[1] Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.
Joseph — The children of Joseph or Israel. The name of Joseph, the most eminent of the patriarchs, is elsewhere put for all the tribes.
Cherubim — Which were by the mercy seat above the ark.
Verse 2
[2] Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.
Before Ephraim — Here is an allusion to the ancient situation of the tabernacle in the wilderness, where these tribes were placed on the west-side of the tabernacle, in which the ark was, which consequently was before them.
Verse 3
[3] Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
Turn us — To thy self.
Verse 9
[9] Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.
Preparedst — Thou didst root out the idolatrous nations.
Deep root — Thou gavest them a firm settlement.
Verse 10
[10] The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.
The hills — They filled not only the fruitful valleys, but even the barren mountains.
Verse 11
[11] She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.
The river — They possessed the whole land, from the mid-land sea to the river Euphrates.
Verse 12
[12] Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?
Hedges — Taken away thy protection.
Verse 16
[16] It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
They — Thy people, signified by the vine. So now he passes from the metaphor to the thing designed by it.
Verse 17
[17] Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.
Be — To protect and strengthen him.
Right-hand — Benjamin signifies the son of the right hand, a dearly beloved son, as Benjamin was to Jacob.
Son of man — The people of Israel, who are often spoken of as one person, as God's son and first-born.
Verse 18
[18] So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.
Go back — Revolt from thee to idolatry or wickedness.
Quicken — Revive and restore us to our tranquility.
Psalm 80 Bible Commentary
John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes
Verse 1
[1] Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.
Joseph — The children of Joseph or Israel. The name of Joseph, the most eminent of the patriarchs, is elsewhere put for all the tribes.
Cherubim — Which were by the mercy seat above the ark.
Verse 2
[2] Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.
Before Ephraim — Here is an allusion to the ancient situation of the tabernacle in the wilderness, where these tribes were placed on the west-side of the tabernacle, in which the ark was, which consequently was before them.
Verse 3
[3] Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
Turn us — To thy self.
Verse 9
[9] Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.
Preparedst — Thou didst root out the idolatrous nations.
Deep root — Thou gavest them a firm settlement.
Verse 10
[10] The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.
The hills — They filled not only the fruitful valleys, but even the barren mountains.
Verse 11
[11] She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.
The river — They possessed the whole land, from the mid-land sea to the river Euphrates.
Verse 12
[12] Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?
Hedges — Taken away thy protection.
Verse 16
[16] It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
They — Thy people, signified by the vine. So now he passes from the metaphor to the thing designed by it.
Verse 17
[17] Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.
Be — To protect and strengthen him.
Right-hand — Benjamin signifies the son of the right hand, a dearly beloved son, as Benjamin was to Jacob.
Son of man — The people of Israel, who are often spoken of as one person, as God's son and first-born.
Verse 18
[18] So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.
Go back — Revolt from thee to idolatry or wickedness.
Quicken — Revive and restore us to our tranquility.