Psalms 80

This is Asaph’s prayer to God on behalf of the northern kingdom (“Israel,” “Samaria”) after it was taken captive by Assyria in 722–21 BC While “Joseph” can refer to the whole nation (77:15; 80:4–5), the mention in verse 2 of Ephraim and Manasseh (Joseph’s sons) and Benjamin (Joseph’s brother) suggests that the northern kingdom is meant. These are the children and grandchildren of Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife. Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom, was located in Ephraim. The temple was still standing in Jerusalem (v. 1), and the fall of Samaria should have been a warning to Judah not to disobey the Lord. That Asaph would pray for Samaria and ask God for restoration and reunion for the whole nation indicates that some of the old rivalries were ending and that some of the people of Judah were concerned over “the ruin of Joseph” (Amos 6:6). It’s unfortunate that it sometimes takes dissension, division, and destruction to bring brothers closer together. Joseph and his brothers are a case in point. The refrain “Restore us” (vv. 3, 7, 19) marks out the three requests Asaph made to the Lord for both kingdoms.

Both in the Old Testament and the New, the flock is a familiar image of the people of God (23:1; 28: nasb, niv; 74:1; 77:20; 78:52; 79:13; John 10; 1 Peter 5:1–4; Heb. 13:20–21). The request here is that the Lord might lead His people through this crisis as He led them safely through the wilderness. He led the way by the ark (the throne of God; 99:1; Num. 10:33; 1 Sam. 4:4; 6:2) and the cloud (the shining forth of the glory of God; Num. 14:14; see 50:2; 94:1; Deut. 33:2). After the ark came the people of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. Next were the Levites from Gershom and Marari carrying the tabernacle structure, followed by Reuben, Simeon, and Gad. Then came the Levites from Kohath carrying the tabernacle furnishings, followed by Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, with Dan, Asher, and Naphtali bringing up the rear (see Num. 10). Asaph asked the Lord to “stir up [His] strength” (7:6; 78:65) and bring salvation to His people. This reminds us of the words of Moses whenever the camp set out, “Rise up, O Lord! May your enemies be scattered” (Num. 10: niv). The request “cause thy face to shine” of the refrain reminds us of the priestly benediction (Num. 6:22–27; and see 4:6; 31:16; 67:1; 119:135.) When God hides His face, there is trouble (13:1; 27:9; 30:7; 44:24; 69:17; 88:14). “Turn us again” (kjv) means “restore us to our former state of blessing and fellowship with the Lord.” (See 85:4; 126:1,4; Lam. 5:21.)

The shepherd image blends in with the image of Israel as God’s people: “We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture” (100:3). But the Lord was now angry with His people, and His anger smoldered like a fire about to erupt and consume them. (See 74:1; 79:5; Deut. 29:20; Isa. 65:5.) He was even angry at their prayers, or “in spite of” their prayers. (For “How long?” see 6:3. See also Lam. 3:8, 44, and recall that God told Jeremiah not to pray for His wayward people [Jer. 7:16; 11:14; 14:11; and see 1 John 5:16].) During Israel’s wilderness wanderings, God provided bread from heaven and water from the rock (Ex. 16—17; Num. 20), but now His people had only tears as both their food and drink. (See 42:3; 102:9; Isa. 30:20.) To make matters worse, the neighboring peoples were laughing at God’s people (44:13–16; 79:4). Again we read the plaintive refrain (v. 7), but note that the “O God” of verse 3 now becomes “O God of hosts” (“God Almighty,” niv). Jehovah is the Lord of the armies of heaven and earth, but His people no longer marched in victory.

The image now changes to that of Israel the vine (Isa. 5:1–7; Jer. 2:21; 6:9; Ezek. 15:1–2; 17:6–8; 19:10–14; Hos. 10:1; 14:7; Matt. 20:1–16; Mark 12:1–9; Luke 20:9–16). Jesus used this image to describe Himself and His followers (John 15), and in Revelation 14:17–20, John wrote of “the vine of the earth,” the corrupt Gentile nations in the end times. The Lord transplanted Israel from Egypt to Canaan, uprooted the nations in Canaan, and planted His people in the land of their inheritance. As long as the people obeyed the Lord, the vine grew and covered more and more of the land. The boundaries of the nation reached from the hill country in the south to the mighty cedars of Lebanon in the north, from the Mediterranean Sea on the west to the Euphrates on the east—and beyond (72:8; Ex. 23:21; Deut. 11:24; 2 Sam. 8:6; 1 Kings 4:24).

But the luxurious vine disobeyed the Lord, produced “worthless fruit” (Isa. 5:2), and felt the chastening hand of the Lord. He withdrew His protection and permitted the enemy to enter the land and ruin the vineyard. Asaph prayed that the Lord might forgive and once again bless His people. The word “branch” in verse 15 (kjv) is translated “son” in the New American Standard Bible and the New International Version, perhaps a reference to Jacob’s words about Joseph in Genesis 49:22. Israel was called God’s “son” (Ex. 4:22–23; see Hos. 11:1, which is a messianic reference in Matt. 2:15), and Benjamin means “son of my right hand.” While there may be messianic overtones in verses 15 and 17 (see 110:1, 5), the main idea is that Israel is God’s own people, His vine, and His chosen son. He planted the nation in Canaan, and He alone can protect and deliver them. He had treated the people like a favored son, just as Jacob had laid his right hand of blessing on Ephraim rather than the firstborn Manasseh (Gen. 48:12–20). They did not deserve His blessing, but in His grace He bestowed it. It is also possible that verse 17 refers to Israel’s king and expresses hope in the Davidic dynasty.

The final refrain introduces a third name for God, borrowed from verse 4: “O Lord God of hosts [Almighty, niv].” “Lord” is the name “Jehovah,” which is the covenant name of God. The psalmist appealed to the covenant and asked God to be faithful to forgive His people as they called upon Him and confessed their sins (Lev. 26:40–45; Deut. 30:1–10). This is the Old Testament version of 1 John 1:9. Spiritually speaking, the roots of Israel are still strong (Rom. 11:1ff., especially vv. 16–24), and one day the vine and olive tree will be restored, and Asaph’s prayer will be answered.