Psalm 80

A Prayer for Restoration

For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.”[a] A testimony of Asaph.(A) A psalm.

Listen, Shepherd of Israel,
who leads Joseph like a flock;(B)
You who sit enthroned on the cherubim,(C)
rise up(D)
before Ephraim,
Benjamin, and Manasseh.[b](E)
Rally Your power and come to save us.(F)
Restore us, God;
look on us with favor,
and we will be saved.(G)

Lord God of Hosts,
how long will You be angry
with Your people’s prayers?(H)
You fed them the bread of tears
and gave them a full measure[c]
of tears to drink.(I)
You make us quarrel with our neighbors;
our enemies make fun of us.(J)
Restore us, God of Hosts;
look on us with favor, and we will be saved.(K)

You uprooted a vine from Egypt;
You drove out the nations and planted it.(L)
You cleared a place for it;
it took root and filled the land.(M)
10 The mountains were covered by its shade,
and the mighty cedars[d] with its branches.(N)
11 It sent out sprouts toward the Sea[e]
and shoots toward the River.[f](O)

12 Why have You broken down its walls
so that all who pass by pick its fruit?(P)
13 The boar from the forest tears it
and creatures of the field feed on it.(Q)
14 Return, God of Hosts.(R)
Look down from heaven and see;
take care of this vine,
15 the root[g] Your right hand has planted,
the shoot[h] that You made strong for Yourself.(S)
16 It was cut down and burned up;[i]
they[j] perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.(T)
17 Let Your hand be with the man at Your right hand,
with the son of man
You have made strong for Yourself.(U)
18 Then we will not turn away from You;
revive us, and we will call on Your name.(V)
19 Restore us, Yahweh, the God of Hosts;(W)
look on us with favor, and we will be saved.(X)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 80:1 Possibly a tune; Pss 45; 60; 69
  2. Psalm 80:2 This is the marching order for the camp of Israel.
  3. Psalm 80:5 Lit a one-third measure
  4. Psalm 80:10 Lit the cedars of God
  5. Psalm 80:11 = the Mediterranean
  6. Psalm 80:11 = the Euphrates
  7. Psalm 80:15 Hb obscure
  8. Psalm 80:15 Or son
  9. Psalm 80:16 Lit burned with fire
  10. Psalm 80:16 Or may they

A Prayer to Restore Israel

For the music director, according to The Lilies.

A testimony. Of Asaph. A psalm.[a]

80 Give ear, O shepherd of Israel,
who leads Joseph like a flock.
Shine forth, you who sits enthroned above the cherubim.
Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh,
stir up your power
and come for our salvation.
O God, restore us,
and cause your face to shine that we may be saved.
O Yahweh God of hosts,
how long will you be angry[b]
against the prayer of your people?
You have fed them the bread of tears;
you have given them tears to drink in full measure.[c]
You have made us an object of strife to our neighbors,
and our enemies mock among themselves.
O God of hosts, restore us
and cause your face to shine that we may be saved.
You uprooted a vine from Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
You prepared a place before it,
and it took deep root[d] and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
and the mighty cedars with its boughs.
11 It spread its branches to the sea
and its shoots to the river.
12 Why have you broken down its walls,
so that all who pass on the road pluck fruit from it?
13 Swine from the forests devour[e] it
and creatures of the field feed on it.
14 Please return, O God of hosts.
Observe from heaven and see,
and pay attention to this vine,
15 eventhe stalk that your right hand planted,
and concerning the shoot[f] you strengthened for yourself.
16 It is burned with fire, cut down.
They perish at the rebuke of your face.
17 Let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
on the son of humankind whom you made strong for yourself.
18 Then we will not turn back from you.
Restore us to life, and we will proclaim your name.
19 O Yahweh God of hosts, restore us;
cause your face to shine that we may be saved.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 80:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
  2. Psalm 80:4 Literally “until when your anger smoke”
  3. Psalm 80:5 The Hebrew “threefold” or “a third of a measure” is difficult
  4. Psalm 80:9 Literally “its root rooted”
  5. Psalm 80:13 Hebrew “devours”
  6. Psalm 80:15 Hebrew “son”