7Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.
8You brought a vine out of Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
9You cleared the ground for it;
it took deep root and filled the land.
10The mountains were covered with its shade,
the mighty cedars with its branches;
11it sent out its branches to the sea,
and its shoots to the River.
12Why then have you broken down its walls,
so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
13The boar from the forest ravages it,
and all that move in the field feed on it.
14Turn again, O God of hosts;
look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
15the stock that your right hand planted.b
16They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down;c
may they perish at the rebuke of your countenance.
17But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,
the one whom you made strong for yourself.
18Then we will never turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call on your name.
19Restore us, O LORD God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.
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a Syr: Heb strife
b Heb adds from verse 17 and upon the one whom you made strong for yourself
c Cn: Heb it is cut down
80.1–19 A community prayer for the restoration of the people; one of the people’s prayers (v. 4). To the leader. See note on 4.1–8. On Lilies, a Covenant. See notes on 45.1–17; 60.1–12. Asaph. See note on 50.1–23.
80.1–3 Petitions for God as shepherd and warrior to deliver the people.
80.1 Shepherd. See 23.1; 78.52; Isa 40.11. The image is associated with kings and rulers (e.g., Jer 23.1–6; Ezek 34). Enthroned upon the cherubim refers to the Lord’s invisible abode upon the cherubim of the ark of the covenant (1 Sam 4.4). Shine forth is a way of speaking of God’s appearing in might to do battle (cf. 50.2; 94.1). Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh may refer to all the tribes of the Northern Kingdom or to those left after other tribal groups had been exiled by the Assyrians. The tribes were understood to have marched in this order behind the ark in the journey through the wilderness (Num 2.32–34).
80.3 A refrain (see vv. 7, 19), as in Pss 42–43; 46. Let your face shine. See Num 6.25; note on 31.16.
80.4–7 The complaint of the people against God.
80.4 How long? See note on 6.3. People’s prayers is probably the term for the community laments or prayers for help such as are found here and in Pss 44; 74; 79.
80.6 Scorn. See note on 79.10.
80.8–19 The vine (Israel) that the Lord brought out of Egypt and planted is now ravaged. For vine and vineyard imagery in relation to Israel and Judah, see Isa 5.1–7; 27.2–6; Jer 2.21; 12.10; Ezek 15.1–8; Hos 10.1.
80.8 The redemption of Israel in the exodus and their settlement in the land.
80.9–11 Israel’s gradual spread in and control of the land.
80.10 Mighty cedars. See 104.16.
80.11 The extent of the Davidic empire. Sea, the Mediterranean. River, the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia.
80.12–13 A reiteration of the complaint to God.
80.14–19 A plea to God to restore the vine of Israel to life.
80.17 The one at your right hand, i.e., the king.
PSALM 81
God’s Appeal to Stubborn Israel
To the leader: according to The Gittith. Of Asaph.
1Sing aloud to God our strength;
shout for joy to the God of Jacob.
2Raise a song, sound the tambourine,
the sweet lyre with the harp.
3Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
at the full moon, on our festal day.
4For it is a statute for Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5He made it a decree in Joseph,
when he went out overa the land of Egypt.
I hear a voice I had not known:
6“I relieved yourb shoulder of the burden;
yourc hands were freed from the basket.
7In distress you called, and I rescued you;
I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.
Selah
8Hear, O my people, while I admonish you;
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9There shall be no strange god among you;
you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
10I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.
11“But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.
12So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
to follow their own counsels.
13O that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
14Then I would quickly subdue their enemies,
and turn my hand against their foes.
15Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him,
and their doom would last forever.
16I would feed youd with the finest of the wheat,
and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
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a Or against
b Heb his
c Heb his
d Cn Compare verse 16b: Heb he would feed him
81.1–16 A liturgy with priestly or prophetic admonishment of the people, probably to be sung at the fall Festival of Tabernacles (cf. Pss 50; 95 for similar language and character). To the leader. See note on 4.1–8. According to The Gittith. See note on 8.1–9. Asaph. See note on 50.1–23.
81.1–5a A summons to worship with festival shouting and celebration.
81.3 Our festal day suggests one of the three major festivals, in this case Tabernacles (or Booths).
81.4–5a The festival has been appointed by God as a regulation of the people’s life (Lev 23.33–36, 39–43; Deut 16.13–15; cf. Num 29).
81.5a For the Festival of Tabernacles (or Booths) as a statute from the time of the exodus out of Egypt, see Lev 23.41–43. Joseph, a term for Israel in Egypt.
81.5b–16 A prophetic or priestly voice speaks for God.
81.5b–10 The Lord’s deliverance of Israel in the exodus is a lesson for the people. The one who redeemed the Israelites called them to an uncompromising loyalty as God’s people.
81.5b A voice…not known, probably the mysterious voice of the Lord, thus giving authority to the words of God that are quoted in the following verses.
81.6 Burden and basket refer to the labors in Egypt.
81.7 In distress you called. Cf. Ex 2.23; 3.7–8. Waters of Meribah. Cf. Ex 17.1–7; Num 20.1–13. Selah. See note on 3.2.
81.9–10 Allusion to the primary commandment (v. 9) and the prologue (v. 10) to the Ten Commandments (Ex 20.2–5; Deut 5.6–9). Open…fill it may be dislocated from an original location after v. 5b.
81.11–12 Divine judgment because of the people’s failure to keep the commandment.
81.13–16 God’s admonishing hope that the people will repent and be delivered.
81.15 Hate the LORD, another allusion to the primary commandment to worship the Lord alone (Ex 20.5b; Deut 5.9b).
PSALM 82
A Plea for Justice
A Psalm of Asaph.
1God has taken his place in the divine council;
in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2“How long will you judge unjustly
and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3Give justice to the weak and the orphan;
maintain the right of the low
ly and the destitute.
4Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
5They have neither knowledge nor understanding,
they walk around in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6I say, “You are gods,
children of the Most High, all of you;
7nevertheless, you shall die like mortals,
and fall like any prince.”a
8Rise up, O God, judge the earth;
for all the nations belong to you!
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a Or fall as one man, O princes
82.1–8 A call for God’s rule of the nations to ensure justice for the weak. The psalm is a literary report of the action of the divine council or heavenly assembly similar to the prophetic reports recounted in 1 Kings 22.19–23; Isa 6.1–13; Jer 23.18–22. As commonly conceived in the ancient Near East, the council of the gods was where the governance of the universe was managed. Asaph. See note on 50.1–23.
82.1–4 The God of Israel rises in the council of the gods to accuse the gods of the nations of not having maintained the right to justice of the weak and the poor, the primary criterion of a just order in ancient Israel.
82.2 How long? is the typical complaint against God of the sufferer in prayer. Here it is taken up by God on behalf of the victims of oppression (cf. 6.3; 13.1–2; 74.10; 94.3). It also becomes a part of prophetic indictment of the wickedness of the people (Jer 4.14; 13.27; 23.26; Hos 8.5; Hab 2.6). Selah. See note on 3.2.
82.5 Either blindly or intentionally the gods do not know the way of justice. As a consequence, the just order of the universe is undermined.
82.6–7 The God of Israel strips the heavenly powers of their divine character and condemns the immortal gods to mortality. V. 6a is quoted in Jn 10.34.
82.8 The psalmist, perhaps a priestly or prophetic voice, calls upon God to take over the rule of the nations from all the other gods.
PSALM 83
Prayer for Judgment on Israel’s Foes
A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.
1O God, do not keep silence;
do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
2Even now your enemies are in tumult;
those who hate you have raised their heads.
3They lay crafty plans against your people;
they consult together against those you protect.
4They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;
let the name of Israel be remembered no more.”
5They conspire with one accord;
against you they make a covenant—
6the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab and the Hagrites,
7Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8Assyria also has joined them;
they are the strong arm of the children of Lot.
Selah
9Do to them as you did to Midian,
as to Sisera and Jabin at the Wadi Kishon,
10who were destroyed at En-dor,
who became dung for the ground.
11Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12who said, “Let us take the pastures of God
for our own possession.”
13O my God, make them like whirling dust,a
like chaff before the wind.
14As fire consumes the forest,
as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15so pursue them with your tempest
and terrify them with your hurricane.
16Fill their faces with shame,
so that they may seek your name, O LORD.
17Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever;
let them perish in disgrace.
18Let them know that you alone,
whose name is the LORD,
are the Most High over all the earth.
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a Or a tumbleweed
83.1–18 A prayer of the community for God’s help against enemies. Asaph. See note on 50.1–23.
83.1–8 A plea to God not to be inactive and quiescent in the face of the conspiracy of the nations against Israel. In their plotting against Israel they conspire also against God (v. 5) and so are God’s enemies as well (v. 2). The fate of the Lord of Israel is seen as allied to the fate of the Lord’s people.
83.6–8 There is no particular historical moment with which such a grouping of nations against Israel can be associated.
83.8 Children of Lot, the Moabites and Ammonites (Gen 19.36–38). Selah. See note on 3.2.
83.9–18 Petitions for God’s destruction of the enemies.
83.9 Midian alludes to Gideon’s destruction of the Midianites (Judg 6–8). Sisera and Jabin were defeated by the Israelites under the leadership of Deborah and Barak (Judg 4–5).
83.11 Oreb, Zeeb, Zebah, Zalmunna, Midianite leaders defeated by Israel (Judg 7.25; 8.4–21).
PSALM 84
The Joy of Worship in the Temple
To the leader: according to The Gittith. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.
1How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD of hosts!
2My soul longs, indeed it faints
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
to the living God.
3Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my King and my God.
4Happy are those who live in your house,
ever singing your praise.
Selah
5Happy are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.a
6As they go through the valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
7They go from strength to strength;
the God of gods will be seen in Zion.
8O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob!
Selah
9Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed.
10For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than live in the tents of wickedness.
11For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
he bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does the LORD withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
12O LORD of hosts,
happy is everyone who trusts in you.
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a Heb lacks to Zion
84.1–12 A song of Zion for one who makes pilgrimage to the temple, possibly at the autumn Festival of Tabernacles (Booths), and rejoices in being able to be in the presence of God. To the leader. See note on 4.1–8. According to The Gittith. See note on 8.1–9. Korahites. See note on 42.1–43.5.
84.1–4 Longing for the sanctuary (cf. 42.1–2).
84.4 Selah. See note on 3.2.
84.5–7 The joy and blessing of journeying to the sanctuary.
84.6 The valley of Baca is unknown but seems to be an arid place on the way to Jerusalem. Place of springs. For the notion of God opening up springs of water for people journeying through arid desert on their way to Jerusalem, see 107.33; Isa 35.6–7; 41.18; 43.20; 48.21.
84.7 From strength to strength. Cf. Isa 40.31.
84.8–9 A prayer of intercession for the king (our shield, your anointed).
84.10–12 The favor and protection of God in the sanctuary.
PSALM 85
Prayer for the Restoration of God’s Favor
To the leader. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.
1LORD, you were favorable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you pardoned all their sin.
Selah
3You withdrew all your wrath;
you turned from your hot anger.
4Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
and put away your indignation toward us.
5Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
6Will you not revive us again,
so that your people may rejoice in you?
7Show us your steadfast love, O LORD,
and grant us your salvation.
8Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people,
to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.a
9Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
10Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
11Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
and righteousness will look down from the sky.
12The LORD will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
13Righteousness will go before him,
and will make a path for his steps.
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a Gk: Heb but let them not turn back to folly
85.1–13 A community prayer for deliverance by God. To the leader. See note on 4.1–8. Korahites. See note on 42.1–43.5.
85.1–3 Recollection of God’s forgiveness and favor in the past. The particular occasion referred to is not indicated in the psalm. It may have been the return from exile in Babylon. Selah. See note on 3.2.
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