God’s people desperately plead for forgiveness from past wrongs, trusting in His swift and compassionate mercy.
Do not remember the iniquities of our forefathers against us; Let Your compassion come quickly to meet us, For we are brought very low. (v.8) These words come from a psalm attributed to Asaph, a Levite who served during King David’s reign around 1000 BC (1 Chronicles 16:4-5). Many scholars believe this psalm reflects a plea for mercy and restoration at a time when Israel was suffering extreme hardship—possibly after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The phrase forefathers reminds readers that the community’s sins carry a legacy, yet the psalmist urgently implores God to withhold the full consequence of these sins and show compassion instead.
The psalmist’s cry, Let Your compassion come quickly to meet us, For we are brought very low, highlights both urgency and humility. It acknowledges Israel’s dire condition, while maintaining trust in God’s covenant loyalty and merciful character. Other passages, such as Joel 2:17 and Psalm 79:9-10, similarly reveal how God’s people beseech Him in times of national crisis, asking Him to remember His lovingkindness and uphold His own name before the nations. Despite the people’s transgressions, they look to the Lord, resting in the assurance that He responds to repentant hearts and restores them out of His steadfast love.
From a New Testament perspective, believers can see in this verse a foreshadowing of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, which removes the penalty of sin passed down through generations (Romans 8:1-2). The desperate call for compassion in Psalm 79:8 echoes in our own lives when we seek forgiveness through Jesus, who cleanses us fully and invites us to rely on His grace. In both eras, the faithful remain confident that God hears the humble prayer of His people and draws near to deliver them.
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Psalms 79:8 meaning
Do not remember the iniquities of our forefathers against us; Let Your compassion come quickly to meet us, For we are brought very low. (v.8) These words come from a psalm attributed to Asaph, a Levite who served during King David’s reign around 1000 BC (1 Chronicles 16:4-5). Many scholars believe this psalm reflects a plea for mercy and restoration at a time when Israel was suffering extreme hardship—possibly after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The phrase forefathers reminds readers that the community’s sins carry a legacy, yet the psalmist urgently implores God to withhold the full consequence of these sins and show compassion instead.
The psalmist’s cry, Let Your compassion come quickly to meet us, For we are brought very low, highlights both urgency and humility. It acknowledges Israel’s dire condition, while maintaining trust in God’s covenant loyalty and merciful character. Other passages, such as Joel 2:17 and Psalm 79:9-10, similarly reveal how God’s people beseech Him in times of national crisis, asking Him to remember His lovingkindness and uphold His own name before the nations. Despite the people’s transgressions, they look to the Lord, resting in the assurance that He responds to repentant hearts and restores them out of His steadfast love.
From a New Testament perspective, believers can see in this verse a foreshadowing of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, which removes the penalty of sin passed down through generations (Romans 8:1-2). The desperate call for compassion in Psalm 79:8 echoes in our own lives when we seek forgiveness through Jesus, who cleanses us fully and invites us to rely on His grace. In both eras, the faithful remain confident that God hears the humble prayer of His people and draws near to deliver them.