Ps. 79: How Long?

Psalm 79:9 "Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake."

Israel has had it's issues. Israel has been attacked, and had all their goods looted, the temple robbed, the prophets killed, and all that business.

Perhaps the most telling verse about Israel's shame is in verse 3, where it says that so many have fled or been killed that there is no one to bury the dead. What a hopeless image. Corpses of Israelites laying in the open, being picked clean to the bone by the birds. It's disgusting and its about the worst possible way someone can die, without having their body removed from sight. But this is how it was for Israel. That is what was prophesied would happen to them (1 Sam 17).

Other nations see this, and heap scorn and derision on Israel. "Where is your God, now?" They must have said. But Asaph asks for forgiveness. He wants to undo what Israel has done to invoke God's wrath and judgement. He wants God to avenge Israel.

He wants God to avenge Israel for something God allowed or purposed other nations to do. And what these other nations did to Israel, God warned would happen to Israel if they turned away from Him. So would God punish these nations for something He sent them to do as His own hand of judgement? It seems like an odd request. If Israel had kept their noses clean, they wouldn't have been attacked and conquered, and wouldn't need to ask God to punish them in the end.

What are the implications? If Asaph gets his wish, does God punish those he sent? Kind of ponderous. What is the deeper meaning?