Lord, All We Ask Is...

Psalm 80:3 KJV 1900

Turn us again, O God, And cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Ps. 80:3

Psalm 80:1–19 KJV 1900

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh Stir up thy strength, And come and save us. Turn us again, O God, And cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. O Lord God of hosts, How long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people? Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; And givest them tears to drink in great measure. Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: And our enemies laugh among themselves. Turn us again, O God of hosts, And cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: Thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. Thou preparedst room before it, And didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, And the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, And her branches unto the river. Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, So that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? The boar out of the wood doth waste it, And the wild beast of the field doth devour it. Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: Look down from heaven, and behold, And visit this vine; And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, And the branch that thou madest strong for thyself. It is burned with fire, it is cut down: They perish at the rebuke of thy countenance. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, Upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself. So will not we go back from thee: Quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, Cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Psalm 80:7 KJV 1900

Turn us again, O God of hosts, And cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Ps. 80:7

Psalm 80:14–15 KJV 1900

Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: Look down from heaven, and behold, And visit this vine; And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, And the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.

Introduction:

Psalm 80:19 KJV 1900

Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, Cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Ps. 80:19

Lamentations 5:21 KJV 1900

Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned; Renew our days as of old.

Note - "Shoshannim 'Eduth" - lit. "Lilies” (accented hard Athnach pause) "Witness, Testimony, Covenant"

Spurgeon says, "If by the Asaph of David's day, this Psalm was written in the spirit of prophecy, for it sings of times unknown to David". It is the apparent recognition of a Northern Kingdom in the Psalm that occasions the difficulty regarding date and authorship. Dr Gill's comment is, "Some take this Psalm to be of the same argument as the foregoing, and think it refers to the destruction of the Jews, the two tribes, by the Chaldeans ... 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 ... 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" [J. M. Flanigan, What the Bible Teaches: Psalms, What the Bible Teaches Commentary Series (John Ritchie LTD Christian Publications, 2001), 349.]

-"Shoshannim 'Eduth" - lit. "Lilies of the Testimony"

J. M. Flanigan, What the Bible Teaches: Psalms, What the Bible Teaches Commentary Series (John Ritchie LTD Christian Publications, 2001), 349.]

“Prayer for the Recovery of a Lost Past.” [W. Graham Scroggie, The Guide to the Psalms, A Comprehensive Analysis of the Psalms, vol. 2, The Scroggie Studies of the Psalms and the Gospels Library (Kregel Publications, 2014), 180.]

Prayer for the Recovery of a Lost Past. [W. Graham Scroggie, The Guide to the Psalms, A Comprehensive Analysis of the Psalms, vol. 2, The Scroggie Studies of the Psalms and the Gospels Library (Kregel Publications, 2014), 180.]

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The plea for God’s face to shine is made in a time of trouble, when his blessings are absent. Thus “the psalm in its continued use belongs to the repertoire of the afflicted people of God on their way through the troubles of history” (Mays 1994:264).

Two other images play key roles in this psalm: God as shepherd (80:1–3 and 80:4–7) and God as vinedresser (80:8–14a, 14b–19). The four strophes are chiastically arranged:

W. Graham Scroggie, The Guide to the Psalms, A Comprehensive Analysis of the Psalms, vol. 2, The Scroggie Studies of the Psalms and the Gospels Library (Kregel Publications, 2014), 180.]

Pleading for the shepherd’s favor (80:1–3)

Lamenting the shepherd’s anger (80:4–7)

Lamenting the vinedresser’s neglect (80:8–14a)

Pleading for the vinedresser’s favor (80:14b–19) [Mark D. Futato, “The Book of Psalms,” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 7: The Book of Psalms, The Book of Proverbs (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2009), 265.]

[Mark D. Futato, “The Book of Psalms,” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 7: The Book of Psalms, The Book of Proverbs (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2009), 265.]

A. Hear us, Shepherd and Shine; You Lead Us and Are with Us (v. 1)

Psalm 80:1 KJV 1900

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.

Exodus 25:17–22 KJV 1900

And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

B. Rachael's Progeny Needs Your Strength Again, Come and Save (v. 2)

Psalm 80:2 KJV 1900

Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh Stir up thy strength, And come and save us.

Note here specially the names Joseph, Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, and the figure of the Shepherd and His Flock. God is asked to blaze out as the sun from behind a cloud, and to put His dormant might into action. [Scroggie, 180.]

Note - See “. (These 3 tribes, in the wilderness, marched immediately after the ark.) - .” [H. N. Champney, A Textual Commentary on the Book of Psalms (London: Samuel Bagster and Sons; Wertheim and Macintosh, 1852), 54.]

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(These 3 tribes, in the wilderness,

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H. N. Champney, A Textual Commentary on the Book of Psalms (London: Samuel Bagster and Sons; Wertheim and Macintosh, 1852), 54.

C. Turn Us Around, Bless with Your Favor; That Is All We Need (v. 3)

Psalm 80:3 KJV 1900

Turn us again, O God, And cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Note here specially the names Joseph, Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, and the figure of the Shepherd and His Flock. God is asked to blaze out as the sun from behind a cloud, and to put His dormant might into action. [Scroggie, 180.]

This is the first of three times the psalmist utters this plea in this psalm. See also verses 7 and 19. The word translated as turn (שׁוב shuwb) has the thought of 'bring back' and by extension to 'restore.' Therefore, Asaph pled with God to restore His people. Rather than face the storm clouds of His wrath, he pled that they might see the sunshine of His smile. The foregoing is an eloquent metaphor for God's grace. He in essence pled for God's mercy and grace. See . As God shed His grace upon them once again, they would be blessed by being delivered from the hand of the oppressive enemy. Though we as New Testament Christians are in a somewhat different relationship to God than Israel is, we can still come to Him, pleading His grace and mercy in time of need. That is what this psalm is about. [David H. Sorenson, Understanding the Bible, An Independent Baptist Commentary - Job through Psalms, vol. 4, Understanding the Bible, An Independent Baptist Commentary (Northstar Ministry, 2007), 530–531.]

Note here specially the names Joseph, Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, and the figure of the Shepherd and His Flock. God is asked to blaze out as the sun from behind a cloud, and to put His dormant might into action. [Scroggie, 180.]

This is the first of three times the psalmist utters this plea in this psalm. See also verses 7 and 19. The word translated as turn (שׁוב shuwb) has the thought of 'bring back' and by extension to 'restore.' Therefore, Asaph pled with God to restore His people. Rather than face the storm clouds of His wrath, he pled that they might see the sunshine of His smile. The foregoing is an eloquent metaphor for God's grace. He in essence pled for God's mercy and grace. See . As God shed His grace upon them once again, they would be blessed by being delivered from the hand of the oppressive enemy. Though we as New Testament Christians are in a somewhat different relationship to God than Israel is, we can still come to Him, pleading His grace and mercy in time of need. That is what this psalm is about. [David H. Sorenson, Understanding the Bible, An Independent Baptist Commentary - Job through Psalms, vol. 4, Understanding the Bible, An Independent Baptist Commentary (Northstar Ministry, 2007), 530–531.]

W. Graham Scroggie, 180.]

David H. Sorenson, Understanding the Bible, An Independent Baptist Commentary - Job through Psalms, vol. 4, Understanding the Bible, An Independent Baptist Commentary (Northstar Ministry, 2007), 530–531.]

A. Please Don't Be Upset with Us Anymore (v. 4)

Psalm 80:4 KJV 1900

O Lord God of hosts, How long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?

as Alexander Maclaren says, "A piteous tale of suffering is wailed forth". The "How long" must not be interpreted as an irreverent impatience. It is rather a sad questioning of the circumstances into which they have been brought, and a longing for divine deliverance. The appeal is addressed to God with a majestic, if unusual, title, "O LORD (<H3068>) God (<H430>) of hosts (<H6635>)". This is Jehovah Elohim of Sabaoth, a title denoting universal sovereignty. There is an almost indefinable greatness here. Jehovah, eternal and selfsufficient; Elohim so mighty; God of the hosts of heaven. To such an One does the Psalmist appeal on behalf of a suffering nation. For how long will He seem to be angry against the prayer of His people. Or, as Delitzsch says, "Angry while the people are praying". [Flanigan, 349.]

as Alexander Maclaren says, "A piteous tale of suffering is wailed forth". The "How long" must not be interpreted as an irreverent impatience. It is rather a sad questioning of the circumstances into which they have been brought, and a longing for divine deliverance. The appeal is addressed to God with a majestic, if unusual, title, "O LORD (<H3068>) God (<H430>) of hosts (<H6635>)". This is Jehovah Elohim of Sabaoth, a title denoting universal sovereignty. There is an almost indefinable greatness here. Jehovah, eternal and selfsufficient; Elohim so mighty; God of the hosts of heaven. To such an One does the Psalmist appeal on behalf of a suffering nation. For how long will He seem to be angry against the prayer of His people. Or, as Delitzsch says, "Angry while the people are praying".

J. M. Flanigan, What the Bible Teaches: Psalms, What the Bible Teaches Commentary Series (John Ritchie LTD Christian Publications, 2001), 349.

B. Haven't We Suffered Enough Personally? (v. 5)

Psalm 80:5 KJV 1900

Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; And givest them tears to drink in great measure.

C. Haven't We Suffered Enough Publicly? (v. 6)

Psalm 80:6 KJV 1900

Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: And our enemies laugh among themselves.

Ps. 80:

D. Turn Us Around, Bless Us with Your Grace; That's All We Ask (v. 7)

Psalm 80:7 KJV 1900

Turn us again, O God of hosts, And cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Here we learn the important lesson that faith does not preclude the honest lamenting of our deepest troubles. Faith, rather, gives us boldness to bring our distress to expression in the very presence of the one who “fed us with sorrow and made us drink tears by the bucketful.” God invites such honest dialogue, knowing that it is part of the path to restoration. [Futato, 266.]

Here we learn the important lesson that faith does not preclude the honest lamenting of our deepest troubles. Faith, rather, gives us boldness to bring our distress to expression in the very presence of the one who “fed us with sorrow and made us drink tears by the bucketful.” God invites such honest dialogue, knowing that it is part of the path to restoration.

Mark D. Futato, “The Book of Psalms,” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 7: The Book of Psalms, The Book of Proverbs (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2009), 266.]

[Here Asaph is] setting forth Israel, and the soul, in Prosperity (8-11), Adversity (12, 13), and Recovery (14-19). The figure of the vine is employed, and is carried out in detail with much beauty. The people of Israel are likened to a vine, a fig tree, and an olive tree. Of old they were the chosen Vine; to-day they are the withered Fig Tree; and in a coming age they will be the flourishing Olive Tree. [Scroggie, 180.]

W. Graham Scroggie, 180.]

A. You Planted Us Here (v. 8)

Psalm 80:8 KJV 1900

Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: Thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.

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Note the planter of the vine, the nourisher of the vine, the present condition of the vine, and the petition concerning the vine. [Roy E. Gingrich, The Book of Psalms (Book Three) (Memphis, TN: Riverside Printing, 1995), 19.]

Roy E. Gingrich, The Book of Psalms (Book Three) (Memphis, TN: Riverside Printing, 1995), 19.]

B. You Prospered Us Here (v. 9)

Psalm 80:9 KJV 1900

Thou preparedst room before it, And didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.

C. The Land Was Blessed Through You in Us (v. 10)

Psalm 80:10 KJV 1900

The hills were covered with the shadow of it, And the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.

D. The Ends of the Earth Knew You Through Us (v. 11)

Psalm 80:11 KJV 1900

She sent out her boughs unto the sea, And her branches unto the river.

Note - See

Isaiah 5:1–7 KJV 1900

Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, And planted it with the choicest vine, And built a tower in the midst of it, And also made a winepress therein: And he looked that it should bring forth grapes, And it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, Judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, That I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, Brought it forth wild grapes? And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; And break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: And I will lay it waste: It shall not be pruned, nor digged; But there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, And the men of Judah his pleasant plant: And he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; For righteousness, but behold a cry.

Joshua 23:14 KJV 1900

And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.

Hosea 10:1 KJV 1900

Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: According to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; According to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.

A. Why Have You Allowed Us to Be Pilfered by Other Peoples (v. 12)

Psalm 80:12 KJV 1900

Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, So that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?

B. And Devoured By Wild Animals? (v. 13)

Psalm 80:13 KJV 1900

The boar out of the wood doth waste it, And the wild beast of the field doth devour it.

C. Come Back, See Our Sad Condition, and Give Us Your Presence (v. 14)

Psalm 80:14 KJV 1900

Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: Look down from heaven, and behold, And visit this vine;

D. We're the Work of Your Right Hand (v. 15)

Psalm 80:15 KJV 1900

And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, And the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.

E. Yet We Remain Forgotten By You and Destroyed Through Neglect and Abuse (v. 16)

Psalm 80:16 KJV 1900

It is burned with fire, it is cut down: They perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.

Asaph realized why they were being judged. It was God's chastening against them. The truth of remains; whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth. When God chastens us, we will wish that He never had. [Sorenson, 533.]

David H. Sorenson, 533.]

F. Raise Up Messiah! (v. 17)

Psalm 80:17 KJV 1900

Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, Upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.

G. Revive Us Again and We Will Be True to You (v. 18)

Psalm 80:18 KJV 1900

So will not we go back from thee: Quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.

H. Jehovah Elohim Sabaoth, Turn Us Around, Give Us Your Grace; Save Us! (v. 19)

Psalm 80:19 KJV 1900

Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, Cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Notice in conclusion how the refrain grows, "O God" (3), "O God of hosts" (7), "O Lord God of hosts" (19). Is your God becoming more to you every day? Let us think on our ways and turn. [Scroggie, 180.]

W. Graham Scroggie, 180.]

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If only He would smile upon them, that would be sufficient. As Maclaren concludes, so beautifully, "The faith that grasps all that is contained in that full-toned name already feels the light of God's face shining upon it, and is sure that its prayer for salvation is not in vain". [Flanigan, 349.]

J. M. Flanigan, 349.]

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Israel never was that faithful son in the full sense. That is why Jesus had to come. He is the truly faithful son. He said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.” (). Jesus then went on to say, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (). United to Jesus Christ by faith, we are the son-vine-flock of God, having in Jesus all that is necessary to produce much fruit in our own lives and in the lives of many around us. So this psalm encourages us to know who we are in Christ and to plead for God’s favor in times of trouble, believing that “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (). [DBT Dictionary of Biblical Theology (2nd ed., Leon-Dufour) [1972] [Futato, 266.]

So this psalm encourages us to know who we are in Christ and to plead for God’s favor in times of trouble, believing that “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (). [DBT Dictionary of Biblical Theology (2nd ed., Leon-Dufour) [1972] [Futato, 266.]

[DBT Dictionary of Biblical Theology (2nd ed., Leon-Dufour) [1972] [Futato, 266.]

Mark D. Futato, 266.]

Lord, All We Ask Is...

Introduction:

I. A Restoration Prayer ()

II. A Resigned Posture ()

III. A Reminiscence of Power ()

IV. A Request for God's Presence ()

Conclusion: