For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; a psalm of Asaph. 

 

Asaph wrote this song for the music director of the Levites. The “shushan-eduth style” means lilies. This song was sung at the Jewish festivals.

 

80:1 O shepherd of Israel, pay attention, you who lead Joseph like a flock of sheep! You who sit enthroned above the winged angels, reveal your splendor! 

 

The “Shepherd of Israel” is King Messiah. Joseph is a metaphor for the northern kingdom. King Messiah is seen as sitting enthroned in the temple above the gold-covered cherubim over the ark of the covenant. 

 

80:2 In the sight of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh reveal your power! Come and deliver us! 

 

Joseph represented the Northern Kingdom. Benjamin represented the Southern Kingdom. Both were Rachel’s two sons. Ephraim and Manasseh were both the sons of Joseph and the grandsons of Jacob. Asaph asked God to deliver these tribes from the enemy.

 

80:3 O God, restore us! Smile on us! Then we will be delivered! 

 

Asaph asked God to restore Israel back into her land. He asked God to smile upon Israel and deliver her from the enemy. 

 

80:4 O Lord God, invincible warrior! How long will you remain angry at your people while they pray to you? 

 

Asaph asked God how long would He remain angry with Israel. He reminded God that Israel was praying to Him.

 

80:5 You have given them tears as food; you have made them drink tears by the measure. 

 

God gave Israel tears for food and drink.

 

80:6 You have made our neighbors dislike us, and our enemies insult us. 

 

God caused the enemies of Israel to hate and insult them.

 

80:7 O God, invincible warrior, restore us! Smile on us! Then we will be delivered! 

 

Asaph asked God to smile upon Israel and restore her back into her land.

 

80:8 You uprooted a vine from Egypt; you drove out nations and transplanted it. 

 

Israel was the vine. God took the vine out of Egypt, drove the Canaanites out of the land,  and planted the vine in Canaan. 

 

80:9 You cleared the ground for it; it took root, and filled the land. 

 

The transplanted vine became the mighty nation of Israel.

 

80:10 The mountains were covered by its shadow, the highest cedars by its branches. 

 

The mountains protected the land of Israel. God often pictures the nations as a forest of trees. Israel grew to become the tallest of trees in the forest of nations.

 

80:11 Its branches reached the Mediterranean Sea, and its shoots the Euphrates River. 

 

Israel grew and spread, eventually occupying land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River.

 

80:12 Why did you break down its walls, so that all who pass by pluck its fruit? 

 

The walls were those which surrounded a vineyard. Asaph asked God why He broke down the walls which were protecting Israel the vineyard?

 

80:13 The wild boars of the forest ruin it; the insects of the field feed on it. 

 

The wild beasts and the insects are the Gentile nations. After God removed the wall from around Israel, then the Gentile nations began to feed upon Israel the vineyard.

 

80:14 O God, invincible warrior, come back! Look down from heaven and take notice! Take care of this vine, 80:15 the root your right hand planted, the shoot you made to grow! 

 

God is a dangerous warrior, because He is invisible. He cannot be seen. Asaph asked God to look down from heaven and take notice of His vineyard. He asked God to return and take care of His vineyard. After all, God was the one who planted the vineyard in the land.

 

80:16 It is burned and cut down. They die because you are displeased with them.

 

The Gentiles cut down and burned the vineyard. They were allowed to do so, because God was angry at Israel.

 

80:17 May you give support to the one you have chosen, to the one whom you raised up for yourself! 

 

Asaph asked God to support the chosen people of Israel.

 

80:18 Then we will not turn away from you. Revive us and we will pray to you! 

 

Asaph told God that if He would deliver them from the Gentiles, Israel would once again pray back towards God.

 

80:19 O Lord God, invincible warrior, restore us! Smile on us! Then we will be delivered! 

 

Asaph asked the invisible warrior to restore Israel back into her land. He asked God to smile upon Israel. Israel will be delivered from the Gentiles at the end of the Great Tribulation.