[1] Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth
[2] before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh. Awaken your might; come and save us.
[3] Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.
[4] How long, Lord God Almighty, will your anger smolder against the prayers of your people?
[5] You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have made them drink tears by the bowlful.
[6] You have made us an object of derision to our neighbors, and our enemies mock us.
[7] Restore us, God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.
[8] You transplanted a vine from Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it.
[9] You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land.
[10] The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches.
[11] Its branches reached as far as the Sea, its shoots as far as the River.
[12] Why have you broken down its walls so that all who pass by pick its grapes?
[13] Boars from the forest ravage it, and insects from the fields feed on it.
[14] Return to us, God Almighty! Look down from heaven and see! Watch over this vine,
[15] the root your right hand has planted, the son you have raised up for yourself.
[16] Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire; at your rebuke your people perish.
[17] Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself.
[18] Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name.
[19] Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.
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Psalm 80 was probably written by an Asaphite during the Assyrian captivity against the northern kingdom of Israel. It is a cry for God to hear them, and to save them from the hands of their enemies.
The Psalmist recognizes that Israel's tribulations are due to God's anger against them. He asks,
"How long, Lord God Almighty, will your anger smolder against the prayers of your people? You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have made them drink tears by the bowlful. You have made us an object of derision to our neighbors, and our enemies mock us."
There was no indication that God was listening to their prayers. Israel felt abandoned. The Psalmist writes,
"Return to us God Almighty! Look down from heaven and see! Watch over this vine, the root your right hand had planted, the son you have raised up for yourself."
The Psalmist mentions a vine which He brought out of Egypt, drove out the nations, and planted. He also mentions a son whom He raised up for Himself. Both the vine and the son are Israel. God led Israel out of Egypt, and drove out the nations. The kingdom of Israel's shade covered the mountains, and its branches covered the cedars. In the following verse, 16, he writes,
"Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire; at your rebuke your people perish."
He is referring to Israel being burned and destroyed by the Assyrians because God was judging them for their disobedience and wickedness.
In verse 17 he writes,
"Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself."
The "man", and the "son of man" could be referring to the Davidic king whom was anointed by God, and in whom the nation rested. However, like the previously mentioned vine and son, it is likely that these are also references to "Jacob/Israel and that he is "of" God's right hand and that he has been "planted" and "raised up" by Him." (NIV Study Bible text note on Psalm 80:17).
Jesus is also the "Vine", the "man at God's right hand", the "Son", and the "Son of Man whom God raised up for Himself." Jesus is Israel.
At this point, the Psalm turns into a prophecy of the Messianic age. Though the Psalmist is crying out to the Lord, promising that they will return to Him if He restores them, he is also prophesying of the future eternal Kingdom of God, where God's hand will rest on the Man at His right hand, the Son of Man He has raised up for Himself.
Then His people will not turn away from Him; He will revive them, and they will call on His name. The Lord God Almighty will restore them, and make His face shine on them, that they may be saved.
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