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Psalm Eighty
New King James Version (NKJV)
YLT To the Overseer. -- `On
the Lilies.' A testimony of Asaph. –
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 80
To the chief Musician upon Shoshannimeduth
A Psalm of Asaph. Of the word
"shoshannim"
see Gill on Psalm 45:1
and of
"shushaneduth"
see Gill on Psalm 60:1 which seems to be the same with
this here
and is thought by some to be the name of a musical instrument now
unknown
as Kimchi and Ben Melech; though these two words are not to be read
together as one
for there is a dividing accent on "shoshannim"
and
which may be rendered "concerning the lilies"F1אל ששנים "super
liliis"
Tigurine version
Cocceius; "pro liliis"
Musculus. ;
and so may denote the subject matter of the psalm
or respect the people of
God
comparable to lilies for their beauty
purity
and holiness in Christ
Song of Solomon 6:2
and to lilies among
thorns
Song of Solomon 2:2
being in great
afflictions and persecutions
as appears from Psalm 80:5
the word "eduth" is
to be read not along with "shoshannim"
but with what follows
thus
"Eduth
unto Asaph a psalm"; some render the word "eduth" an ornament or
glory
as R. Marinus in Aben Ezra; and take the sense to be
that the psalm was
a glorious one
and desirable to Asaph; but it rather signifies a testimony
and is by the Targum interpreted of the testimony of the law; but it is rather
to be understood of the testimony of the Gospel
which is the testimony of
Christ
and bears witness of him; and there is a testimony of him in this
psalm
Psalm 80:17
and there seem to be in it
many breathings after his coming and appearance in the flesh. Some take this
psalm to be of the same argument with the foregoing
and think it refers to the
destruction of the Jews
the two tribes
by the Chaldeans; so Theodoret; but
there is no mention made of the temple
nor of Jerusalem
as in the preceding
psalm; and besides
why should Manasseh and Ephraim be mentioned? wherefore
others are of opinion that it has regard to the captivity of the ten tribes by
Salmaneser; but then it may be asked
why is Benjamin taken notice of
which
had no concern in the affliction? this has led others to conclude that it
respects some time of affliction before either of these captivities
or between
them both; and it may be applied to any affliction of the people of God in any
age or period of time; and no doubt was written by Asaph
or by David
and put
into his hands before the distress was
under a spirit of prophecy. Kimchi
interprets it of the present captivity of the Jews
and Jarchi of their three
captivities.
Psalm 80:1 Give
ear
O Shepherd of Israel
You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between
the cherubim
shine forth!
YLT
1A Psalm. Shepherd of
Israel
give ear
Leading Joseph as a flock
Inhabiting the cherubs -- shine
forth
Give ear
O Shepherd of Israel
.... The title of a
shepherd for the most part belongs to the Messiah
and who is expressly called
the Shepherd and stone of Israel
as distinct from the God of Jacob
Genesis 49:24 and may be so called because
he was to be
and was of Israel
according to the flesh
and sent to the lost
sheep of the house of Israel
and appointed by his Father as a Shepherd over
them; and it is on the mountains of Israel he provides a good fold
and pasture
for his sheep
Romans 9:4 and it is for the spiritual
Israel
his sheep
his elect
both among Jews and Gentiles
for whom he laid
down his life; by which it appears that he is the good Shepherd
as he also is
the great
the chief
the only one; though this character also may be given
and
agrees unto God the Father
who rules
and governs
and feeds his people
his
spiritual Israel
as a shepherd his flock; and who is addressed by his people
and is desired to "give ear" to their cries and prayers in their
affliction and distress: God has an ear to hear his people's prayers
though
sometimes they think he does not hear them; but he not only hears
but answers
sooner or later
and in his own way; and the consideration of his character as
a shepherd may be an encouragement to their faith
that he will hear
and will
not withhold any good thing from them
Psalm 23:1.
thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; the posterity
of Joseph
the same with Israel
the spiritual Israel
who are like a flock of
sheep
a separate people
distinguished by the grace of God
and purchased by
the blood of Christ; and as there is but one Shepherd
so one fold
and one
flock
and that but a little one neither; and which is sometimes called a flock
of slaughter
because exposed to the rage and fury of men; yet a beautiful one
in the eye of Christ
which he undertook to feed: and this he leads on gently
and softly
gradually
and proportionate to their strength
or as they are able
to bear; he leads in and out
and they find pasture; he leads them out of their
former state and condition
in which he finds them
out of the pastures of sin
and self-righteousness into the green pastures of his love
grace
word
and
ordinances:
thou that dwellest between the cherubim; which were
over the mercy seat
and were either emblems of angels
among whom Jehovah
dwells
and is surrounded by them; by whom Christ was ministered to on earth
and now in heaven
and among whom he was when he ascended thither
and where
they are subject to him: or of the two Testaments
which look to Christ
the
mercy seat
and agree with each other in their testimony of him
and in other
things; and where these are truly opened and explained
there the Lord dwells:
or rather of the saints of both dispensations
who look to Christ alone for
salvation
and expect to be saved by his grace; are both partakers of it
as
they will be of the same glory; and among these the Lord dwells as in his
temple; though it seems best of all to consider them as emblems of Gospel
ministers
since Ezekiel's four living creatures are the "cherubim"
Ezekiel 10:20
and these the same with John's
four beasts
or living creatures
who were certainly men
being redeemed by the
blood of Christ; and were ministers
being distinguished from the four and
twenty elders
Revelation 4:6 and among these the Lord
dwells
and with them he has promised his presence shall be unto the end of the
world:
shine forth; either God the Father
who dwelt between the cherubim
over the
mercy seat
who sits upon a throne of grace
from whence he communes with his
people and communicates to them; and then the request is
that he would shine
forth in the perfections of his nature
as he has done in his Son
the
brightness of his glory
and in redemption and salvation by him
where they are
all illustriously displayed; and particularly in his lovingkindness through
him
which has appeared and shone forth in the mission of Christ
and in giving
him up for us all; and by granting his gracious presence unto his people in
Zion
in his house and ordinances; see Psalm 1:2
or the Messiah
the Shepherd of
Israel
and the Leader of his flock
and under whom the living creatures and
cherubim are
Ezekiel 1:26
that he would shine forth in
human nature; that this bright morning star would appear; that the dayspring
from on high would visit men
and that the sun of righteousness would arise
with healing in his wings; and that the glorious light of his Gospel would
break forth
and the grace of God
the doctrine of it
appear and shine out
unto all men
Jews and Gentiles.
Psalm 80:2 2 Before Ephraim
Benjamin
and Manasseh
Stir up Your strength
And come and save us!
YLT
2Before Ephraim
and
Benjamin
and Manasseh
Wake up Thy might
and come for our salvation.
Before Ephraim
Benjamin
and Manasseh
stir up thy strength
.... Which
Christ did in the public ministry of the word
speaking as one having
authority
and not as the Scribes and Pharisees; and in the performance of
miracles
openly
and in the sight of all; and in his sufferings and death for
the salvation of his people; in which he appeared to be the mighty God
travelling in the greatness of his strength
and mighty to save. These tribes
design all Israel
before whom the above things were done; and the allusion is
to these three tribes marching immediately after the Kohathites
who carried
the ark on their shoulders in journeying
Numbers 2:17 which is called the Lord's
strength
and the ark of his strength
Psalm 78:61. The Targum in the king's Bible
reads
to the children of Ephraim
&c. reading לבני
instead of לפני; see the Masorah
and Proverbs 4:3
and come and save us; come from heaven to
earth
not by change of place
but by assumption of nature; this was promised
and expected
and is here prayed for; Christ is now come in the flesh
which to
deny is antichristian; and his end in coming was to save his people from their
sins
from the curse and condemnation of the law
and wrath to come; and as he
came on this errand
he is become the author of eternal salvation
in working
out which he has shown his great strength.
Psalm 80:3 3 Restore us
O God; Cause
Your face to shine
And we shall be saved!
YLT
3O God
cause us to turn
back
And cause Thy face to shine
and we are saved.
Turn us again
O God
.... From our captivity
as the Targum
into our own land; or return us backsliding sinners to thyself
by repentance; turn us
and we shall be turned; for the prayer shows it was not
in their power
but must be effected by the grace of God; or restore our souls
which have been wandering
and them to their former flourishing and comfortable
condition:
and cause thy face to shine; grant thy gracious
presence
lift up the light of thy countenance; favour with the manifestations
of thyself
the enjoyment of thee
and communion with thee through Christ;
indulge us with the discoveries of thy love
the joys of salvation
the
comforts of the Spirit
and larger measures of grace:
and we shall be saved; be in a very happy and
comfortable condition; see Psalm 4:6.
Psalm 80:4 4 O Lord God of hosts
How
long will You be angry Against the prayer of Your people?
YLT
4Jehovah
God of Hosts
till
when? Thou hast burned against the prayer of Thy people.
O Lord God of hosts
.... Aben Ezra and Kimchi
observe
that the word "Elohe" is here understood
and the words to
be read
"O Lord God
the God of hosts"; of the armies above and
below
against whom there is no standing
nor any before him when he is angry:
how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people? which must be
put up in a wrong manner
in a very cold and lukewarm way
without faith and
love
and with wrath and doubting; or otherwise God is not angry with
nor sets
himself against the prayer of his people; nor does he despise
but is highly
delighted with it: or how long wilt thou be angry with thy people
and continue
the tokens of thy displeasure
though they pray
and keep praying
unto thee?
it is in the Hebrew text
"how long wilt thou smokeF13עשנת "fumabis"
Pagninus
Vatablus;
"fumaturus es"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator;
"fumasti"
Montanus
Cocceius
Gejerus
Michaelis
& Ainsworth.
at the prayer of thy people?" that is
cause thine anger to smoke at it;
in which it is thought there is an allusion to the smoke of the incense
to
which prayer is compared; see Psalm 141:2
and denotes the acceptance of
it with God through the mediation of Christ; but here his displicency at it
not being offered up through him
and by faith in him; such were the prayers of
the Pharisees
Matthew 6:5.
Psalm 80:5 5 You have fed them with the
bread of tears
And given them tears to drink in great measure.
YLT
5Thou hast caused them to
eat bread of tears
And causest them to drink With tears a third time.
Thou feedest them with the bread of tears
.... With
tears instead of bread
having none to eat; or their bread is mingled with
their tears
"dipped" therein
as the Targum; such was their constant
grief
and the occasion of it
that they could not cease from tears while they
were eating their meals
and so ate them with themF14"----lachrymisque
suis jejunia pavit"
Ovid. Metamorph. l. 4. Fab. 6. :
and givest them tears to drink in great measure; or the wine
of tears "three fold"
as the Targum. Jarchi interprets it of the
captivity of Babylon
which was the third part of the two hundred and ten years
of Israel's being in Egypt; which exposition
he says
he learned from R. Moses
Hadarsan; but he observes
that some interpret it of the kingdom of Grecia
which was the third distress: and so Kimchi and Arama explain it of the third
captivity; but Menachem
as Jarchi says
takes "shalish" to be the
name of a drinking vessel
and so does Aben Ezra; the same it may be which the
Latins call a "triental"
the third part of a pint; unless the Hebrew
measure
the "seah"
which was the third part of an
"ephah"
is meant; it is translated a "measure" in Isaiah 40:12 and seems to design a large
one
and so our version interprets it; compare with this Isaiah 30:20.
Psalm 80:6 6 You have made us a strife
to our neighbors
And our enemies laugh among themselves.
YLT
6Thou makest us a strife to
our neighbors
And our enemies mock at it.
Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours
.... Either
obliges us to contend with them for our defence and safety; or having given us
into their hands
they strive and contend one with another about dividing the
spoil:
and our enemies laugh among themselves; at us
and
because there is no help for us in God
as they imagine; or at God himself
as
Kimchi
saying he cannot save as.
Psalm 80:7 7 Restore us
O God of
hosts; Cause Your face to shine
And we shall be saved!
YLT
7God of Hosts
turn us back
And cause Thy face to shine
and we are saved.
Turn us again
O God of hosts
.... The same with Psalm 80:3
only instead of God there
here
it is "the God of hosts"; the repetition of these words shows what
was uppermost on the minds of God's people; what they were longing for
and
most desirous of
namely
the light of God's countenance.
Psalm 80:8 8 You have brought a vine
out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations
and planted it.
YLT
8A vine out of Egypt Thou
dost bring
Thou dost cast out nations
and plantest it.
Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt
.... The house
of Israel
who are like unto a vine
as the Targum paraphrases it; and to a
vine or vineyard are they often compared; see Isaiah 5:1
Jeremiah 2:21. These were in Egypt awhile
where they were grievously oppressed and trampled upon; and yet the more they
were afflicted
the more they grew and multiplied; and from hence the Lord
brought them in due time
with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
he caused them to go out; the wordF15תסיע "fecisti proficisci"
Paginus
Montanus
Vatablus. used fitly expresses their journeyings from thence
and through the
wilderness; they were a type of the church of Christ
and special people of God
who also are frequently compared to vines and vineyards; see Song of Solomon 2:13 the vine tree is
fruitful
and bears fruit in clusters but its wood is very useless and
unprofitable
Ezekiel 15:2 and it is a tree very weak
and cannot rise and support itself
it must be propped up; so believers in
Christ
though fruitful through the grace of God
yet are unprofitable to him
and very weak in themselves
and are upheld by the right hand of his
righteousness
on whom they lean and stay themselves; and these
in their
natural state
are in worse than Egyptian bondage
darkness
and idolatry
out
of which they are brought
in the effectual calling
into Gospel liberty
marvellous light
and the true worship and service of God; and out of the
antichristian Egypt will all the Lord's people be brought one day; see Revelation 11:8.
thou hast cast out the Heathen; the Targum adds
out of
the land of Israel
that is
Canaan; it designs the expulsion of the seven
nations from thence
to make way for the Israelites
Deuteronomy 7:1 and was an emblem of the
ejection of Satan out of the Gentile world
and out of the souls of men
through the ministry of the word; and of sin
and the lusts of it
when the
King of glory enters in
so as that they shall not any more have dominion;
though as the Canaanites were left in the land to be pricks and thorns in the
eyes and sides of the Israelites
so indwelling sin remains in God's people to
the distress of their souls
and the trial of their graces. The Papists are
sometimes called the Heathens and Gentiles; and there will be a time when they
shall be cast out
and be no more in the land
Psalm 10:16
and planted it; the vine
the Israelites
in the land of
Canaan; see Exodus 15:17. So saints are planted not
only in Christ
the true vine
of which they are branches; but in a Gospel
church state
where they flourish and become fruitful and pleasant plants
plants of renown; and being of the Lord's planting
he is glorified by them
and they shall never be rooted up
nor wither
but prosper and thrive; see Psalm 1:3.
Psalm 80:9 9 You prepared room
for it
And caused it to take deep root
And it filled the land.
YLT
9Thou hast looked before it
and dost root it
And it filleth the land
Thou preparedst room before it
.... By sending the
hornet before the Israelites
and driving the Canaanites out of the land
Exodus 23:28 and so the Targum
"thou
didst remove from before thee the Canaanites;'
which
made way and room for them: and thus the Lord prepared room for his interest
church
and people
in the Gentile world
in the first times of Christianity
by sending the Gospel into all parts of it
and making it successful
and still
there is room
Luke 14:22.
and didst cause it to take deep root; which denotes
the settlement of the people of Israel in Canaan
in church and state
as a
body ecclesiastic and politic; so believers
being rooted in Christ
are
grounded
settled
and established in him
and in a Gospel church state
and so
become fruitful; see Colossians 2:7.
and it filled the land; with people
who
in the
days of Solomon
were as the sand of the sea
1 Kings 4:20 and so the Gentile world was
filled with Christian converts in the first times of the Gospel; and the
interest and church of Christ will fill the whole world another day
Isaiah 11:9.
Psalm 80:10 10 The hills were covered
with its shadow
And the mighty cedars with its boughs.
YLT
10Covered have been hills
[with] its shadow
And its boughs [are] cedars of God.
The hills were covered with the shadow of it
.... Alluding
to the land of Canaan
which was a mountainous and hilly country
at least some
part of it; hence we read of the hill country of Judea
Luke 1:39 and to the nature of vines
which
delight to grow on hills and mountainsF16"Bacchus amat
colles----" Virgil Georgic. l. 2. v. 113. : in a figurative sense this may
denote the subjection of kings and kingdoms
comparable to hills
to the
Israelites in the times of David and Solomon
2 Samuel 8:1 and the exaltation of the
church of Christ
in the latter day
over the hills and mountains
Isaiah 2:2. The Targum is
"the
mountains of Jerusalem were covered with the shadow of the house of the
sanctuary
and of the houses of the schools:'
and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars; to these the
righteous are compared
Psalm 92:13
the Targum is
"the
doctors
the mighty preachers
who are like to the strong cedars:'
the
words may be rendered
"the boughs thereof cover the goodly cedars"
or "cedars of God"F17ענפיה ארזי אל "rami ejus cedros
Dei"
Tigurine version; so Sept. "et ramia ejus cedri Dei"
Musculus
Cocceius; "palmitibus ejus cedri altissimae operiebantur"
Piscator
De Dieu; "ramis ejus opertae sunt cedri Dei"
Michaelis. ;
that is
overrun and overtop the goodly cedars; alluding to vines running and
growing upon high and goodly trees; and so may denote
as before
the power of
Israel over the princes and potentates of the earth
comparable to cedars
the
most excellent; as things most excellent have often the name of God added to
them; see Psalm 104:16.
Psalm 80:11 11 She sent out her boughs to
the Sea
[c] And her
branches to the River.[d]
YLT
11It sendeth forth its
branches unto the sea
And unto the river its sucklings.
She sent out her boughs unto the sea
.... The
Mediterranean
or midland sea
which was the border of the land of Canaan to
the west:
and her branches unto the river; the river Euphrates
which was its border to the east; see Deuteronomy 11:24. This
in the spiritual
sense of it
will have its accomplishment in the church of Christ
when he
shall have dominion from sea to sea
and from the river to the ends of the
earth
Psalm 72:8. The Targum is
"she
sent out her disciples to the great sea
and to the river Euphrates her babes;'
or
sucklings.
Psalm 80:12 12 Why have You broken down
her hedges
So that all who pass by the way pluck her fruit?
YLT
12Why hast Thou broken down
its hedges
And all passing by the way have plucked it?
Why hast thou then broken down her hedges
.... After
having done all this for her; which signifies the Lord's removing his presence
power
and protection
from Israel; which were the hedge he set about them
and
by which they were secured and defended from their enemies; but these being
gone
they became an easy prey to them; see Job 1:10
the hedge about the church and
people of God are the angels that encamp about them; salvation
which is as
walls and bulwarks to them; and the Lord himself
who is a wall of fire around
them; which may be said to be broken down when he withdraws his presence
and
does not exert his power in the protection of them; but suffers them to be
exposed to the persecutions of men:
so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? the hedge
being broken down
all passengers and travellers plucked the fruit of the vine
as they passed along
there being noticing to keep them off from it: this may
denote the plunder of the Israelites by their enemies
when left of God
they
fell into their hands; and the havoc persecutors make of the church of Christ
and their spoiling them of their goods and substance
when they are permitted
to do it.
Psalm 80:13 13 The boar out of the woods
uproots it
And the wild beast of the field devours it.
YLT
13A boar out of the forest
doth waste it
And a wild beast of the fields consumeth it.
The boar out of the wood doth waste it
.... As
Shalmaneser
king of Assyria
who carried the ten tribes captive; the title of
this psalm in the Septuagint version is
a psalm for the Assyrian. Vitringa
on
Isaiah 24:2 interprets this of Antiochus
Epiphanes
to whose times he thinks the psalm refers; but the JewsF18Gloss.
in T. Bab. Pesachim
fol. 118. 2. of the fourth beast in Daniel 7:7
which designs the Roman empire:
the wild boar is alluded to
which lives in woods and forestsF19Homer.
Odyss. xix. v. 439.
and wastes
fields
and vineyards:
and the wild beast of the field doth devour it; as
Nebuchadnezzar
king of Babylon
who carried the two tribes captive
and who
for a while lived among and lived as the beasts of the field; both these
in
their turns
wasted and devoured the people of Israel; see Jeremiah 50:17. Jarchi interprets this of
Esau or Edom
that is
Rome; and says the whole of the paragraph respects the
Roman captivity; that is
their present one; but rather the words describe the
persecutors of the Christian church in general
comparable to wild boars and
wild beasts for their fierceness and cruelty; and perhaps
in particular
Rome
Pagan may be pointed at by the one
and Rome Papal by the other; though the
latter is signified by two beasts
one that rose out of the sea
and the other
out of the earth; which have made dreadful havoc of the church of Christ
his
vine
and have shed the blood of the saints in great abundance; see Revelation 12:3
unless we should rather by
the one understand the pope
and by the other the Turk
as the Jews interpret
them of Esau and of Ishmael.
Psalm 80:14 14 Return
we beseech You
O
God of hosts; Look down from heaven and see
And visit this vine
YLT
14God of Hosts
turn back
we
beseech Thee
Look from heaven
and see
and inspect this vine
Return
we beseech thee
O God of hosts
.... The Lord
had been with his vine
the people of Israel
when he brought them out of
Egypt
and planted and settled them in the land of Canaan
and made them a
flourishing people; but had departed from them when he suffered the hedges
about them to be broken down
and the boar and wild beast to enter and devour
them; and here he is entreated to return and restore them to their former prosperity.
So the Lord sometimes departs from his church and people
and hides his face
from them; and may be said to return
when he manifests himself
shows his face
and his favour again
and grants his gracious presence
than which nothing is
more desirable; and if he
the Lord of hosts and armies
above and below
is
with his people
none can be against them to their hurt; they have nothing to
fear from any enemy:
look down from heaven: the habitation of his
holiness
the high and holy place where he dwells
and his throne is
from
whence he takes a survey of men and things; where he now was at a distance from
his people
being returned to his place in resentment
and covered himself with
a cloud from their sight; and from whence it would be a condescension in him to
look on them on earth
so very undeserving of a look of love and mercy from
him:
and behold; the affliction and distress his people were in
as he formerly
beheld the affliction of Israel in Egypt
and sympathized with them
and
brought them out of it:
and visit this vine; before described
for
whom he had done such great things
and now was in such a ruinous condition;
the visit desired is in a way of mercy and kind providence; so the Targum
"and
remember in mercies this vine;'
so
the Lord visits his chosen people by the mission and incarnation of his Son
and by the redemption of them by him
and by the effectual calling of them by
his Spirit and grace through the ministration of the Gospel; and which perhaps
may
in the mystical sense
be respected here; see Luke 1:68.
Psalm 80:15 15 And the vineyard which
Your right hand has planted
And the branch that You made strong for
Yourself.
YLT
15And the root that Thy right
hand planted
And the branch Thou madest strong for Thee
And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted
.... The word
"Cannah" is only used in this place
and the first letter of it is
larger than usual
to keep in perpetual remembrance
as is thought by someF20Vid.
Buxtorf. Tiberias
c. 14.
the bringing of this vine out of Egypt
and the
great things done for it in the land of Israel; and the letter
being crooked
may denote the oppression of this vine by various calamities. The Targum
renders the word
a branch or shoot; and Kimchi
according to the scope of the
place
a plant; and observes
that others interpret it an habitation or
dwelling place; and so may be understood of Jerusalem
or the temple. Aben Ezra
takes it to be an adjective
and to signify "prepared" or
"established"
which is said of this vine
Psalm 80:9. It is an Egyptian word used by
the psalmist
treating of the vine brought out of Egypt
and signifies a plant;
hence the ivy is by the Greeks called χενοσιρις the plant of
OsirisF21Plutarch de lsid. & Osir. ; the clause carries in it a
reason or argument
enforcing the above petition
taken from this vine being of
the Lord's planting
as in Psalm 80:8 and therefore his own honour and
glory were concerned in it:
and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself: meaning the
same thing
and the same people whom he confirmed in the land of Canaan
and
made strong for his service and glory. The wordF23על בן "super filium"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
Musculus; "propter filium"
Junius &
Tremellius
Michaelis. translated "branch" signifies a son
as Israel
was
to the Lord
son and firstborn. The Targum understands it of Christ
and
paraphrases it thus
"and
for the King Messiah
whom thou hast strengthened for thyself;'
that
is
for the sake of Christ
whom thou hast appointed to work out the salvation
of thy people by his great strength
and who was to come from this vine
or
descend from Israel; for the sake of him destroy it not
nor suffer it to be
destroyed; and is the same with the Son of man
Psalm 80:17
and so it is read in a
manuscript.
Psalm 80:16 16 It is
burned with fire
it is cut down; They perish at the rebuke of Your
countenance.
YLT
16Burnt with fire -- cut
down
From the rebuke of Thy face they perish.
It is burnt with fire
it is cut down
.... That is
the vine of Israel
and the branch before spoken of
alluding to a vine
and
its branches; which
when become unprofitable
are cut down or cut off
and
cast into the fire; see John 15:6
so Jerusalem and the temple were
burnt with fire by Nebuchadnezzar
and afterwards by Vespasian:
they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance; that is
the
Israelites
signified by the vine
whose destruction was owing to the wrath of
God upon them for their sins; he frowned upon them
and rebuked them in his hot
displeasure
and to that their ruin was owing; others were only instruments in
his hands. Some understand this as a wish or imprecation
let them that cut
down the vine
and burn it with fire
perish at the rebuke of thy countenance;
see Psalm 68:1
so the Targum.
Psalm 80:17 17 Let Your hand be upon the
man of Your right hand
Upon the son of man whom You made strong for
Yourself.
YLT
17Let Thy hand be on the man
of Thy right hand
On the son of man Thou hast strengthened for Thyself.
Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand
.... Which
some understand of the people of Israel in general
beloved
supported
and
strengthened
by the Lord: and others of the then king of Israel
or Judah
the
vinedresser
or keeper of the vineyard under God; praying that he might be
directed
supported
and protected
by the Lord; but it seems better to
understand it with R. Obadiah on the place
and AbarbinelF24Mashmiah
Jeshuah
fol. 81. 2. of the Messiah; and so Aben Ezra interprets it either of
Israel
or of Messiah the son of Ephraim. Christ is called the "man"
though as yet he was not really man
because it was purposed and promised that
he should; and he had agreed to become man
and had appeared often in an human
form; and it was certain that he would be incarnate: and also the man of God's
"right hand"
which is expressive of the power of God
because by
him
who
in time
became man
even the Son of God
the world
and all things
in it
were made; and by him all things are upheld in their being; by him his
people were to be redeemed
and have been redeemed from all their enemies; and
by him they are upheld
kept
and preserved from a final and total falling
away
and will be raised at the last day: and the phrase may design the support
and strength the human nature of Christ
which was weak in itself
was to have
and had
not only from its union in the Son of God
but from God the Father;
who promised and gave support and strength to it
under all the sufferings
endured in it: to which may be added
that this phrase is expressive of love
and affection; so Benjamin had his name
which signifies the son of the right
hand
from the great affection of his father; so Christ is the Son of God's
love
his dear and well beloved Son; as appears by hiding nothing from him
by
putting all things into his hands
and appointing him the Head and Saviour of
his people
and the Judge of the world; and his love to him is a love of
complacency and delight
is everlasting and unchangeable: moreover
he may be
so called
because he was to be
and now is
exalted at the right hand of God
in human nature
as a Prince and Saviour
above angels
authorities
and
powers
and above every name whatever: and the prayer is either that the hand
of vindictive justice might not be upon the vine
or the church of God
but
upon Christ their surety
who was able to bear it
and had engaged to do it; or
the hand of divine power and support might be upon him
to strengthen him for
the work of redemption and salvation
that so that might prosper in his hand;
and the hand of love
grace
and mercy
might be turned upon his people: it is
added
upon the son of man
whom thou madest strong for thyself; for the
accomplishment of his purposes
promises
and covenant
for the bringing about
the salvation of his own people
and for ends of his own glory: the same person
is here meant as before; and his being called "the Son of Man"
which
is a very usual phrase for Christ in the New Testament
and which seems to be
taken from hence
and from Daniel 7:13
shows that he could not be
really from eternity
since he was to be the Son of Man
as he was
of Abraham
David
&c.
Psalm 80:18 18 Then we will not turn back
from You; Revive us
and we will call upon Your name.
YLT
18And we do not go back from
Thee
Thou dost revive us
and in Thy name we call.
So will not we go back from thee
.... From thy fear
as
the Targum; or from thy service
as Kimchi; doing as above would encourage them
to stand before the Lord
and worship him; which they could not do
if he
marked their sins
and demanded satisfaction from them for them; but if he
looked to his Son and their surety
and took it from him
this would encourage
their faith and hope
and give them boldness in his presence
and attach them
to his service:
quicken us
and we will call upon thy name; the people of
God are sometimes dead and lifeless in their frames
and in the exercise of
grace and discharge of duty
and have need of the quickening influences of the
Spirit and grace of God; and which are necessary to a fervent calling upon the
name of the Lord in prayer
and without which none will stir up themselves so
to do. Kimchi interprets this of quickening
or of raising to life
from the
death of the captivity; and so Abarbinel
who thinks also that it respects the
resurrection of the dead in the times of the Messiah.
Psalm 80:19 19 Restore us
O Lord God of hosts; Cause
Your face to shine
And we shall be saved!
YLT
19O Jehovah
God of Hosts
turn us back
Cause Thy face to shine
and we are saved!
Turn us again
O Lord God of hosts
.... This is a repetition
of Psalm 80:3
in which may be observed an
increase of the names or titles of the Divine Being: in Psalm 80:3
it is only "O God";
in Psalm 80:7 "O God of hosts"; and
here
"Lord God of hosts"; some have thought that the doctrine of the
Trinity is here suggested; which is a better thought than that of Jarchi's
who
supposes that three captivities of Israel are pointed at: but as it follows
cause thy face to shine
and we shall be saved; it appears
that this was the burden of their song
being in darkness and distress
that
they might have the light of God's countenance
and therefore repeat it again
and again.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)