you.”
- Prov 6:31but if he is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.
- Ps 44:16At the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses, because of the enemy and the avenger.
- Isa 65:5–7who say, ‘Stay by yourself, don’t come near to me, for I am holier than you.’ These are smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all day.
- Ps 74:10How long, God, shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme your name forever?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 79:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.