DBG - July 2 - Psalms 80-85

This psalm is written by Asaph and was given for use in the Temple.  It is to be performed “upon Shoshannimeduth”, which literally means “lilies of testimony”.  It is a lament and call for God to restore His people.

vs. 1-3 – A call for God to deliver His people.  There is imagery here of the Ark of the Covenant (“between the churubims”) and to the marching order of the tribes during the Exodus.  According to Numbers 10:21-24, the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin followed behind the Kothathites carrying the Tabernacle furniture.  These three tribes are also linked to Rachel, with Benjamin as her son and Ephraim and Manasseh her grandsons through Joseph.

vs. 4-7 – The oppressed call out to God: “How long will this go on?”

vs. 8-14 – Israel is compared to a plant that God brought out of Egypt and planted in the Promised Land.  He tended to it and it grew greatly.  Now it was as if God had stopped caring for and let it be ravaged by her enemies.

vs. 15-19 – This section carries on the analogy of Israel as a plant that God had tended but was now forsaken.  Beginning in vs. 15 a new figure is introduced.  There is a “branch” in vs. 15.  There is the “man of thy right hand” and “the son of man” in vs. 17.  These are all allusions to the Messiah.

This psalm is written by Asaph for use in the Temple.  It was to be performed “upon Gittith”, which is a musical instrument mentioned here in and in Psalms 8 and 84.  The psalm is a call to worship at a feast day but also warns the worshippers to be faithful to God.

vs. 1-3 – The call to join the feast with praise and music.  Two types of feasts are mentioned in vs. 3.  First are the feasts at the new moon to begin each month.  Second is a “solemn feast day” which context shows as Passover.

vs. 4-5 – We see now more about the Passover.  It was THE defining feast for Israel.  It remembered what God did in delivering His people out of Egypt.

vs. 6-7 – The beginning of the journey out of Egypt is seen.  The incident where God provided water at Meribah in Exodus 17:6-7 is mentioned. 

vs. 8-10 – The time at Sinai is seen in these verses.  Exodus 20:2-5 is the basis for vs. 9-10. 

vs. 11-12 – The rebellion against God that caused God to forsake His people.  We have numerous examples of this in the Exodus, notably with the Golden Calf in Exodus 32.

vs.13-14 – Because of Israel’s lack of fidelity to Him, God could not bless them as He desired.  He had initially promised to drive out the inhabitants of Canaan before them, but instead they had to fight to conquer it.

vs. 15-16 -  The contrasting fates of the righteous and the wicked. 

This psalm is written by Asaph and is an exhortation for judges and magistrates to serve in holiness before the Almighty God.

vs. 1-2 – The greatness and righteousness of God’s judgment is compared to that of the unfaithful human judges.

vs. 3-4 – The duty of the mortal judges that they had forsaken.  This passage reflects Deuteronomy 10:18.

vs. 5 – The willful blindness and ignorance of the mortal judges to do right has unsteadied the nation.

vs. 6-7 – The unfaithful judges had been granted authority to act in God’s name.  They failed in their duties and faced judgment.  This verse is famously referenced in John 10:34-36.

vs. 8 – A call for God the Righteous Judge to execute judgment in the earth. 

This psalm was written by Asaph and is the final work attributed to him in Psalms.  This is a call for deliverance from an enemy conspiracy.

vs. 1-2 – A call for God to act as the wicked rage.

vs. 3-5 – The conspiracy of the wicked against Israel.

vs. 6-8 – A roster of the nations in the conspiracy

vs. 9-12 – A reminder of past deliverances.  The Midianites were defeated in Numbers 31:7-8 and Judges 7:22-25.  Sisera was defeated in Judges 4:15-24.  Oreb and Zeeb were defeated in Judges 7:25.  Zebah and Zalmunna were defeated in Judges 8:12-21.

vs. 13-15 – A call for the utter defeat of the enemy.

vs. 16-18 – A call for God to be glorified in His victory over the enemy conspiracy.

No author is given for this psalm.  It was given to the sons of Korah for use in the Temple and was to be performed “upon Gittith”,  a musical instrument mentioned here in and in Psalms 8 and 81.  This psalm shows a longing to worship God in the Temple.

vs. 1-4 – The writer longs to worship at the Temple.  He counts the birds that have nested there to be truly blessed to dwell there continually.

vs. 5-8 – A pronouncement of blessing on the righteous as they walk in the ways of the Lord.  An allusion is here to the great processions of worshippers on their pilgrimages to the Temple.  God’s provision is seen in vs. 6 and His empowerment in vs. 7.

vs. 9-12 – Praising God and longing to experience His goodness without end.

No author is given for this psalm.  It was given to the sons of Korah for use in the Temple.  It is a prayer for the restoration of God’s blessings on His people.

vs. 1-3 – The writer recalls times in the past when Israel when Israel saw the blessings of God restored after they repented of their sins. 

vs. 4 – A call for God to restore His people and deliver them.

vs. 5-6 – There is a question of doubt here.  Would God restore them?

vs. 7 – A call for God to be merciful and deliver His people.

vs. 8-9 – Faith is confessed that God will restore His people.

vs. 10 – We have here a wonderful picture of restoration.  We may link mercy and peace together.  These two are the things the writer desires for a sinful people that were turning back to God.  On the other side, we may link truth and righteousness.  These two demand judgment against the sinfulness of the people.  The forgiveness of sin by God is accomplished by the concerted effort of His character.  Just because He shows mercy does not mean that He compromises truth.  Just because He restores peace with sinful man does not mean that He has forfeited His righteousness.

vs. 11-13 – As God’s righteousness is restored in the land so is His hand of blessing. 

Many of today’s psalms refer to past events as guides or as examples of what God can do.  George Santayana famously said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”  Israel was rooted in their identity as the people God delivered for Egypt.  They look back as tried to learn lessons from their past.  Sadly, they did often repeat the mistakes of turning away from God.  These stark examples of human nature should be a warning for us today to remain faithful.

Our hymn today is a paraphrase of Psalm 80.

Great Shepherd, who leadest Thy people in love,
’Mid cherubim dwelling, shine Thou from above;
In might come and save us, Thy people restore,
And we shall be saved when Thy face shines once more.

O haste, Lord, to hear us and pity our woes,
Afflictions our portion, despised by our foes;
O Lord God Almighty, in mercy restore,
And we shall be saved when Thy face shines once more.

A place for Thy people, Thou, Lord, didst prepare,
Thy vine deeply rooted rewarded Thy care;
Its branches like cedars, majestic and free,
Spread over the mountains from river to sea.

Thy vineyard no longer Thy tender care knows,
Defenseless, the victim and spoil of her foes;
O turn, we beseech Thee, all glory is Thine,
Look down in Thy mercy and visit Thy vine.

The branch of Thy planting is burned and cut down,
Brought nigh to destruction because of Thy frown;
The man of Thy right hand with wisdom endue,
The son of man strengthen Thy pleasure to do.

When Thou shalt revive us Thy name we shall praise,
And nevermore turning, depart from Thy ways;
O Lord God Almighty, in mercy restore,
And we shall be saved when Thy face shines once more.