Psalms 80

This Psalm was Composed either 1. Upon the same ocasion with the former, to wit, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldaeans, as most conceive. Which yet seems not probable, because here is no mention of the Temple, nor of Jerusalem, as there is in the foregoing Psalm; nor of the Tribe of Judah, which was most concerned in that desolation, but of Joseph, Verse 1. and of the Tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, which were carried captive long before that time; nor do the expressions of this Psalm import such a desolating judgment, as those of the former do. Or 2. Upon occasion of the captivity of the ten Tribes, as some others think. But why then is Benjamin named, which is none of that number, nor went into captivity with them, but was joyned with Judah? Or 3. Upon occasion of some other calamity, or calamities which befel the Tribes of Israel after their division into two Kingdoms, and before the captivity and destruction of either of them. In which time all... he evils mentioned in this Psalm did befal them, sometimes in one Tribe or part, and sometimes in another, as is manifest from their History.

GIve ear, O shepherd of Israel Thou who hast undertaken to seed and govern thy people of Israel, as a shepherd does his flock, now perform thine Office, and rescue thy... ock from those grievous Wolves which devour and destroy them., thou that leadest Or, didst lead formerly, though now thou hast forsaken them. Ioseph (i. e.) The Children of Ioseph, or of Israel, as he now said, this Clause being but a repetition of the former in other words. Compare Psal. 77. 15. And the name of Ioseph, the most eminent of the Patriarchs both for his dignity and piety and the right of primogeniture transferred upon him from Reuben, 1 Chron. 5. 1. is elsewhere put for all the ten Tribes, as Ezek. 37. 16, 19. Amos 5. 6, 15. and 6. 6. Zech. 10. 6. And for all the Tribes, as Psal. 81. 5. Obad. v. 18. like a flock, thou that dwellest between the cherubims Which were the Mercy-seat above the Ark. By which title he prudently and piously minds the ten Tribes of their revolt from God, and of the vanity of their superstitious Addresses to their Calves at Da... and Bethel, and of the necessity of their returning to the true worship of God before the Ark at Ierusalem, if they desired or expected any relief from him. And by this title it seems more than probable that this Psalm was not made upon occasion of the Babylonish Captivity, in and after which time there was no Ark nor Cherubims, nor do I remember that David or any Prophets did then apply themselves to God by that Title. See Dan. 9., shine forth Out of the clouds wherein thou seemest to hide thy self. Show forth thy power and goodness to and for thy poor oppressed people in the face of thine and their Enemies..

Before Ephraim, and Benjamin, and Manasseh, (i. e.) Before all the Tribes of Israel; for whom he mentions only these three Tribes, either 1. Because of their special relation to Ioseph here named, Vers. 1. Ephraim and Manasseh being his Sons, and Benjamin his Brother, both by his Father and Mother: Or 2. Because these were eminent Tribes, Ephraim the Head of the Kingdom of the ten Tribes; Manasseh was planted and powerful on both sides of Iordan; and Benjamin, because the greatest part of Ierusalem and the Temple was in it's lot. Or 3. With respect and allusion to the ancient sci... uation of the Tabernacle in the wilderness, where these Tribes were placed on the West-side of the Tabernacle, Numb. 2. 18, &c. in which the Ark was, which consequently was before them. So the sense is, O thou who didst of old go forth before these Tribes, &c. do so again at this time. Or, 4. Because these Tribes had a greater share of the Calamities here designed than others; which might be very true, though it be not expressed in the sacred History, in which we have only the substance of things, and such circumstances are commonly omitted. stir up thy strength Which seems now to be asleep, or idle and useless., and come and save us.

Turn us again, Either 1. To our former quiet and flourishing estate: Or, 2. To thy self; from whom Ephraim and Manasseh with the rest of the ten Tribes have apostatized. See the like prayer of Elijah for them, 1 Kings 18. 37. O God, and cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.

O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people? Thou art so far from answering our prayers whereby we seek to appease thee, that by thy continuance and increase of our miseries thou seemest to be the more incensed against us by them.

Thou feedest them with the bread of tears, Either with tears instead of bread, which I either want, or cannot eat because my grief has taken away my appetite: or with tears as frequent and constant as my eating is. See the like Phrase, Psal. 42. 3. and givest them * tears to drink in great measure.

Thou makest us a strife (i. e.) The object or matter of their strife or contention: either 1. They strive one with another who shall do us most mischief, or take our spoils to themselves. Or, 2. They are perpetually quarrelling with us, and seeking occasions against us. unto our neighbours Who used and ought to live peaceably and kindly with us., and our enemies laugh among themselves Insult over us, and take pleasure in our miseries..

Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.

Thou hast brought a vine To which the Israel or Church of God is oft compared, as Isa. 5. 2. Ier. 2. 21. Ezek. 17. 6. Mat. 21. 33. out of Egypt He alludes to the custom of transplanting trees for their more advantageous growth.: thou hast cast out the heathen, The Nations of Canaan. and planted it.

Thou preparedst room Or, didst purge or cleanse the Soil, taking out stones or sticks, or other roots or plants which might hinder its growth or fruitfulness. Thou didst root out those idolatrous and wicked Nations which might either corrupt or destroy them. before it, and didst cause it to take deep root Thou gavest them a firm settlement in that Land., and it filled the land.

The hills were covered with the shadow of it They grew so numerous, that they filled not only the fruitful valleys, but even the barren mountains.: and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars Far differing from ordinary Vines whose Boughs are weak and small, and creep upon the walls or ground..

She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river They possessed or subdued the whole Land from the Mid-land Sea to the River Euphrates; which were the bounds allotted to them by God, Gen. 15. 18..

Why hast thou then broken down her hedges i, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? Pluck up her grapes and boughs, and strike at her very root. e Taken away thy protection, which was to them for walls and bulwarks.

The boar out of the wood Where Boars use to lodge, as it is noted by many Authours. By which he understands their fierce and furious enemies. does waste it, and the wild beast of the field does devour it.

Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold and visit this vine;

And the vineyard Or, the root, or stock or plant, as others render it. which thy right hand has planted Which thou hast planted or fixed with thy might and power; whereof the right hand is both a sign or symbol and an instrument., and the branch Heb. the son (i. e.) either 1: The son of man, as it is more fully expressed, Vers. 17. Or rather, 2. The branch; for as yet he continues the metaphor; which is called the son, to wit, of the root or stock mentioned in the former clause, as the Branches are called Daughters in the Hebrew Text, Gen. 49. 22 that thou madest strong Either 1. By supporting it with stakes or walls upon which the vine groweth up: Or rather, 2. By causing it to grow in bulk and thickness, and consequently in strength. for thy self For thy own especial delight and service and honour..

It To wit, thy vineyard or branch. is burnt with fire, it is cut down: they Thy people of Israel signified by the vine. So now he passeth from the Metaphor to the thing designed by it. perish at the rebuke of thy countenance Through the effects of thine anger, without which their enemies could do them no hurt..

Let thy hand be upon To protect and strengthen him. the man of thy right hand Whom thy right hand planted, Vers. 15. whom thou hast loved and respected even as thy right hand, which is very dear to us, Mat. 5. 30. and 18. 8. Comp. Zech. 13. 7. thy Benjamin whom he mentioned, Verse 2. to whose name he seems to allude, which signifies the son of the right hand (i. e.) a dearly beloved son, as Benjamin was to Iacob., upon the son of man By man and son of man he understands either 1. The Messias, oft called in Scripture the son of man, let him come, and let his Kingdom be established, and so thine Israel shall be saved and delivered out of all its troubles. Or 2. The Royal Family, the House of David, in whose safety and wellfare the happiness of the whole nation was wrapt up. Or rather, 3. The people of Israel who are oft spoken of as one person, as God's son and first-born, Exod. 4. 22. and here as one vine: And seeing all the foregoing complaints have been concerning the calamities of the people of Israel, it seems most reasonable to understand this prayer to be made for them; the rather because the following clause here applyed to the man and son of man, whom thou madest strong for thy self, is used of the root or branch of the vine, Vers. 15. whom thou madest strong for thy self.

So will not we go back from thee This glorious favour of thine shall oblige us to love and serve thee, and trust in thee so long as we have a being, and no more to revolt from thee to Idolatry or wickedness, as we have too oft done.: quicken us Revive and restore us to our former tranquillity and happiness., and we will call upon thy name.

Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.