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This psalm is much to the same purport with the foregoing. Some think it was penned upon occasion of the desolation and captivity of the ten tribes, as the foregoing psalm of the two. But many were the distresses of the Israel of God, many perhaps which are not recorded in the sacred history some whereof might give occasion for the drawing up of this psalm, which is proper to be sung in the day of Jacob's trouble, and if, in singing it, we express a true love to the church and a hearty concern for its interest, with a firm confidence in God's power to help it out of its greatest distresses, we make melody with our hearts to the Lord. The psalmist here, I. Begs for the tokens of God's presence with them and favour to them, Ps 80:1-3. II. He complains of the present rebukes they were under, Ps 80:4-7. III. He illustrates the present desolations of the church, by the comparison of a vine and a vineyard, which had flourished, but was now destroyed, Ps 80:8-16. IV. He concludes with prayer to God for the preparing of mercy for them and the preparing of them for mercy, Ps 80:17-19. This, as many psalms before and after, relates to the public interests of God's Israel, which ought to lie nearer to our hearts than any secular interest of our own.

This very touching and beautiful psalm purports also to be a psalm of Asaph. Compare the notes at the title to Psalm 73. On the phrase "upon Shoshannim-eduth" in the title, see the notes at the title to Psalm 45. and notes at Psalm 60:1-12. The word rendered eduth, which means testimony, may have been used here with reference to the contents of the psalm as a public testimony in regard to the dealings of God with his people. But it is not possible now to determine with certainty the meaning of these titles.

The psalm, in its design, has a strong resemblance to Psalm 74; Psalm 79:1-13, and was probably composed on the same occasion. It has been generally supposed to have reference to the time of the Babylonian captivity. Some have referred it, however, to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes; and others regard it as a prayer of the ten tribes which had been carried away to Assyria. Doederlein supposes that it refers to the wars of Jehoshaphat with the Ammonites 2 Chronicles 20; and others suppose that it refers to the troubles caused by the Philistines. It is impossible now to determine with certainty the time or the occasion of its composition. It can be best explained on the supposition that it refers to the desolations caused by the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar.

The psalm is properly divided into three parts, each closing with the prayer "Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved," Psalm 80:3, Psalm 80:7,Psalm 80:19.

I. The first part is a prayer, addressed to God as a shepherd - as one who had led his people like a flock - that he would again shine forth on them now that they were in trouble, and that he would stir up his strength, and come and save them, Psalm 80:1-3.

II. The second is a prayer, also - founded on the troubles of his people; a people fed with their tears; a strife to their neighbors; and an occasion of laughter or mirth to their foes, Psalm 80:4-7.

III. The third is also a prayer - founded on the former dealings of God with his people, on his care for them in ancient times, and on the fact that they were now desolate; their state being represented under the image of a vine brought from abroad; planted with care; attentively nurtured until it sent out its branches in every direction, so that it filled the land; and then broken down - torn - rent - trampled on - by a wild boar out of the wood, Psalm 80:8-19. In view of this desolation the psalmist prays that God would interpose, and he pledges the assurance that if this were done for them, the people would no more go back from God.

A prayer for the captives, Psalm 80:1-3. A description of their miseries, Psalm 80:4-7. Israel compared to a vineyard, Psalm 80:8-14. Its desolate state, and a prayer for its restoration, Psalm 80:15-19.

The title: see Psalm 45, Psalm 60:1-12, and 69, where every thing material is explained. This Psalm seems to have been written on the same occasion with the former. One ancient MS. in the public library in Cambridge writes the eightieth and the seventy-ninth all as one Psalm; the subject-matter is precisely the same - was made on the same occasion, and probably by the same author.

INTRODUCTION TO Psalm 80

To the chief Musician upon Shoshannimeduth, A Psalm of Asaph. Of the word "shoshannim", see Gill on Psalm 45:1, and of "shushaneduth", see Gill on Psalm 60:1 which seems to be the same with this here, and is thought by some to be the name of a musical instrument now unknown, as Kimchi and Ben Melech; though these two words are not to be read together as one, for there is a dividing accent on "shoshannim", and which may be rendered "concerning the lilies" (a); and so may denote the subject matter of the psalm, or respect the people of God, comparable to lilies for their beauty, purity, and holiness in Christ, Sol 6:2, and to lilies among thorns, Sol 2:2, being in great afflictions and persecutions, as appears from Psalm 80:5, the word "eduth" is to be read not along with "shoshannim", but with what follows, thus, "Eduth unto Asaph a psalm"; some render the word "eduth" an ornament or glory, as R. Marinus in Aben Ezra; and take the sense to be, that the psalm was a glorious one, and desirable to Asaph; but it rather signifies a testimony, and is by the Targum interpreted of the testimony of the law; but it is rather to be understood of the testimony of the Gospel, which is the testimony of Christ, and bears witness of him; and there is a testimony of him in this psalm, Psalm 80:17, and there seem to be in it many breathings after his coming and appearance in the flesh. Some take this psalm to be of the same argument with the foregoing, and think it refers to the destruction of the Jews, the two tribes, by the Chaldeans; so Theodoret; but there is no mention made of the temple, nor of Jerusalem, as in the preceding psalm; and besides, why should Manasseh and Ephraim be mentioned? wherefore others are of opinion that it has regard to the captivity of the ten tribes by Salmaneser; but then it may be asked, why is Benjamin taken notice of, which had no concern in the affliction? this has led others to conclude that it respects some time of affliction before either of these captivities, or between them both; and it may be applied to any affliction of the people of God in any age or period of time; and no doubt was written by Asaph, or by David, and put into his hands before the distress was, under a spirit of prophecy. Kimchi interprets it of the present captivity of the Jews, and Jarchi of their three captivities.

(a) "super liliis", Tigurine version, Cocceius; "pro liliis", Musculus.

LXXX.

That this plaintive cry for restoration to a state which should be indicative of the Divine favour, arose from Israel when groaning under foreign oppression which it was powerless to resist, is plain and incontestable. And if, with the almost unanimous consent of critics, we are right in rendering Psalm 80:6, “Thou makest us an object of strife to our neighbours,” we should be able to approximate very nearly to the date of the poem. For there are only two periods when Palestine became an object of dispute between rival powers: when Assyria and Egypt made it their battleground; and, at a much later date, when it was the apple of discord between the Ptolemies and the Seleucidæ. But at the earlier of these two periods the language of the poet descriptive of utter prostration and ruin (Psalm 80:16) would hardly have been suitable. We hear, too again, in Psalm 80:4, the pathetic “how long?” of the Maccabæan age. No argument for date or authorship can safely be drawn from the mode in which the tribes are mentioned and arranged in Psalm 80:2. (See Note.) The refrain at Psalm 80:3; Psalm 80:7; Psalm 80:19 indicates the structure of the poem.

Title.—See Psalms 45, 60, and comp. title of Psalms 69.

The Psalm begins with a prayer to the Shepherd of Israel once more to manifest His power and lead His people to victory (Psalm 80:1-3).

How long, pleads the Psalmist, will God continue to be angry with His people and abandon them to the mockery of their enemies (Psalm 80:4-7)?

He reminds God of the care which He had once bestowed upon the vine of Israel, and of its former luxuriant growth: why then has He now withdrawn His protection and abandoned it to the ravages of its foes (Psalm 80:8-13)?

Once more he prays that God will visit and restore His people, and bind them to Himself by a new bond of allegiance (Psalm 80:14-19).

The refrains (Psalm 80:3; Psalm 80:7; Psalm 80:19) mark a strophical arrangement, and Psalm 80:8-19 naturally fall into two divisions, Psalm 80:8-19. But there are indications of some dislocation of the text of Psalm 80:14 ff., and it is possible that the strophical arrangement was originally more complete.

This Psalm throws into the form of a prayer those hopes for the restoration of the Northern tribes and the reunion of all Israel, which are found in the prophets from the time of Amos onward, and are expressed in the fullest detail by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 3:11-15; Jeremiah 31:1-21), and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37:15-28), and, probably at a still later date, after the first Return from the Exile, in Zechariah 9-11.[43] It must have been written after the fall of the Northern Kingdom, when political rivalry between Israel and Judah was at an end; and it may have been written either before the Exile or after the Return from Babylon, for the language of Psalm 80:3; Psalm 80:7; Psalm 80:19 does not necessarily imply that the whole nation was in exile. But more probably it was written during the Babylonian exile; for (1) Psalm 80:3; Psalm 80:7; Psalm 80:19 are most naturally interpreted as a prayer for the termination of the exile: (2) Psalm 80:12 ff. seem to describe the land as wholly overrun by enemies and the national existence as for the time at an end: and (3) the resemblances of language to Psalms 74, 79 are in favour of referring it to the same period[44].

[43] For a discussion of the date of Zechariah 9-11 the writer would refer to his Doctrine of the Prophets, pp. 445 ff.

[44] With Psalm 80:1 cp. Psalm 74:1; Psalm 79:13; with Psalm 80:4 cp. Psalm 74:1; Psalm 74:9-10; Psalm 49:5; with Psalm 80:6 cp. Psalm 79:4; Psalm 79:12; with Psalm 80:18 cp. Psalm 79:6; Psalm 79:9.

On the whole then, though the Psalm may be a prayer of the post-exile congregation for the fuller restoration of Israel, and doubtless was so used by them, it seems best to regard it as originally the prayer of Israel in exile for a complete national restoration. The special interest shewn in the tribes of the Northern Kingdom (Psalm 80:2) may have been due to the connexion of the author with one of those tribes: but it is sufficiently accounted for by the prominence given to Israel’s restoration in Jeremiah and Ezekiel. “The brotherly love of Judah for Israel (cp. Psalm 77:15; Psalm 81:5) is a reflection (if we may expand the thought of the Asaphite Psalmists in accordance with Jeremiah 31:9; Jeremiah 31:20) of the fatherly love of Jehovah for His ‘first-born.’ Man’s self-will (Hosea 5:11) cannot permanently make void the divine idea of all-Israel.” (Cheyne.)

According to the Massoretic accentuation the title runs, For the chief Musician, set to Shoshannim (lilies): a testimony of Asaph, a Psalm: but the analogy of the title of Psalms 60 suggests the connexion of the words Shoshannim Eduth, i.e. (Like) lilies is the testimony, pure and beautiful. These would be the opening words of some well-known song in praise of the Law, to the melody of which the Psalm was to be sung. Cp. the titles of Psalms 45, 69; and see Introd. p. xxvi. The LXX adds to the title, A Psalm concerning the Assyrian, as in Psalms 76.

Ps 80:1-19.

Shoshannim--"Lilies" (see on

Ps 45:1,

title). Eduth--Testimony, referring to the topic as a testimony of God to His people (compare

Ps 19:7).

This Psalm probably relates to the captivity of the ten tribes, as the former to that of Judah. Its complaint is aggravated by the contrast of former prosperity, and the prayer for relief occurs as a refrain through the Psalm.

1, 2. Joseph--for Ephraim

(1Ch 7:20-29; Ps 78:67; Re 7:8),

for Israel.

Shepherd--(Compare

Ge 49:24).

leadest, &c.--

(Ps 77:20).

dwellest . . . cherubim--

(Ex 25:20);

the place of God's visible glory, whence He communed with the people

(Heb 9:5).

shine forth--appear

(Ps 50:2; 94:1).

Give ear - Incline the ear; as if the ear of God was then turned away, or as if he was inattentive to what was occurring. See the notes at Psalm 5:1. O Shepherd of Israel. See the notes at Psalm 23:1.

Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock - Joseph, the father of Ephraim and Manasseh. See the notes at Psalm 78:67. The name Joseph seems here to be used poetically to represent the whole people of Israel, as he was a man so prominent in their history, and especially as Egypt is mentioned as the country from which the vine had been transplanted - a country where Joseph had acted so important a part, and in connection with which his name would be so naturally associated. The meaning is, that God had led the tribes of the Hebrew people as a shepherd leads or conducts his flock.

Thou that dwellest between the cherubims - See the notes at Psalm 18:10. The allusion here is to God as dwelling, by a visible symbol - the Shechinah - on the mercy-seat, between the cherubims. Exodus 25:18, Exodus 25:22; Exodus 37:7; 1 Samuel 4:4; 1 Kings 6:25. See the notes at Isaiah 37:16; and notes at Hebrews 9:5. "Shine, forth." Manifest thyself. Let light come from thy presence in the midst of our darkness and calamity.