Psalm 80

1 Ein Psalm und Zeugnis Asaphs, von den Rosen, vorzusingen. Du Hirte Israels, höre, der du Joseph hütest wie Schafe; erscheine, der du sitzest über dem Cherubim!

2 Erwecke deine Gewalt, der du vor Ephraim, Benjamin und Manasse bist, und komm uns zu Hilfe!

3 Gott, tröste uns und laß leuchten dein Antlitz; so genesen wir.

4 HERR, Gott Zebaoth, wie lange willst du zürnen bei dem Gebet deines Volkes?

5 Du speisest sie mit Tränenbrot und tränkest sie mit großem Maß voll Tränen.

6 Du setzest uns unsre Nachbarn zum Zank, und unsre Feinde spotten unser.

7 Gott Zebaoth, tröste uns, laß leuchten dein Antlitz; so genesen wir.

8 Du hast einen Weinstock aus Ägypten geholt und hast vertrieben die Heiden und denselben gepflanzt.

9 Du hast vor ihm die Bahn gemacht und hast ihn lassen einwurzeln, daß er das Land erfüllt hat.

10 Berge sind mit seinem Schatten bedeckt und mit seinen Reben die Zedern Gottes.

11 Du hast sein Gewächs ausgebreitet bis an das Meer und seine Zweige bis an den Strom.

12 Warum hast du denn seinen Zaun zerbrochen, daß ihn zerreißt, alles, was vorübergeht?

13 Es haben ihn zerwühlt die wilden Säue, und die wilden Tiere haben ihn verderbt.

14 Gott Zebaoth, wende dich doch, schaue vom Himmel und sieh an und suche heim diesen Weinstock

15 und halt ihn im Bau, den deine Rechte gepflanzt hat und den du dir fest erwählt hast.

16 Siehe drein und schilt, daß des Brennens und Reißens ein Ende werde. {~}

17 Deine Hand schütze das Volk deiner Rechten und die Leute, die du dir fest erwählt hast;

18 so wollen wir nicht von dir weichen. Laß uns leben, so wollen wir deinen Namen anrufen.

19 HERR, Gott Zebaoth, tröste uns, laß dein Antlitz leuchten; so genesen wir.

Psalm 80 Commentary

Chapter 80

The psalmist complains of the miseries of the church. (1-7) Its former prosperity and present desolation. (8-16) A prayer for mercy. (17-19)

Verses 1-7 He that dwelleth upon the mercy-seat, is the good Shepherd of his people. But we can neither expect the comfort of his love, nor the protection of his arm, unless we partake of his converting grace. If he is really angry at the prayers of his people, it is because, although they pray, their ends are not right, or there is some secret sin indulged in them, or he will try their patience and perseverance in prayer. When God is displeased with his people, we must expect to see them in tears, and their enemies in triumph. There is no salvation but from God's favour; there is no conversion to God but by his own grace.

Verses 8-16 The church is represented as a vine and a vineyard. The root of this vine is Christ, the branches are believers. The church is like a vine, needing support, but spreading and fruitful. If a vine do not bring forth fruit, no tree is so worthless. And are not we planted as in a well-cultivated garden, with every means of being fruitful in works of righteousness? But the useless leaves of profession, and the empty boughs of notions and forms, abound far more than real piety. It was wasted and ruined. There was a good reason for this change in God's way toward them. And it is well or ill with us, according as we are under God's smiles or frowns. When we consider the state of the purest part of the visible church, we cannot wonder that it is visited with sharp corrections. They request that God would help the vine. Lord, it is formed by thyself, and for thyself, therefore it may, with humble confidence, be committed to thyself.

Verses 17-19 The Messiah, the Protector and Saviour of the church, is the Man of God's right hand; he is the Arm of the Lord, for all power is given to him. In him is our strength, by which we are enabled to persevere to the end. The vine, therefore, cannot be ruined, nor can any fruitful branch perish; but the unfruitful will be cut off and cast into the fire. The end of our redemption is, that we should serve Him who hath redeemed us, and not go back to our old sins.

Chapter Summary

To the chief Musician upon Shoshannimeduth, A Psalm of Asaph. Of the word "shoshannim," See Gill on "Ps 45:1," and of "shushaneduth," See Gill on "Ps 60:1" which seems to be the same with this here, and is thought by some to be the name of a musical instrument now unknown, as Kimchi and Ben Melech; though these two words are not to be read together as one, for there is a dividing accent on "shoshannim," and which may be rendered "concerning the lilies" {a}; and so may denote the subject matter of the psalm, or respect the people of God, comparable to lilies for their beauty, purity, and holiness in Christ, Song of Solomon 6:2, and to lilies among thorns, Song of Solomon 2:2, being in great afflictions and persecutions, as appears from Psalm 80:5, the word "eduth" is to be read not along with "shoshannim," but with what follows, thus, "Eduth unto Asaph a psalm"; some render the word "eduth" an ornament or glory, as R. Marinus in Aben Ezra; and take the sense to be, that the psalm was a glorious one, and desirable to Asaph; but it rather signifies a testimony, and is by the Targum interpreted of the testimony of the law; but it is rather to be understood of the testimony of the Gospel, which is the testimony of Christ, and bears witness of him; and there is a testimony of him in this psalm, Psalm 80:17, and there seem to be in it many breathings after his coming and appearance in the flesh. Some take this psalm to be of the same argument with the foregoing, and think it refers to the destruction of the Jews, the two tribes, by the Chaldeans; so Theodoret; but there is no mention made of the temple, nor of Jerusalem, as in the preceding psalm; and besides, why should Manasseh and Ephraim be mentioned? wherefore others are of opinion that it has regard to the captivity of the ten tribes by Salmaneser; but then it may be asked, why is Benjamin taken notice of, which had no concern in the affliction? this has led others to conclude that it respects some time of affliction before either of these captivities, or between them both; and it may be applied to any affliction of the people of God in any age or period of time; and no doubt was written by Asaph, or by David, and put into his hands before the distress was, under a spirit of prophecy. Kimchi interprets it of the present captivity of the Jews, and Jarchi of their three captivities.

{a} Mynvv la "super liliis," Tigurine version, Cocceius; "pro liliis," Musculus.