PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 80:1. This is a community lament for a situation in which the people have received hard treatment from the Gentiles. It asks God to “restore us, let your face shine that we may be saved!” A notable feature of the psalm is its refrain, “Restore us, O [Lord] God [of hosts];... [ Continue Reading ]
PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 80:3 LET YOUR FACE SHINE recalls Aaron’s blessing (Numbers 6:25). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 80:4 The people cry because God is ANGRY WITH his PEOPLE’S PRAYERS (which implies that they have been unfaithful, see Psalms 74:1). He has brought sorrows upon them, especially that they have become AN OBJECT OF CONTENTION FOR their Gentile NEIGHBORS (see Psalms 79:4). Faithful... [ Continue Reading ]
PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 80:8 This is the longest stanza, with its image of God’s people as a VINE for which God has cared and provided (see notes on Jer. 2:21; Ezekiel 15:1). The branches of this vine were to give SHADE to everything within the borders of the Promised Land (see Exodus 23:31), which alw... [ Continue Reading ]
PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 80:15 THE SON. Israel as a whole is God’s son (see Exodus 4:22; Hosea 11:1). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 80:16 The final stanza continues the vine imagery from the previous section, describing the terrible deeds of the Gentile invaders: THEY HAVE BURNED IT (the vine) WITH FIRE; THEY HAVE CUT IT DOWN. For such an outrage against God’s own plant, MAY THEY PERISH AT THE REBUKE OF YOUR... [ Continue Reading ]