Restore Us, O God

To the choirmaster: according to (A)Lilies. A Testimony. Of (B)Asaph, a Psalm.

80 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
    you who lead (C)Joseph like (D)a flock.
You who are (E)enthroned upon the cherubim, (F)shine forth.
    Before (G)Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
(H)stir up your might
    and (I)come to save us!

(J)Restore us,[a] O God;
    (K)let your face shine, that we may be saved!

O (L)Lord God of hosts,
    (M)how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?
You have fed them with (N)the bread of tears
    and given them tears to drink in full measure.
(O)You make us an object of contention for our (P)neighbors,
    and our enemies laugh among themselves.

(Q)Restore us, O God of hosts;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved!

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 80:3 Or Turn us again; also verses 7, 19

80 1-2 Listen, Shepherd, Israel’s Shepherd—
    get all your Joseph sheep together.
Throw beams of light
    from your dazzling throne
So Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh
    can see where they’re going.
Get out of bed—you’ve slept long enough!
    Come on the run before it’s too late.

    God, come back!
    Smile your blessing smile:
    That will be our salvation.

4-6 God, God-of-the-Angel-Armies,
    how long will you smolder like a sleeping volcano
    while your people call for fire and brimstone?
You put us on a diet of tears,
    bucket after bucket of salty tears to drink.
You make us look ridiculous to our friends;
    our enemies poke fun day after day.

    God-of-the-Angel-Armies, come back!
    Smile your blessing smile:
    That will be our salvation.

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