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英文原文
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.
1-7
Mournful Complaints
悲痛的哀诉
调用为证的百合花。亚萨的诗。
¹ 领约瑟如领羊群之以色列的牧者啊，求你留心听；坐在二基路伯上的啊，求你发出光来。
² 在以法莲、便雅悯、玛拿西前面施展你的能力，出来拯救我们。
³ 神啊，求你使我们回转；使你的脸发光，我们便要得救。
⁴ 耶和华万军之神啊，你向你百姓的祷告发怒，要到几时呢？
⁵ 你以眼泪当食物给他们吃；又多量给他们喝。
⁶ 你使邻邦因我们纷争；我们的仇敌彼此嗤笑。
⁷ 万军之神啊，求你使我们回转；使你的脸发光，我们便要得救。
诗人此处代表教会，针对以色列当前受苦的境况，借祷告投靠神。
一、他为百姓恳求神的恩眷（诗 80:1,2）；这是荒凉圣所中的一切，也当首先寻求。请留意，1. 他在祷告中如何看待神——视他为以色列的牧者；他既曾称以色列为他草场的羊（诗 79:13），他们就在他的引导看顾之下，正如羊在牧人的看顾引导之下。基督就是那伟大而善良的牧者，我们可凭信心将他所交托的羊交他保守。他如领羊群一般领约瑟——领到最好的草场，离开危险之路；约瑟若不像羊那样顺从牧人，便是他自己的错。他坐在二基路伯上——在那里随时准备接受恳求、赐下指引。施恩座在二基路伯之间；在祷告中仰望神坐在施恩宝座上，是大得安慰的；而我们能如此，乃因那伟大的挽回祭，因施恩座就是挽回处。2. 他向神所期望所渴慕的——他愿神垂听他们苦情与祷告的呼声，愿神在自己的荣耀中、并恩眷慈爱他的百姓之中发出光来，愿他显出自己并向他们微笑，愿他施展他的能力——激发它、运用它。这能力似乎在沉睡：「主啊，求你醒起。」他的事业遭受大反对，仇敌威胁要压倒它：「主啊，求你越发施展你的能力，前来拯救我们；作你百姓大有权能的帮助、随时的帮助；主啊，在以法莲、便雅悯、玛拿西面前行这事」——即「在以色列众支派眼前行这事；让他们看见而得满足。」或许这三个支派被提名，因它们是构成以色列营中那个分队、在旷野行军时紧随会幕之后的支派；所以在他们前面，神能力的约柜兴起以击散他们的仇敌。
二、他控诉神对他们的不悦。神发怒，他对此比任何事更惧怕（诗 80:4）。1. 那是大怒。他以为神向他百姓的祷告发怒——不但虽他们祷告仍发怒（他们原盼望借此挽回他的怒气），更是对他们的祷告发怒——虽然祷告的乃是他自己的百姓。神向他百姓的罪发怒、向他仇敌的祷告发怒，并不为奇；但向他百姓的祷告发怒，确是奇事。他不但是迟延答允（这他常因爱而作），更是不悦。他若真的向百姓的祷告发怒，我们可确知是因他们妄求（雅 4:3）。他们祷告，却不竭力祷告；他们的目的不正，或心怀藏某种隐秘放纵的罪；他们不举起圣洁的手，或带着愤怒疑惑举起。但或许这只是他们自己的感觉；神似乎对他们的祷告发怒，其实不然；因他如此要试验他们在祷告中的忍耐与恒切，正如基督试验那迦南妇人，说：不可拿儿女的饼丢给狗吃。 2. 这是延续已久的怒：「你发怒要到几时呢？ 我们仍不断祷告，却仍在你的怒容之下。」他们长久所受的神不悦的记号，既是他们的忧愁，也是他们的羞辱。（1）他们的忧愁（诗 80:5）：你以眼泪当食物给他们吃；他们日日流泪吃饼；这就是他们蘸在醋里的那一口（诗 42:3）。他们有眼泪给他们喝——不是偶尔尝一口苦杯，而是大量地。请注意，许多人今世花时间在忧愁中，来世却要在永恒中花时间在喜乐中。（2）他们的羞辱（诗 80:6）。神向他们变脸，使他们成为邻邦相争之物——人人都争着尽量揭露他们；他们被弄得如此廉价易得，以至所有的争端都不过是「谁可以剥他们的衣、掳掠他们」。他们的仇敌彼此嗤笑——看见他们所陷的惊惶、所被逼入的窘境、所遭遇的失望。当神向他的百姓不悦，我们必看见他们流泪、仇敌得意。
三、他为归正的恩典恳切祷告，为要使他们与神和好、得蒙拯救：神啊，求你使我们回转！（诗 80:3）万军之神啊，求你使我们回转！（诗 80:7），然后使你的脸发光，我们便要得救。这是全歌的负担，因为下文（诗 80:19）又有这话。他们自觉已偏离神与本分，转向罪的道路，正是这事惹动神向他掩面、将他们交在仇敌手中；所以他们要从正路的开端作起：「主啊，求你在悔改改革的路上使我们归向你，那时无疑你必在怜悯拯救的路上归回我们。」请留意，1. 拯救惟独来自神的恩眷：「使你的脸发光——让我们得着你的爱与面上的光，我们便要得救。」2. 我们若不归向神，便不能得神的恩。我们必须从世界与肉体再归向神，那时他必使他的脸光照我们。3. 我们若不借他自己的恩典，便不能归向神；我们必须竭力归向他（何 5:4），然后恳切求他的恩——求你使我回转，我便回转，并恳求那恩惠的应许（箴 1:23）：你们当因我的责备回转；我要将我的灵浇灌你们。 此处的祷告是为全国的归正；我们当如此为国家的怜悯祷告——使错处得以改正，然后我们的苦情便快得疏解。全国的圣洁必保全国的幸福。
英文原文
Mournful Complaints
To the chief musician upon Shoshannim, Eduth. A psalm of Asaph.
¹ Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.
² Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.
³ Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
⁴ O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?
⁵ Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.
⁶ Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.
⁷ Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
The psalmist here, in the name of the church, applies to God by prayer, with reference to the present afflicted state of Israel.
I. He entreats God's favour for them (Ps 80:1,2); that is all in all to the sanctuary when it is desolate, and is to be sought in the first place. Observe, 1. How he eyes God in his address as the Shepherd of Israel, whom he had called the sheep of his pasture (Ps 79:13), under whose guidance and care Israel was, as the sheep are under the care and conduct of the shepherd. Christ is the great and good Shepherd, to whom we may in faith commit the custody of his sheep that were given to him. He leads Joseph like a flock, to the best pastures, and out of the way of danger; if Joseph follow him not as obsequiously as the sheep do the shepherd, it is his own fault. He dwells between the cherubim, where he is ready to receive petitions and to give directions. The mercy-seat was between the cherubim; and it is very comfortable in prayer to look up to God as sitting on a throne of grace, and that it is so to us is owning to the great propitiation, for the mercy-seat was the propitiatory. 2. What he expects and desires from God, that he would give ear to the cry of their miseries and of their prayers, that he would shine forth both in his own glory and in favour and kindness to his people, that he would show himself and smile on them, that he would sir up his strength, that he would excite it and exert it. It had seemed to slumber: "Lord, awaken it." His cause met with great opposition and the enemies threatened to overpower it: "Lord, put forth thy strength so much the more, and come for salvation to us; be to thy people a powerful help and a present help; Lord, do this before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh," that is, "In the sight of all the tribes of Israel; let them see it to their satisfaction." Perhaps these three tribes are named because they were the tribes which formed that squadron of the camp of Israel that in their march through the wilderness followed next after the tabernacle; so that before them the ark of God's strength rose to scatter their enemies.
II. He complains of God's displeasure against them. God was angry, and he dreads that more than any thing, Ps 80:4. 1. It was great anger. He apprehended that God was angry against the prayer of his people, not only that he was angry notwithstanding their prayers, by which they hoped to turn away his wrath from them, but that he was angry with their prayers, though they were his own people that prayed. That God should be angry at the sins of his people and at the prayers of his enemies is not strange; but that he should be angry at the prayers of his people is strange indeed. He not only delayed to answer them (that he often does in love), but he was displeased at them. If he be really angry at the prayers of his people, we may be sure it is because they ask amiss, Jam 4:3. They pray, but they do not wrestle in prayer; their ends are not right, or there is some secret sin harboured and indulged in them; they do not lift up pure hands, or they lift them up with wrath and doubting. But perhaps it is only in their own apprehension; he seems angry with their prayers when really he is not; for thus he will try their patience and perseverance in prayer, as Christ tried the woman of Canaan when he said, It is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs. 2. It was anger that had continued a great while: "How long wilt thou be angry? We have still continued praying and yet are still under thy frowns." Now the tokens of God's displeasure which they had been long under were both their sorrow and shame. (1.) Their sorrow (Ps 80:5): Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; they eat their meat from day to day in tears; this is the vinegar in which they dipped their morsel, Ps 42:3. They had tears given them to drink, not now and then a taste of that bitter cup, but in great measure. Note, There are many that spend their time in sorrow who yet shall spend their eternity in joy. (2.) It was their shame, Ps 80:6. God, by frowning upon them, made them a strife unto their neighbours; each strove which should expose them most, and such a cheap and easy prey were they made to them that all the strife was who should have the stripping and plundering of them. Their enemies laughed among themselves to see the frights they were in, the straits they were reduced to, and the disappointments they met with. When God is displeased with his people we must expect to see them in tears and their enemies in triumph.
III. He prays earnestly for converting grace in order to their acceptance with God, and their salvation: Turn us again, O God! Ps 80:3. Turn us again, O God of hosts! (Ps 80:7) and then cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved. It is the burden of the song, for we have it again, Ps 80:19. They are conscious to themselves that they have gone astray from God and their duty, and have turned aside into sinful ways, and that it was this that provoked God to hide his face from them and to give them up into the hand of their enemies; and therefore they desire to begin their work at the right end: "Lord, turn us to thee in a way of repentance and reformation, and then, no doubt, thou wilt return to us in a way of mercy and deliverance." Observe, 1. No salvation but from God's favour: "Cause thy face to shine, let us have thy love and the light of thy countenance, and then we shall be saved." 2. No obtaining favour with God unless we be converted to him. We must turn again to God from the world and the flesh, and then he will cause his face to shine upon us. 3. No conversion to God but by his own grace; we must frame our doings to turn to him (Ho 5:4) and then pray earnestly for his grace, Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, pleading that gracious promise (Pr 1:23), Burn you at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you. The prayer here is for a national conversion; in this method we must pray for national mercies, that what is amiss may be amended, and then our grievances would be soon redressed. National holiness would secure national happiness.
8-19
The Desolated Vine
被毁坏的葡萄树
⁸ 你从埃及挪出一棵葡萄树，赶出外邦人，把它栽上。
⁹ 你在这树根前预备了地方，使它深深扎根，充满了全地。
¹⁰ 它的影子遮满了群山；它的枝条如同佳美的香柏树。
¹¹ 它发出枝子到海，发出嫩枝到大河。
¹² 你为何拆毁它的篱笆，任凭过路的人摘取呢？
¹³ 林中出来的野猪把它践踏，野地的走兽把它吞吃。
¹⁴ 万军之 神啊，求你回转；从天上垂看，眷顾这葡萄树，
¹⁵ 看顾你右手所栽的根，和你为自己所坚固的枝子。
¹⁶ 这树已经被火焚烧，被刀砍伐；他们因你脸上的责备而灭亡。
¹⁷ 愿你的手护庇你右边的人，就是你为自己所坚固的人子。
¹⁸ 这样，我们便不退后偏离你；求你救活我们，我们就求告你的名。
¹⁹ 耶和华万军之 神啊，求你使我们回转；使你的脸发光，我们便要得救。
诗人在此为 神的以色列献上恳求，并在施恩座前切切陈明，求 神怜悯他们、赐恩给他们。教会在此被比作葡萄树（诗80:8、14）和葡萄园（诗80:15）。这葡萄树的根就是基督（罗11:18）；枝子就是信他的人（约15:5）。教会如同一棵葡萄树，软弱而需要扶持，外貌不扬而前景无望，却蔓延广远、多结果子，其果至为佳美。教会是上选而高贵的葡萄树；我们当承认 神的恩慈，他在这个世界的旷野中栽种了这样一棵葡萄树，并保全它直到今日。请看：
一、旧约教会的这棵葡萄树当初是如何被栽种的。它是「从埃及」以大能的手挪出来的；迦南的「外邦人被赶出」，为要给它腾出地方，七族之民为这一族腾出地方。「你在这树根前预备了地方」（有人如此读诗80:9），好叫工作做得彻底；那些国民被毁灭的扫帚如同尘土一般扫除。 神既为它腾出地方并栽种了它，便使它在教会与国家的治理上美好地坚定下来，深深扎根；这根基如此稳固，以致周围邻邦虽屡屡图谋，却不能把它拔除。
二、它如何蔓延兴旺。1. 迦南地本身住满了居民。起先他们人数不足以充满那地（出23:29）。但在所罗门的日子，「犹大人和以色列人如同海边的沙那样多」；那地充满了他们，又是那样肥沃之地，并不至于过度拥挤（诗80:10）。迦南的群山被他们的影子遮满，枝条虽像葡萄树那样向远处伸展，却不像葡萄树的枝条那样软弱，乃如同佳美香柏树的枝条那样强壮。以色列不仅人口众多，而且都是大能的勇士。2. 他们将征服与版图扩展到邻邦（诗80:11）：「它发出枝子到海」——西面的大海；「发出嫩枝到大河」——或指南面的埃及河，或北面的大马士革河，更可指东面的幼发拉底河（创15:18）。尼布甲尼撒的伟大被比作一棵茂盛的树（但4:20-21）。然而此处关于这棵葡萄树有一件事当留意：它被称赞的是它的「影子」、它的「枝子」、它的「嫩枝」，却没有一句话提到它的果子，因为「以色列是空虚的葡萄树」（何10:1）。 神来指望收葡萄，倒收了野葡萄（赛5:2）。葡萄树若不结果子，再没有别样树像它那样无用、那样不值（结15:2、6）。
三、它如何被毁坏荒凉：「主啊，你为这棵葡萄树作了大事，为何又要叫这一切都归于无有呢？若这不是 神所栽种的植物，看见它被连根拔起并不为奇；但 神竟会离弃、抛弃他自己所赐以存在之物吗？」（诗80:12）。「你为何拆毁它的篱笆？」 神待他们之道的这一改变，自有其美意。这高贵的葡萄树已变成「异邦葡萄树所发的败坏之枝」（耶2:21），叫它的伟大主人蒙羞；那么他若「撤去它的篱笆」（赛5:5）便不足为奇。然而 神从前向这棵葡萄树所施的恩惠，在此被用为祷告中的凭据，并作为信心的鼓励：尽管如此， 神仍不会全然弃绝他们。请注意：1. 外邦列国对以色列所怀的恶意与仇恨。 神一旦「拆毁他们的篱笆」，任凭他们暴露，便有大批仇敌立即闯入，那些等候机会要毁灭他们的人，过路的人便来摘取他们；「林中出来的野猪」和「野地的走兽」随时要蹂躏它（诗80:13）。但2. 也要看见这些残忍仇敌所受的约束；因为 神未拆毁他们的篱笆之前，他们连这棵葡萄树的一片叶子也拔不动。只要 神继续那「四面圈上篱笆」围着约伯，魔鬼便不能害他（伯1:10）。请看，任何民族若保守自己常在 神的恩惠之中，是何等切身的利益，那时便不怕野地的走兽（伯5:23）。我们若惹 神退去，「我们的保障便离了我们」，我们便要沉沦。以色列的可悲光景被如此描述（诗80:16）：「这树已经被火焚烧，被刀砍伐」；百姓被当作荆棘蒺藜对待，近乎被咒诅，结局就是焚烧，不再像蒙保护、被珍惜的葡萄树。他们「灭亡」不是因野猪野兽的暴怒，而是「因你脸上的责备」；那才是他们所畏惧的，他们也将一切灾祸归于它。我们或安或危，全在乎我们是在 神笑脸之下，还是在他皱眉之下。
四、他们因此向 神所求的是什么。1. 求 神帮助这棵葡萄树（诗80:14-15），求他恩慈地垂顾它的境况，并照他看为合宜的为之效力：「万军之 神啊，求你回转」，因为你似乎已经离开我们。「从天上垂看」——你已经退避到天上——从天上，那瞭望之处，你看明我们一切所受的冤屈；从天上，那有权能之处，你能差遣有效的救助；从天上，你已在那里设立审判的宝座，我们在此申诉；从天上，你也为那真是以色列人之人预备了一处更美的家乡——求你从那里赐下一个恩惠的眼目，从那里作一次恩惠的眷顾，临到这棵葡萄树。求你以怜悯之心顾念我们可悲的境遇；至于你怜悯所结的具体果子，我们交托给你。只求你「看顾葡萄园」，或说「看顾那根——你右手所栽的」，因此我们盼望你的右手也必保护它；看顾「你为自己所坚固的那枝子」，为要使你赞美得以彰显（赛43:21），好叫你借它的果子得着尊荣。「主啊，它是你所造的，也是为你而造的；因此可以谦卑的信心交托给你，交托给你自己的看顾。」「至于 神，他的作为完全。」我们在希伯来文所读作「枝子」的，原文是「儿子（Ben）」，就是你在你的旨意中为自己所坚固的那一位。那枝子要从以色列的本干出来（「我仆人——那枝子」，亚3:8），因此，在他未来以先，整体的以色列，尤其大卫的家，必须被保全、被扶持、被维持。「他是真葡萄树」（约15:1；赛11:1）。「不要毁坏它，因为福在其中」（赛65:8）。2. 求他帮助那栽培的人（诗80:17-18）：「愿你的手护庇你右边的人」——那位（无论他是谁）现今在他们面前出入的大卫家君王；「愿你的手护庇他」，不仅保护他、遮蔽他，更承认他、坚固他、使他亨通。我们有这样的说法（拉7:28）：「因耶和华我 神的手帮助我，我就得以坚固。」他们的王被称为「 神右边的人」，因他是国家景况的代表，那国家在 神眼中如同他的便雅悯——「他右手之子」；也因他是他们事务的主席，是 神右手中向他们多方施善的工具——护卫他们脱离自己、脱离仇敌，并引导他们走正路；更因他是那位作以色列大牧者之下的副牧人。掌权的君王当记得，他们是「人子」，是「亚当的儿子」（原文如此）；他们若强壮，是 神使他们强壮，并且他使他们如此是为他自己，因他们是他的差役，要在世人中间事奉他国度的益处；他们若诚心如此行，「他的手必护庇他们」；我们当凭信心求这事如此成就，并加上这应许： 神若扶助我们的治理者，我们便要紧紧跟随他：「这样，我们便不退后偏离你」；我们一见 神所支持、所维护的事业，便永不背弃。让 神作我们的引导，我们就跟随他。又加上这祷告：「求你救活我们」，将生命赐给我们，复兴我们衰微的益处，复兴我们下垂的心灵，那时「我们就求告你的名」；我们要在一切事上恒切如此行，因已发觉如此行并非徒然。除非 神救活我们，我们不能以正确的方式求告 神的名；但是他把生命赐给我们的灵魂，才把活泼赐给我们的祷告。然而许多解经家，无论犹太的还是基督教的，都将这话应用在弥赛亚——大卫的子孙——教会保护者、拯救者、葡萄园的看守者身上。（1）他是「 神右边的人」，他已「凭右手向他起誓」（迦勒底译本如此），他已高举他到自己的右边；他实在就是他的右手、主的膀臂，因为一切的权柄都赐给他了。（2）他就是那位「人子」，是他「为自己所坚固的」，为要荣耀他的名，并推进他在世人中间国度的益处。（3） 神的手护庇他经过他全部的作为，扶助他、推进他，保护他、激励他，使「耶和华所喜悦的事在他手中亨通」。（4）信徒的坚定与恒忍，全然归功于那存在耶稣基督里为我们所备的恩典与能力（诗68:28）。我们的力量是在他里面寻得的，借这力量我们才能恒忍到底。「愿你的手护庇他」；愿我们所投靠的那位大能者，得着帮助；愿他被造成能拯救到底的，那便是我们的保障；「这样，我们便不退后偏离你」。
最后，本诗以先前已经两次献上的同一恳求作为结束，然而这并非虚空的重复（诗80:19）：「求你使我们回转。」对 神的称呼也层层递进：诗80:3「 神啊！」诗80:7「万军之 神啊！」诗80:19「耶和华（自有永有）万军之 神啊！」我们到 神面前求他的恩典——他对我们的善意、他在我们里头的善工——之时，当恳切地求，恒切地祷告，并祷告得更加迫切。
英文原文
The Desolated Vine
⁸ Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.
⁹ Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.
¹⁰ The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.
¹¹ She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.
¹² Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?
¹³ The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.
¹⁴ Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;
¹⁵ And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.
¹⁶ It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
¹⁷ Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.
¹⁸ So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.
¹⁹ Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
The psalmist is here presenting his suit for the Israel of God, and pressing it home at the throne of grace, pleading with God for mercy and grace for them. The church is here represented as a vine (Ps 80:8,14) and a vineyard, Ps 80:15. The root of this vine is Christ, Ro 11:18. The branches are believers, Joh 15:5. The church is like a vine, weak and needing support, unsightly and having an unpromising outside, but spreading and fruitful, and its fruit most excellent. The church is a choice and noble vine; we have reason to acknowledge the goodness of God that he has planted such a vine in the wilderness of this world, and preserved it to this day. Now observe here,
I. How the vine of the Old-Testament church was planted at first. It was brought out of Egypt with a high hand; the heathen were cast out of Canaan to make room for it, seven nations to make room for that one. Thou didst sweep before it (so some read Ps 80:9), to make clear work; the nations were swept away as dirt with the besom of destruction. God, having made room for it, and planted it, cause it to take deep root by a happy establishment of their government both in church and state, which was so firm that, though their neighbours about them often attempted it, they could not prevail to pluck it up.
II. How it spread and flourished. 1. The land of Canaan itself was fully peopled. At first they were not so numerous as to replenish it, Ex 23:29. But in Solomon's time Judah and Israel were many as the sand of the sea; the land was filled with them, and yet such a fruitful land that it was not over-stocked, Ps 80:10. The hills of Canaan were covered with their shadow, and the branches, though they extended themselves far, like those of the vine, yet were not weak like them, but as strong as those of the goodly cedars. Israel not only had abundance of men, but those mighty men of valour. 2. They extended their conquests and dominion to the neighbouring countries (Ps 80:11): She sent out her boughs to the sea, the great sea westward, and her branches to the river, to the river of Egypt southward, the river of Damascus northward, or rather the river Euphrates eastward, Ge 15:18. Nebuchadnezzar's greatness is represented by a flourishing tree, Da 4:20,21. But it is observable here concerning this vine that it is praised for its shadow, its boughs, and its branches, but not a word of its fruit, for Israel was an empty vine, Ho 10:1. God came looking for grapes, but, behold, wild grapes, Isa 5:2. And, if a vine do not bring forth fruit, no tree so useless, so worthless, Eze 15:2,6.
III. How it was wasted and ruined: "Lord, thou hast done great things for this vine, and why shall it be all undone again? If it were a plant not of God's planting, it were not strange to see it rooted up; but will God desert and abandon that which he himself gave being to?" Ps 80:12. Why hast thou then broken down her hedges? There was a good reason for this change in God's way towards them. This noble vine had become the degenerate plant of a strange vine (Jer 2:21), to the reproach of its great owner, and then no marvel if he took away its hedge (Isa 5:5); yet God's former favours to this vine are urged as pleas in prayer to God, and improved as encouragements to faith, that, notwithstanding all this, God would not wholly cast them off. Observe, 1. The malice and enmity of the Gentile nations against Israel. As soon as ever God broke down their hedges and left them exposed troops of enemies presently broke in upon them, that waited for an opportunity to destroy them. Those that passed by the way plucked at them; the board out of the wood and the wild beast of the field were ready to ravage it, Ps 80:13. But, 2. See also the restraint which these cruel enemies were under; for till God had broken down their hedges they could not pluck a leaf of this vine. The devil could not hurt Job so long as God continued the hedge round about him, Job 1:10. See how much it is the interest of any people to keep themselves in the favour of God and then they need not fear any wild beast of the field, Job 5:23. If we provoke God to withdraw, our defence has departed from us, and we are undone. The deplorable state of Israel is described (Ps 80:16): It is burnt with fire; it is cut down; the people are treated like thorns and briers, that are nigh unto cursing and whose end is to be burned, and no longer like vines that are protected and cherished. They perish not through the rage of the wild beast and the boar, but at the rebuke of thy countenance; that was it which they dreaded and to which they attributed all their calamities. It is well or ill with us according as we are under God's smiles or frowns.
IV. What their requests were to God hereupon. 1. That God would help the vine (Ps 80:14,15), that he would graciously take cognizance of its case and do for it as he thought fit: "Return, we beseech thee, O Lord of hosts! for thou hast seemed to go away from us. Look down from heaven, to which thou hast retired,—from heaven, that place of prospect, whence thou seest all the wrongs that are done us, that place of power, whence thou canst send effectual relief,—from heaven, where thou hast prepared thy throne of judgment, to which we appeal, and where thou hast prepared a better country for those that are Israelites indeed,—thence give a gracious look, thence make a gracious visit, to this vine. Take our woeful condition into thy compassionate consideration, and for the particular fruits of thy pity we refer ourselves to thee. Only behold the vineyard, or rather the root, which thy right hand hath planted, and which therefore we hope thy right hand will protect, that branch which thou madest strong for thyself, to show forth thy praise (Isa 43:21), that with the fruit of it thou mightest be honoured. Lord, it is formed by thyself and for thyself, and therefore it may with a humble confidence be committed to thyself and to thy own care." As for God, his work is perfect. What we read the branch in the Hebrew is the son (Ben), whom in thy counsel thou hast made strong for thyself. That branch was to come out of the stock of Israel (my servant the branch, Zec 3:8), and therefore, till he should come, Israel in general, and the house of David in particular, must be preserved, and upheld, and kept in being. He is the true vine, Joh 15:1, Isa 11:1. Destroy it not for that blessing is in it, Isa 65:8. 2. That he would help the vine-dresser (Ps 80:17,18): "Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand," that king (whoever it was) of the house of David that was now to go in and out before them; "let thy hand be upon him, not only to protect and cover him, but to own him, and strengthen him, and give him success." We have this phrase, Ezr 7:28, And I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me. Their king is called the man of God's right hand as he was the representative of their state, which was dear to God, as his Benjamin, the son of his right hand, as he was president in their affairs and an instrument in God's right hand of much good to them, defending them from themselves and from their enemies and directing them in the right way, and as he was under-shepherd under him who was the great shepherd of Israel. Princes, who have power, must remember that they are sons of men, of Adam (so the word is), that, if they are strong, it is God that has made them strong, and he has made them so for himself, for they are his ministers to serve the interests of his kingdom among men, and, if they do this in sincerity, his hand shall be upon them; and we should pray in faith that it may be so, adding this promise, that, if God will adhere to our governors, we will adhere to him: So will not we go back from thee; we will never desert a cause which we see that God espouses and is the patron of. Let God be our leader and we will follow him. Adding also this prayer, "Quicken us, put life into us, revive our dying interests, revive our drooping spirits, and then we will call upon thy name. We will continue to do so upon all occasions, having found it not in vain to do so." We cannot call upon God's name in a right manner unless he quicken us; but it is he that puts life into our souls, that puts liveliness into our prayers. But many interpreters, both Jewish and Christian, apply this to the Messiah, the Son of David, the protector and Saviour of the church and the keeper of the vineyard. (1.) He is the man of God's right hand, to whom he has sworn by his right hand (so the Chaldee), whom he has exalted to his right hand, and who is indeed his right hand, the arm of the Lord, for all power is given to him. (2.) He is that son of man whom he made strong for himself, for the glorifying of his name and the advancing of the interests of his kingdom among men. (3.) God's hand is upon him throughout his whole undertaking, to bear him out and carry him on, to protect and animate him, that the good pleasure of the Lord might prosper in his hand. (4.) The stability and constancy of believers are entirely owing to the grace and strength which are laid up for us in Jesus Christ, Ps 68:28. In him is our strength found, by which we are enabled to persevere to the end. Let thy hand be upon him; on him let our help be laid who is mighty; let him be made able to save to the uttermost and that will be our security; so will not we go back from thee.
Lastly, The psalm concludes with the same petition that had been put up twice before, and yet it is no vain repetition (Ps 80:19): Turn us again. The title given to God rises, Ps 80:3, O God! Ps 80:7, O God of hosts! Ps 80:19, O Lord (Jehovah) God of hosts! When we come to God for his grace, his good-will towards us and his good work in us, we should pray earnestly, continue instant in prayer, and pray more earnestly.
本篇与前篇主旨大致相同。有人以为它是因十支派的荒凉与被掳而作,正如前篇之论那两支派。但神以色列的苦难何其多,或许有些并未记在神圣史实中,其中之一可能便是本诗写作的缘由;本诗正适合在雅各遭难之日歌唱;我们若在唱时表露对教会的真爱与对其利益的关心,并以神能救她脱最大苦难的坚定信靠,便是以心向主歌唱了。诗人在此:一、求神与他们同在的记号与向他们的恩眷(诗80:1-3);二、他抱怨他们目前所受的责罚(诗80:4-7);三、他以葡萄与葡萄园的比喻说明教会目前的荒凉——那葡萄曾繁茂,如今却被毁坏(诗80:8-16);四、他结束时求神为他们预备怜悯,并预备他们以承受怜悯(诗80:17-19)。本篇如同前后的许多诗篇,关乎神以色列公众的利益——这利益当贴近我们的心,过于我们任何属世的利益。