New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Psalm 80
1
For the director of music. A psalm of Asaph to the tune of "The Lilies of the Covenant." Shepherd of Israel, hear us. You lead the people of Joseph like a flock. You sit on your throne between the cherubim. Show your glory
2
to the people of Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh. Call your strength into action. Come and save us.
3
God, make us new again. Let your face smile on us with favor. Then we will be saved.
4
Lord God who rules over all, how long will your anger burn against the prayers of your people?
5
You have given us tears as our food. You have made us drink tears by the bowlful.
6
You have let our neighbors fight against us. Our enemies laugh at us.
7
God who rules over all, make us new again. Let your face smile on us with favor. Then we will be saved.
8
You brought Israel out of Egypt. Israel was like a vine. After you drove the nations out of Canaan, you planted the vine in their land.
9
You prepared the ground for it. It took root and spread out over the whole land.
10
The mountains were covered with its shade. The shade of its branches covered the mighty cedar trees.
11
Your vine sent its branches out all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. They reached as far as the Euphrates River.
12
Why have you broken down the walls around your vine? Now all who pass by it can pick its grapes.
13
Wild pigs from the forest destroy it. The creatures of the field feed on it.
14
God who rules over all, return to us! Look down from heaven and see us! Watch over your vine.
15
Guard the root you have planted with your powerful right hand. Take care of the branch you have raised up for yourself.
16
Your vine has been cut down. Fire has burned it up. You have been angry with us, and we are dying.
17
May you honor the people at your right hand. May you honor the nation you have raised up for yourself.
18
Then we won't turn away from you. Give us new life. We will worship you.
19
Lord God who rules over all, make us new again. Let your face smile on us with favor. Then we will be saved.
Summary of Psalm 80
Psalm 80 is a prayer for national restoration in which Israel asks God to return, rescue His people, and restore the relationship between Himself and the nation. Traditionally associated with Asaph, the psalm appears to come from a period of serious national suffering, when enemies were attacking Israel and God's people felt abandoned.
The psalm begins by calling God the Shepherd of Israel, emphasizing His role as the One who guides and protects His people.
The writer asks God to appear in power and save them.
Three tribes—Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh—are specifically mentioned, suggesting a connection with the northern and central tribes of Israel.
The repeated request for God to restore His people becomes the central theme.
The psalmist asks how long God will remain angry while His people continue praying.
Their suffering has become so severe that tears are described as their daily food and drink.
The surrounding nations also mock them, making their suffering even more painful.
The second major image compares Israel to a vine.
God brought the vine out of Egypt, planted it in the land, removed obstacles before it, and allowed it to grow throughout the region.
The vine represents Israel itself.
At one time, the nation was strong and prosperous.
But now the protective walls have been broken down.
Enemies and destructive forces are attacking the vine.
The psalmist therefore asks God to look down from heaven and care for the vine He originally planted.
The final section asks God to strengthen the one at His right hand and restore the people.
The people promise that if God gives them life again, they will return to Him and remain faithful.
The chapter ends with the repeated prayer that God will restore His people and allow His face to shine upon them.
Psalm 80 ultimately presents the picture of a nation that remembers that its existence began with God's rescue and blessing, yet now finds itself weakened, exposed, and surrounded by enemies, leading the psalmist to ask why the God who once planted and protected His people has allowed their protective boundaries to be broken. The image of Israel as a vine is especially important because it emphasizes that the nation did not create itself or establish itself independently. God brought the vine out of Egypt, planted it in the promised land, removed obstacles before it, and allowed it to grow. The nation's history is therefore presented as evidence of God's previous care, making its current suffering even more difficult to understand.
The repeated prayer for restoration shows that the psalmist's deepest desire is not simply military victory or political recovery. He wants God's relationship with His people to be restored. The request that God make His face shine upon them represents a desire for His favor, presence, protection, and blessing. The people recognize that their greatest need is not merely a stronger army or better political circumstances but the return of God's gracious presence. Their restoration therefore has both a physical and spiritual dimension.
The vine imagery also explains the tragedy of Israel's present condition. A vine that once spread widely and appeared strong has now been exposed to destruction because its protective boundaries have been broken down. The wild animals and the forces attacking it represent the enemies who are taking advantage of Israel's weakened condition. The psalmist asks God to remember that this is not simply any vine—it is the vine that He Himself planted. This argument appeals to God's own previous investment in His people: if God planted them, nurtured them, and established them, the psalmist asks Him to return and care for them again.
The final verses move toward renewed commitment. The people ask God to give them life, promising that they will not turn away from Him again. This demonstrates that restoration is expected to produce a changed relationship rather than simply a return to previous circumstances. The psalm therefore connects God's mercy with human faithfulness: the people need God to restore them, but they also recognize that restoration should lead them back to obedience and loyalty. The final repeated request for God's face to shine upon them leaves the chapter with a strong sense of dependence, because the people understand that their future ultimately rests in God's willingness to return, heal, protect, and restore what He originally planted.
The psalm begins by calling God the Shepherd of Israel, emphasizing His role as the One who guides and protects His people.
The writer asks God to appear in power and save them.
Three tribes—Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh—are specifically mentioned, suggesting a connection with the northern and central tribes of Israel.
The repeated request for God to restore His people becomes the central theme.
The psalmist asks how long God will remain angry while His people continue praying.
Their suffering has become so severe that tears are described as their daily food and drink.
The surrounding nations also mock them, making their suffering even more painful.
The second major image compares Israel to a vine.
God brought the vine out of Egypt, planted it in the land, removed obstacles before it, and allowed it to grow throughout the region.
The vine represents Israel itself.
At one time, the nation was strong and prosperous.
But now the protective walls have been broken down.
Enemies and destructive forces are attacking the vine.
The psalmist therefore asks God to look down from heaven and care for the vine He originally planted.
The final section asks God to strengthen the one at His right hand and restore the people.
The people promise that if God gives them life again, they will return to Him and remain faithful.
The chapter ends with the repeated prayer that God will restore His people and allow His face to shine upon them.
Psalm 80 ultimately presents the picture of a nation that remembers that its existence began with God's rescue and blessing, yet now finds itself weakened, exposed, and surrounded by enemies, leading the psalmist to ask why the God who once planted and protected His people has allowed their protective boundaries to be broken. The image of Israel as a vine is especially important because it emphasizes that the nation did not create itself or establish itself independently. God brought the vine out of Egypt, planted it in the promised land, removed obstacles before it, and allowed it to grow. The nation's history is therefore presented as evidence of God's previous care, making its current suffering even more difficult to understand.
The repeated prayer for restoration shows that the psalmist's deepest desire is not simply military victory or political recovery. He wants God's relationship with His people to be restored. The request that God make His face shine upon them represents a desire for His favor, presence, protection, and blessing. The people recognize that their greatest need is not merely a stronger army or better political circumstances but the return of God's gracious presence. Their restoration therefore has both a physical and spiritual dimension.
The vine imagery also explains the tragedy of Israel's present condition. A vine that once spread widely and appeared strong has now been exposed to destruction because its protective boundaries have been broken down. The wild animals and the forces attacking it represent the enemies who are taking advantage of Israel's weakened condition. The psalmist asks God to remember that this is not simply any vine—it is the vine that He Himself planted. This argument appeals to God's own previous investment in His people: if God planted them, nurtured them, and established them, the psalmist asks Him to return and care for them again.
The final verses move toward renewed commitment. The people ask God to give them life, promising that they will not turn away from Him again. This demonstrates that restoration is expected to produce a changed relationship rather than simply a return to previous circumstances. The psalm therefore connects God's mercy with human faithfulness: the people need God to restore them, but they also recognize that restoration should lead them back to obedience and loyalty. The final repeated request for God's face to shine upon them leaves the chapter with a strong sense of dependence, because the people understand that their future ultimately rests in God's willingness to return, heal, protect, and restore what He originally planted.