Psalms 80

Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock, you who sit above the cherubim, shine out. Wesley: Joseph—children of Joseph or Israel; Cherubim—by the mercy seat above the ark. Shepherd-King addressed at the ark's throne.

Ask the Shepherd to hear and shine. Presence between the cherubim is the appointed nearness—come back to that light.

Calvin: Joseph is named because the design treats the kingdom of Israel under Joseph's line; yet they must not trust spurious worship—He who sits between the cherubim calls them back to the law's pure doctrine. The mercy-seat pledges presence; God humbles himself to dwell among them so the faithful not imagine him far.

Shepherd, flock, cherubim, shine. Return to the Word's seat of meeting, not to homemade gods.

Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up your might! Come to save us! Wesley: Before Ephraim—allusion to wilderness camp, these tribes west of the tabernacle, ark before them. Stir strength in the sight of the tribes and save.

Ask visible might and coming salvation. Historic camp order teaches where the ark led; pray that lead again.

Calvin: stir up strength and come for deliverance in the sight of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. The plea is for God to act where his people can see his aid.

Stir up might; come save. Salvation is asked as God's arising, not Israel's self-rescue.

Turn us again, God. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved! Wesley: Turn us—to thy self. Shared refrain: turning/restoring and shining face equal salvation.

The turn is Godward—"to thy self." Face-shine is the light of favor that saves; pray both the turning and the shining.

Calvin: Turn us again means restore us to our former state. Some refine it as a prayer for regenerating spirit; better to keep the sense of restoration under adversity—God's peculiar work to restore life to the dead. Miseries traced to the hidden face; complete salvation solely through divine favor. It will be a resurrection if once thy countenance shine.

Restore; face shine; we are saved. Favor's light is the life of the people.

O LORD God of Armies, how long will you be angry against the prayer of your people's prayers? Either reading: even prayer seems met with anger; how long?

Name the dread that petitions smoke back unanswered. Keep praying the how-long; do not quit the throne of grace.

Calvin: surprising that God continues unpacified though they betake themselves to him—angry when they call. Speaking by flesh's judgment, they represent him as deaf; yet they must cherish faith's judgment and penetrate to hidden salvation. He permits them to disburden cares and fears. Smoke of wrath alludes to incense; another smoke seems to obscure the heavens.

God’s anger seems to be set even against his people’s prayer. Pour out the complaint; still believe the promise that prayer is not finally disappointed.

You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in large measure. Diet and cup are grief measured out by God.

Tears as bread and drink—sorrow saturates ordinary life. Bring the full measure to the God of hosts who alone can change the ration.

Calvin: greatness and long continuance of grief—so filled with sorrow they can contain no more. Bread of tears and tears to drink depict Zion in captivity.

Bread and cup of tears. Affliction is from his hand; therefore from his hand seek relief.

You make us a source of contention to our neighbors. Our enemies laugh among themselves. Strife around and laughter among foes—both ascribed to God's ordering.

Neighbors quarrel over or against us; enemies mock. Own that God "makes" this, then plead the restore refrain.

Calvin: made a strife to neighbors—either quarrel taken up against them, or victors contending over spoil; former sense suits. Enemies laugh among themselves at their adversities. They ascribe all to God's judgment, who bends hearts—to stir repentance.

Israel has become a cause of strife and a laughingstock. The Spirit still inspires bold prayer under nearly desperate guilt.

Turn us again, God of Armies. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved! Refrain returns with "God of Armies." Armies' Lord must turn and shine for salvation.

Wesley's turn-to-thyself still governs. Repeat the plea; hosts-language matches the scale of the ruin.

Calvin: repetition of v. 3—not vain words but means to surmount obstacles. God encourages a people bowed under calamity to rise, heavy though the load be. The support is presented often; it will close the psalm a third time.

Restore; shine; save. Repeat faith's chorus against despair.

You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. Exodus vine—God the planter after clearing the land.

Rehearse the planting grace. The God who brought and planted is the one now asked to return (v. 14).

Calvin: under the vine is celebrated singular grace after redemption—inviting approach by benefits and word. Unbecoming that God abandon what he planted and cultivated. The covenant was not for a few days; vine marks high estimation.

Vine from Egypt, nations driven, planted. Past liberality grounds present hope.

You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land. Wesley: Preparedst—root out idolatrous nations; Deep root—firm settlement. Both sides agree: cleared ground, deep root, filled land.

Firm settlement was gift. Remember how thoroughly God prepared and rooted before you ask why hedges fell.

Calvin: ground cleansed—heathen cast out, or continual digging vines need. Rooted its roots—pains to propagate. The land filled with inhabitants as the people increased.

God cleared the ground, rooted the vine, and filled the land with it. Husbandry of God was careful; ruin is therefore the more grievous.

The mountains were covered with its shadow. Its boughs were like God’s cedars with its branches. Wesley: The hills—they filled not only fruitful valleys but even barren mountains. Both traditions see: sprawling shade and cedar-high branches.

Prosperity once reached the barren heights. Praise the former cover before you mourn the plucking.

Calvin: mountains covered with its shadow; branches compared to cedars of God—most excellent—to express how eminently Abraham's seed were blessed.

Mountain shade, cedar branches. Former glory measures present loss.

It sent out its branches to the sea, its shoots to the River. Wesley: The river—they possessed the whole land from the mid-land sea to Euphrates. Both note: sea-to-River extent of the vine.

The vine once filled the promised borders. The geography of blessing fuels the why of broken walls.

Calvin: sea and Euphrates were the appointed boundaries of the inheritance. Extent fulfilled the promise of wide possession.

Wide planting makes the later ravaging the sharper question.

Why have you broken down its walls, so that all those who pass by the way pluck its fruit? Wesley: Hedges—taken away thy protection. Common confession: protection removed; passersby plunder.

Ask why honestly. Broken hedges mean lost covering—pray protection restored, not merely complain of thieves.

Calvin: application of the similitude—nothing more inconsistent than God abandoning the vine he planted to be rooted up. He often threatened this; severity renders ingratitude detestable. Yet true believers take encouragement: he who never forsakes the work of his hands may still care for a remnant.

Walls broken; fruit plucked. Ingratitude explained the breach; remnant hope remains.

The boar out of the wood ravages it. Wild destroyers finish what broken walls began.

Boar and field-beasts image ruthless foes. Name them before God the vine-keeper.

Calvin: destroyers are not only passersby but wild boar and savage beasts—indignity aggravated against the contrast of God as vine-keeper.

Boar ravages; beasts feed. Savage waste still under the God who can visit the vine again.

Turn again, we beg you, God of Armies. Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vine. Return, look, see, visit the vine.

Turn again matches the restore refrain. Heaven's look is enough if it rests on this vine—ask regard, not mere notice.

Calvin: do not yield though God hide his face—sought in confident mercy he will reconcile. Vineyard honor is argument from his liberality, not claim of desert. From heaven—lift faith to distance if he seems far; if earth shows no deliverance, look up.

Turn, look from heaven, regard the vine. Confidence of mercy under apparent alienation.

“The stock which your right hand planted, the branch that you made strong for yourself.” Both readings hold: right-hand planting and the son made strong are God's own work.

Plead what his hand planted and strengthened. The son-language prepares v. 17's man of the right hand.

Calvin: metaphor akin to the former—singular liberality advancing and prospering the people. The vine-branch planted is also the Man of his right hand.

Stock of the right hand; son made strong. Ask God to finish what he began for himself.

They have burned with fire. It’s cut down. They perish at your rebuke of your face! Wesley: They—thy people, signified by the vine; he passes from metaphor to the thing. Both agree: fire and cutting; perishing at face-rebuke.

The vine-people burn and fall. Face-rebuke (not foe strength alone) is the true cause—so face-shine (refrain) is the true cure.

Calvin: calamities clearer—abandoned to beasts was grave; burned, rooted, destroyed is worse. Warning of severity when ingratitude joins obstinacy. Yet cast sorrows into God's bosom who raises the Church from destruction. They perish at your rebuke of his countenance—not by enemies' bare strength. Look to the hand that smote.

Burned, cut down; perish at face-rebuke. Own the rebuke; seek the shining face.

Let your hand be on the man of your right hand, on the son of man whom you made strong for yourself! Wesley: Be—protect and strengthen him; Right-hand—Benjamin = son of the right hand, dearly beloved; Son of man—people of Israel as one person, God's son and first-born. Agreed: hand on the beloved son/people God strengthened.

Ask protecting hand on the dearly beloved people. Corporate "son of man" here is Israel made strong for God—pray that strength back.

Calvin: plain prayer for what the vineyard figure asked—defend the Man of thy right hand and Son of man strengthened for thyself. The whole Church is comprehended under one; oneness depends on the head, with particular reference to the king who preserved many from utter destruction. Found hope only on benefits formerly conferred.

Hand on the man of the right hand. People as one under God's strengthening; plead prior grace.

So we will not turn away from you. Revive us, and we will call on your name! Wesley: Go back—revolt to idolatry or wickedness; Quicken—revive and restore us to our tranquility. No apostasy; life given; name called on.

Vow not to revolt; ask quickening. Calling on the name answers restored life—praise and prayer together.

Calvin: they engage, upon being heard, to acknowledge goodness by praise and by whole life. Calling on the name is the calves of the lips; not going back is continued obedience. Or: we will continue even when circumstances look hopeless; when restored, we will magnify the name.

Not turn back; give life; call on the name. Quicken first; then the lips and walk follow.

Turn us again, LORD God of Armies. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved! Third refrain, now "LORD God of Armies." Both traditions agree: covenant name plus hosts; shine; save.

End where the psalm's hope lives—turn to himself, face bright, people saved. Sing the chorus until the face shines.

Calvin: the verse is repeated the third time—superfluous to add much. The thrice-sung support lifts a bowed people to keep asking until favor returns.

Restore; shine; save. LORD God of hosts closes the plea with full title and full need.