2 Before Ephraim, and Benjamin, and Manasseh, Wake up Thy might, and come for our salvation. 3 O God, cause us to turn back, And cause Thy face to shine, and we are saved. 4 Jehovah, God of Hosts, till when? Thou hast burned against the prayer of Thy people. 5 Thou hast caused them to eat bread of tears, And causest them to drink With tears a third time. 6 Thou makest us a strife to our neighbors, And our enemies mock at it. 7 God of Hosts, turn us back, And cause Thy face to shine, and we are saved.
8 A vine out of Egypt Thou dost bring, Thou dost cast out nations, and plantest it. 9 Thou hast looked before it, and dost root it, And it filleth the land, 10 Covered have been hills 'with' its shadow, And its boughs 'are' cedars of God. 11 It sendeth forth its branches unto the sea, And unto the river its sucklings. 12 Why hast Thou broken down its hedges, And all passing by the way have plucked it? 13 A boar out of the forest doth waste it, And a wild beast of the fields consumeth it. 14 God of Hosts, turn back, we beseech Thee, Look from heaven, and see, and inspect this vine, 15 And the root that Thy right hand planted, And the branch Thou madest strong for Thee, 16 Burnt with fire—cut down, From the rebuke of Thy face they perish. 17 Let Thy hand be on the man of Thy right hand, On the son of man Thou hast strengthened for Thyself. 18 And we do not go back from Thee, Thou dost revive us, and in Thy name we call. 19 O Jehovah, God of Hosts, turn us back, Cause Thy face to shine, and we are saved!
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 80:2-19
Commentary on Psalm 80:1-7
(Read Psalm 80:1-7)
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.
Commentary on Psalm 80:8-16
(Read Psalm 80:8-16)
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.
Commentary on Psalm 80:17-19
(Read Psalm 80:17-19)
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.