Psalms 80

While the remnant – and expressly including the ten tribes – waits for deliverance from the LORD, they persevere in prayer. Three times we find the prayer “restore us and cause Your face to shine [upon us], and we will be saved” (verses 3,7,19). This prayer is addressed
in verse 3 to “God”,
in verse 7 to the “God [of] hosts” and
in verse 19 to the “LORD God of hosts”.

The naming of God indicates increase in the revelation of His power. This has to do with the increase in intensity of the prayer of the remnant. The prayer of the remnant can be summed up with the words “cause Your face to shine” (verse 3). The answer to this prayer is found in Psalm 81.

We can divide the psalm as follows:
1. In their prayer, the remnant compares themselves to powerless sheep who need to be delivered by the shepherd (verses 1b-2).
2. They see themselves as a people whose prayer does not come to God because of His anger (verses 4-6).
3. They also see themselves as a vineyard trampled by a boar (the king of the North) from the forest and which is burned by fire (verses 8-16).
4. Therefore, their only hope is in the Man of God’s right hand, which speaks of His power (verses 17-18). He, Who said “all authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Mt 28:18), alone is able to deliver (cf. Rev 5:1-10).

For “for the choir director” (verse 1a) see at Psalm 4:1.

For “[set to] El Shoshannim“ see at Psalm 45:1 and Psalm 60:1. In Psalm 60 “Shushan”, “lily”, is in the singular (Psa 60:1).

“Eduth” means “a testimony” in the sense of a revelation that someone gives or what someone passes on about what he has experienced. It is a different word than the word “Eduth”, “testimony”, found in the heading of Psalm 60.

For “a Psalm of Asaph” see at Psalm 50:1.

In Asaph, the faithful remnant addresses the “Shepherd of Israel” (verse 1b). In the past, the LORD as Shepherd led His people out of Egypt through Moses and Aaron (Psa 77:20). Israel is the flock that has been pastured by God Himself (Psa 79:13). Prophetically this will be fulfilled when the LORD Himself will be Shepherd over Israel to pasture them (Eze 34:23). Israel here stands for both the two tribes realm and the ten tribes realm (Eze 37:15-28).

The name “Shepherd” as a name of God first appears in Jacob’s blessing of Joseph (Gen 49:24). Joseph, representing the ten tribes realm, is strongly emphasized. The two tribes realm and the ten tribes realm are now united (cf. Eze 37:15-16; Rev 7:4-8). The remnant comes from the two tribes and from the ten tribes. This one remnant in the end time is all Israel that is saved (Rom 11:26).

They ask God to “give ear” to their distress, for they have the impression that He has turned His ear away from them. They say to Him in the second line of verse 1b that He “leads Joseph like a flock”. Joseph, the father of Ephraim and Manasseh, here represents the whole people. This is evident from the parallel with the first line of verse 1b where it speaks of Israel. The remnant from both the two and the ten tribes realm see themselves as sheep who were led by Him out of Egypt at that time. But they are in need and lack the protection of the Shepherd. An appeal to God as Shepherd can only be made by a sheep of His flock.

He is “enthroned [above, or between] the cherubim”. In the past, the meeting place with God was between the two cherubim on the mercy seat (Exo 25:22). He had to leave that place because of the unfaithfulness of His people (Eze 9:3; 10:4,18,19; 11:23). The remnant understands this. The LORD, however, is still enthroned on the cherubim in heaven.

The remnant, through the psalmist, now asks the LORD to return to the earth (cf. Eze 43:1-5). His appearance means at the same time the redemption for His people (verses 2-3).

The remnant asks Him to “shine forth”, that is, to appear openly as Ruler in the now reigning darkness. His appearance dispels the darkness. The cry “shine forth!” concerns the appearance of the LORD on earth to judge and redeem (cf. Psa 50:2; 94:1).

He Who rules the world dwells in the midst of His people between the cherubim on the ark (Exo 25:22; 1Chr 28:18; Eze 10:1), which in verse 2 is called “Your power”. The remnant calls upon God to stir up His power (cf. Num 10:35-36; Psa 35:23), that is, to rise up and act against the enemies to deliver them from their grasp.

Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh are in the camp in the wilderness under the same standard, the standard of Ephraim, on the west side of the tabernacle (Num 2:17-24). They are the tribes that set out during the journey through the wilderness and set up their camp immediately after the setting out and setting up of the ark (Num 10:21-24). They, along with the Kohathites, live with the ark, or God’s power, directly before their eyes.

In them we also see the whole people represented: Ephraim represents the northern kingdom, Benjamin the southern kingdom. Part of Manasseh lives at the other side of the Jordan. He represents the two and a half tribes. The three names are the names of Rachel’s descendants who are restored to the land (cf. Jer 31:15).

Their request, that is from the ten tribes, to God is to restore them by bringing them back to their land (verse 3). They are now outside the land as a result of their unfaithfulness. With their question they acknowledge that there is no right and no power in them to return to the land with its blessings. At the same time their question implies that God in His grace can do it and also has the power to do it. It expresses confidence in the grace and power of God.

With the question “cause Your face to shine” they ask if God wants to be present in their midst again. If He is with them, then they “will be saved”. They connect in faith His presence in their midst with the deliverance of their enemies. If He is present, the enemies will flee or be defeated.

The Hebrew expression “cause Your face to shine” means that the kind, gracious face smiles, in contrast to the face that is dark, gloomy, or angry. No doubt the psalmist was thinking of the priestly blessing from Numbers 6 (Num 6:24-26; cf. Psa 31:16; 67:1b).

We know from John 1 that God can only give His grace because grace and truth have been realized through Jesus Christ. Out of His fullness we, both Christians and the remnant of Israel in the future, receive grace upon grace (Jn 1:16-17).

The remnant turns to the “LORD God [of] hosts” (verse 4). He is the LORD, that is the God of the covenant. That is their relationship with Him, though they do not experience that relationship now. He is also the “God of hosts”, the God Who is above all heavenly and earthly powers, good and bad.

They ask Him the question that torments them: “How long will You be angry with the prayer of Your people?” They acknowledge that their distress is the result of the anger of God and that the anger of God is the result of their sins. This situation is consistent with the covenant. But the question that torments them is “how long?” Wouldn’t God stop His anger at some point? Surely He is the Shepherd of His people, isn’t He? Then they may expect Him to pasture them (Psa 79:13), which means He will give them food and refreshing water (Psa 23:1-2).

However, he has “fed them with the bread of tears” and has “made them to drink tears in large measure” (verse 5). This is ‘a meal’ that is particularly hard on their minds. Drinking one’s own tears is a bitter thing. It is the consequence of going one’s own way. We can also remember that the suffering of the people as a result of their sins and the rejection of Christ was so great that the Lord Himself shed tears over it (Lk 19:41-44).

At the same time, it is also a wholesome ‘meal’, for it arises from repentance for their sins. That they should drink “in large measure” means that God determines the measure of it. The Hebrew for “large measure” is literally ‘a third part of a measure’, that is, a third of an ephah (about thirty-six liters), which is twelve liters. To give twelve liters of tears to drink is quite a lot.

Added to that is what their neighbors, the neighboring peoples, say about them (verse 6). They argue about which of them can profit most from their misery. At the same time they make fun of the misery that has come over them. They mock about it among themselves.

But surely God is the “God [of] hosts” (verse 7), the God Who is above all earthly and heavenly hosts, whether good or bad, isn’t He? Again (cf. verse 4) the psalmist appeals to the LORD, the God of the covenant, now emphasizing His power to act on behalf of His people. Let Him then restore them by bringing them back to their land and blessing. When He causes His face to shine, that is, when He accepts them and comes to them, they will be redeemed. Of this they are sure.

The question is not whether God can do it, but whether He is willing to do it (cf. Mt 8:2-3). That God can do it is not a matter of doubt for them. After all, they call Him the God of hosts. But will God also be gracious to them? That is what they ask of Him. For us as believers in the New Testament there is no doubt. We are assured of the riches of His grace, which we have received: “For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace” (Jn 1:16).

Asaph reminds God of His gracious action in delivering His people from Egypt. God has removes Israel from Egypt like “a vine” (verse 8; cf. Hos 10:1a; Eze 19:10). The fruit of a vine, wine, represents joy. In Egypt, the people could not be a joy to Him. That they could only be in the land that He chose as His own. Therefore He “drove out the nations and planted it” (cf. Deu 7:1; Exo 23:28). Isaiah, singing a song about God’s people as a vineyard, puts it this way: He “removed its stones” (Isa 5:1-2).

We find here, summarized in a few verses, the long history of Israel presented in a parable. In it it is emphasized that Israel’s history is due to the actions of the LORD. He has removed. We find that in the book of Exodus. He drove out the nations. We find that in the book of Joshua.

God did not plant the vine, His people, just anywhere, but on ground “cleared before it” (verse 9; Jer 2:21). He prepared a place for it. God always does that. Before He placed man in paradise, He prepared that place for him (Gen 2:8). He prepared everything well. Because the Lord Jesus wants to bring us to the Father’s house, He went first to prepare a place for us there (Jn 14:2-3).

God made every effort to plant the vine so that it would bear rich fruit (cf. Isa 5:2a; 57:14). The vine “took deep root”. As a result, it “filled the land”. Everything speaks of His care for His vine, so that He might have the full enjoyment of it. He planted Israel in a place that He prepared. He blessed Israel, causing the people to take root and fill the land. He extended its branches. This brings us to the period of the governments of David and Solomon.

The growth of the vine has been His work. That growth, that is the growth of population, has been abundant. “The mountains” in the south “were covered with its shadow” (verse 10). That indicates a numerous population. It has also become a mighty people, like “the cedars of God with its boughs” of the Lebanon in the north (cf. Num 24:6; Psa 104:16).

The growth is also visible from west to east. “It was sending out its branches to the sea” (verse 11), that is the Mediterranean Sea in the west and the Red Sea in the east. The same is true of “its shoots to the River”, by which is meant the Euphrates. These are the boundaries of the territory Israel will possess in the realm of peace, according to the promise God made to the fathers (Gen 15:18; Deu 1:7-8; 11:24). This population growth and territory expansion were present for a short time in the days of Solomon (1Kgs 4:20,24).

After God has done all this for His people, the question arises among the remnant as to why He has broken down its hedges, why He has broken down the wall He has built around His vineyard (verse 12; cf. Isa 5:5). We find the reason in the previous psalm (Psa 79:8; cf. Isa 5:1-7). A hedge, a wall serves to protect. God breaks down that protection. He does so by means of the Babylonians who destroy Jerusalem. The city lies broken up. “All who pass [that] way” can plunder as much as they want.

“A boar” is an unclean animal (Lev 11:3-4,7) and represents the nations (verse 13). The nations have come “from the forest”, which is their own habitation, to tear Jerusalem loose from its foundation. The wild nations have come to take possession of anything they deem of any value. Thus Jerusalem has been “eaten” and there is nothing edible, nothing of value left.

Many nations have trampled on Jerusalem. Assyria is the foreshadowing of what will happen in the future. From Nebuchadnezzar on, we find in the times of the Gentiles (Lk 21:24) that many nations have ruled over Jerusalem and trampled on the city. Prophetically in the future, the prophetic Assyrian, the king of the North, will do this.

The remnant now pleads with God as the “God [of] hosts” to turn again to His land (verse 14). To turn again – literally “repent” in Hebrew – means that the LORD is going to restore the covenant (Jer 31:31-33). We know from the New Testament that this is going to happen on the basis of the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross (Heb 8:1-13). And by grace the people will also return to the LORD (verse 18; Hos 3:5).

They cry out to God as the “God [of] hosts” because heathen hosts have destroyed Jerusalem. God is above all the hosts, not only those of Israel, but also those of the nations, as well as above all the good and bad heavenly hosts.

The remnant asks God to look down “from heaven”, where He lives, and see what is happening on earth. Let Him look down on “this vine”, that is, look with compassion on His people. For it is “the shoot which Your right hand has planted” (verse 15; Exo 15:6,17). It is a reminder of His original dealings with His people. In planting it He used His right hand, the hand of strength. Surely that hand is still just as strong?

“The son whom You have strengthened for Yourself” is Israel. Israel is called “son” several times (Exo 4:22; Hos 11:1). This reflects the deeper relationship of God with His people. Israel as a vine is meant to be a joy to God. He desires to find that joy in the people as His son. He wants the people to be a ‘son of His well-pleasure’.

God made Israel strong. Made strong means ‘brought up’. The psalmist appeals to God on the basis of what God has done in the past. After all, He has planted Israel as a vine; He is the owner of Israel. After all, He brought up Israel as a son. He is the Father of Israel. Is that not a reason to restore the covenant? Let Him then look down from heaven and look at Israel, His vine and His son.

This son, however, caused no joy to God. Therefore, in addition to being burned (cf. Eze 15:1-5; Jn 15:6), the vine was cut down (verse 16). The remnant realizes that this situation has come about “at the rebuke of Your countenance”. God had to chastise them because of their turning back from Him and their rebellion. His presence among them required this action, for He cannot go along with their sins. This is true both of the sins of the people here and of the sins of the people’s enemy (Psa 75:8).

Israel failed as a son. The Lord Jesus has taken Israel’s place as Son (cf. Hos 11:1; Mt 2:11). He is also the true vine (Jn 15:1), that is, instead of the vine Israel, and gives the Father the joy which He sought in vain from Israel. When the relationship between the Lord Jesus and Israel is restored through the conversion of the people, God will find His joy in that people.

The remnant asks God: “Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand”, which is the Lord Jesus (verse 17). The right hand symbolizes both power and honor. The Lord Jesus is the power of God and now has the place of honor in heaven at the right hand of God (Psa 110:1). The right hand of God is upon Him. He is the Messiah. In Him God is going to accomplish His work of redemption.

On her way to Bethlehem, Rachel gave birth to a baby boy. While she was dying she named him Ben-oni or ‘son of suffering’. Jacob, however, changed his name to Benjamin or ‘son of the right hand’ (Gen 35:16-20). We find here a beautiful painting of the Lord Jesus Who came to suffer and die as ‘Son of suffering’ and to give His life as a ransom for many. Thereafter He was raised from the dead, went into heaven, and became the Man of God’s right hand (cf. Psa 110:1).

To Him, the “son of Man”, God has given all authority in heaven and on earth (Mt 28:18). God has made Him strong for Himself. He often calls Himself “Son of Man” in the Gospels. It is the name of His humiliation, but also of His exaltation (Mt 26:64). He derives that Name from this psalm and from Daniel 7, where it also occurs once (Dan 7:13).

What the remnant is asking for in verse 17 will happen in the future. Then God’s hand will publicly be on ‘the Man of His right hand’, Christ. When Christ comes and reigns as the Son of Man, they will no longer turn back from Him, for they are firmly attached to Him (verse 18; Jer 31:33; 32:40). They will be preserved in life and will call upon His Name, that is, worship Him.

In the last verse they address the “LORD”, the name of God in His relationship with His people (verse 19). In faith the remnant calls Him that. The relationship between God and His people is not yet restored, but they look to Him Who has joined Himself to them. He must bring them back into that relationship. That will happen when He is among them again, when His face will shine upon them. Then they will be redeemed and receive the promised blessings.

After praying for restoration to God in verse 3 and to the God of the hosts in verse 7, here, in verse 19, they pray for restoration to the LORD God of the hosts. That they now pray to “the LORD” means that they are appealing to the covenant relationship between God and His people. We know that that relationship is restored by the blood of the new covenant shed by the Mediator, the Man of God’s right hand, the Son of Man.