Bible Commentaries
Psalms 80

Verse 1

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.

Joseph — The children of Joseph or Israel. The name of Joseph, the most eminent of the patriarchs, is elsewhere put for all the tribes.

Cherubim — Which were by the mercy seat above the ark.

Verse 2

Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.

Before Ephraim — Here is an allusion to the ancient situation of the tabernacle in the wilderness, where these tribes were placed on the west-side of the tabernacle, in which the ark was, which consequently was before them.

Verse 3

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

Turn us — To thy self.

Verse 9

Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.

Preparedst — Thou didst root out the idolatrous nations.

Deep root — Thou gavest them a firm settlement.

Verse 10

The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.

The hills — They filled not only the fruitful valleys, but even the barren mountains.

Verse 11

She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.

The river — They possessed the whole land, from the mid-land sea to the river Euphrates.

Verse 12

Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?

Hedges — Taken away thy protection.

Verse 16

It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.

They — Thy people, signified by the vine. So now he passes from the metaphor to the thing designed by it.

Verse 17

Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.

Be — To protect and strengthen him.

Right-hand — Benjamin signifies the son of the right hand, a dearly beloved son, as Benjamin was to Jacob.

Son of man — The people of Israel, who are often spoken of as one person, as God’s son and first-born.

Verse 18

So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.

Go back — Revolt from thee to idolatry or wickedness.

Quicken — Revive and restore us to our tranquility.