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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.
1-7
Mournful Complaints
繁體中文
悲傷的控訴
交與伶長，調用「為證的百合花」。亞薩的詩。
¹ 領約瑟如領羊群之以色列的牧者啊，求你留心聽！坐在二基路伯上的啊，求你發出光來！
² 在以法蓮、便雅憫、瑪拿西前面施展你的大能，出來拯救我們。
³ 神啊，求你使我們回轉，使你的臉發光，我們便要得救！
⁴ 耶和華萬軍之神啊，你向你百姓的禱告發怒，要到幾時呢？
⁵ 你以眼淚當糧給他們吃，又多量出眼淚給他們喝。
⁶ 你使鄰邦因我們紛爭，我們的仇敵彼此嗤笑。
⁷ 萬軍之神啊，求你使我們回轉，使你的臉發光，我們便要得救！
詩人此處代表教會，藉著禱告來到神面前，是針對以色列目前受苦的光景。
一、 他為他們懇求神的恩寵（詩80:1、2）；這在聖所荒涼時乃是至要緊的，當首先尋求。請注意，1. 他在祈求中如何仰望神——視他為以色列的牧者；他既曾稱以色列為他草場的羊（詩79:13），以色列便在他引導與眷顧之下，正如羊在牧者的看護與帶領之下。基督是那大牧者、好牧者，我們可以憑信心將他的羊——他所賜給他的——交託他看管。他領約瑟如領羊群，領到最好的草場，又領出危險之路；約瑟若不如羊跟從牧者那樣順服地跟從他，過失便在他自己。他坐在二基路伯上，在那裡預備接受祈求、賜下指示。施恩座在二基路伯之間；在禱告中仰望神坐在施恩寶座上，乃是極其安慰的；而這之所以於我們有益，乃是歸功於那偉大的挽回祭，因為施恩座就是挽回之處。2. 他向神所期望、所渴慕的是甚麼——求神垂聽他們苦難與禱告的呼聲，求神在他自己的榮耀中、在他對百姓的恩寵與慈愛中發光，求神顯明自己並向他們微笑，求神激動他的大能——激發它、運用它。它似乎在沉睡：「主啊，求你喚醒它。」他的事業遭受極大的反對，仇敵威脅要壓倒它：「主啊，更大大地施展你的能力，前來拯救我們；作你百姓大能的幫助、及時的幫助；主啊，在以法蓮、便雅憫、瑪拿西前面如此行」，就是「在以色列眾支派眼前；讓他們看見而得滿足」。或許這三個支派被提名，是因為它們構成了以色列營中那一隊——在曠野行軍時緊隨帳幕之後的那一隊；所以在它們面前，神能力的約櫃興起來散射仇敵。
二、 他訴說神向他們所發的不悅。神在發怒，他懼怕這個過於一切（詩80:4）。1. 那是大怒。他以為神向他百姓的禱告發怒——不僅不顧他們的禱告而發怒（他們本想藉禱告轉消他的怒氣），更向他們的禱告發怒，雖然禱告的是他自己的百姓。神向他自己百姓的罪發怒、向仇敵的禱告發怒，這並不希奇；但他竟向他百姓的禱告發怒，這誠然希奇。他不僅遲延答允他們（這是他常在愛中所行的），更對他們不悅。他若真的向自己百姓的禱告發怒，我們可以肯定，是因為他們求得不當（雅4:3）。他們禱告，卻不摔跤；目的不正，或懷藏放縱某種隱秘的罪；他們不舉起聖潔的手，或舉起時帶著憤怒與疑惑。但或許這只是他們自己的感覺；他似乎向他們的禱告發怒，其實並非如此；因為如此他要試驗他們在禱告中的忍耐與恆切，正如基督試驗那迦南婦人時所說：不好拿兒女的餅丟給狗吃。 2. 那是已持續已久的怒氣：你要發怒到幾時呢？ 我們仍不住禱告，卻仍在你皺眉之下。如今他們長久所受神不悅的記號，既是他們的憂愁，也是他們的羞辱。（一）他們的憂愁（詩80:5）：你以眼淚當糧給他們吃；他們日復一日在眼淚中吃肉；這就是他們蘸著吃飯的醋（詩42:3）。他們得眼淚當水喝，不是偶爾嘗一口那苦杯，而是大量地喝。請注意，有許多人在憂愁中度日，卻要在喜樂中度過永恆。（二）那是他們的羞辱（詩80:6）。神向他們皺眉，便使他們成了鄰舍爭論的對象；各人爭相揭發他們，而他們成了鄰舍如此輕易的獵物，以致一切都成了爭論——爭論誰可得剝削掠奪之利。他們的仇敵彼此嗤笑，看見他們所陷的驚惶、所處的窘迫，以及所遇的失望。當神不悅他的百姓時，我們當預料要看見他們流淚、他們的仇敵誇勝。
三、 他懇切求那使他們蒙神悅納並蒙拯救的歸正之恩：神啊，求你使我們回轉！（詩80:3）。萬軍之神啊，求你使我們回轉！（詩80:7）然後使你的臉發光，我們便要得救。 這是這首歌的重擔，因為我們在詩80:19又看見它。他們自覺已偏離了神和他們的本分，轉入罪惡的道路，正是這事惹動神向他們掩面，把他們交在仇敵手中；所以他們要從正確的起頭開始作工：「主啊，求你使我們在悔改改革的路上歸向你，那時毫無疑問，你必在憐憫與拯救的路上歸回我們。」請注意，1. 惟獨從神的恩寵而來的拯救：使你的臉發光， 讓我們得著你的愛與你臉上的亮光，我們便要得救。2. 除非我們歸向他，否則不能得神的恩寵。我們必須從世界與肉體歸回神，那時他必使他的臉光照我們。3. 除非靠他自己的恩典，否則不能歸向神；我們必須盡力作出歸回的行動（何5:4），然後懇切求他的恩典——求你使我回轉，我便回轉——並以那應許為理由（箴1:23）：你們當因我的責備回轉；我要將我的靈澆灌你們。 此處的禱告是為全國的歸正；我們當用這方法為全國的憐憫禱告——使錯誤的得以修正，那時我們的苦情便會很快得著解救。全國的聖潔必保證全國的幸福。
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
繁體中文
荒涼的葡萄樹
⁸ 你從埃及挪出一棵葡萄樹；你趕出外邦人，把它栽上。 ⁹ 你在它面前預備了地方，使它深深扎根，使它充滿全地。 ¹⁰ 它的影子遮滿了山嶺；它的枝條如同佳美的香柏樹。 ¹¹ 它發出枝子，長到海邊；發出嫩枝，延到大河。 ¹² 你為何這樣拆毀它的籬笆，使一切過路的人摘取呢？ ¹³ 林中出來的野豬把它踐踏，野地的獸把它吞吃。 ¹⁴ 萬軍之神啊，求你回轉；求你從天上垂看，觀看並眷顧這葡萄樹； ¹⁵ 並你右手所栽的葡萄園，和你為自己所堅固的枝子。 ¹⁶ 這樹已被火焚燒，已被砍下；他們因你臉上的責備而滅亡。 ¹⁷ 願你的手護佑你右邊的人，就是你為自己所堅固的人子。 ¹⁸ 這樣，我們便不退後離開你；求你復興我們，我們必呼求你的名。 ¹⁹ 耶和華萬軍之神啊，求你使我們回轉，使你的臉發光，我們便要得救。
詩人在此為神的以色列懇求，並在施恩座前緊緊懇求，向神為他們求憐憫與恩典。教會在此被描繪為一棵葡萄樹（詩 80:8,14）和一座葡萄園，詩 80:15。這葡萄樹的根是基督，羅 11:18。枝子是信徒，約 15:5。教會如葡萄樹，軟弱而需要扶持，外表不起眼、看來無甚前途，卻蔓延多結果子，其果實至為上乘。教會是精選而尊貴的葡萄樹；我們有理由承認神的良善——祂在這世界的荒野中栽種了這樣一棵葡萄樹，並存留至今。如今請留意：
一、 舊約教會這棵葡萄樹起初是怎樣被栽種的。它是從埃及被挪出來的——以大能之手；外邦人被趕出迦南，為它騰出地方——七個民族為那一個騰出地方。你在它面前掃清了路（有人如此讀詩 80:9），為要作得徹底；那些民族被毀滅的扫帚如同塵土一般掃去。神為它預備了地方，把它栽上，又藉着在教會和國家兩方面幸福的體制建設，使它深深扎根；這根扎得如此穩固，以致周圍鄰國雖屢次企圖將之拔除，卻總不能如願。
二、 它怎樣蔓延興盛。1。 迦南地本身住滿了人。起初他們人數不多，不足以充滿那地，出 23:29。但到了所羅門時代，猶大和以色列如同海邊的沙那樣多；那地被他們充滿，又是那樣肥沃之地，所以並不嫌擁擠，詩 80:10。迦南的山嶺被它的影子遮滿，它的枝條雖如葡萄樹那樣向外伸展，卻不像葡萄樹那樣脆弱，而如同佳美的香柏樹那樣堅固。以色列不僅人口眾多，且都是大有勇氣的勇士。2。 他們將征服和版圖擴展到鄰近的列國（詩 80:11）：它發出枝子到海邊——西方的大海；發出嫩枝到大河——南方的埃及河，或北方的大馬士革河，或更恰當地說，是東方的幼發拉底河，創 15:18。尼布甲尼撒的偉大被比作一棵茂盛的樹，但 4:20,21。但此處關於這葡萄樹有一點值得注意：它被稱讚的是它的影子、它的枝子和它的嫩枝，卻未提它的果子，因為以色列是空虛的葡萄樹，何 10:1。神來指望收葡萄，卻看見了野葡萄，賽 5:2。一棵葡萄樹若不結果子，便沒有別的樹比它更無用、更無價值了，結 15:2,6。
三、 它怎樣被毀壞荒涼：「主啊，你曾為這葡萄樹行了大事，為何又要使它一切盡歸無有呢？若不是神所栽種的植物，被拔除也不足為奇；但神難道會離棄並廢棄祂自己所創造的嗎？」詩 80:12。你為何這樣拆毀它的籬笆？ 神對待他們的方式之所以改變，是有充分原因的。這棵尊貴的葡萄樹已成為異邦葡萄樹的敗壞枝子（耶 2:21），使其大主人蒙羞；那麼祂若拆去它的籬笆（賽 5:5）也就不足為奇了；然而神先前對這葡萄樹的恩惠，仍被用作向神懇求的憑據，並被採用為信心的鼓勵——儘管如此，神總不會全然棄絕他們。請留意：1。 外邦列國對以色列的惡意和敵擋。神一拆去他們的籬笆，使他們暴露在外，敵軍便立刻闖入——那些等候機會毀滅他們的人。過路的人都來摘取他們；林中的野豬和野地的獸都來蹂躪，詩 80:13。但 2。 也當看見這些殘忍仇敵所受的拘束；因為在神拆去他們的籬笆之前，他們連這葡萄樹的一片葉子也不能摘。魔鬼在神繼續以籬笆圍繞約伯之時，不能傷害他，伯 1:10。請看任何百姓保守自己在神的恩寵中是何等要緊的事，這樣他們便不怕野地的獸，伯 5:23。我們若惹動神退去，我們的保障便離開了我們，我們便要滅亡。以色列可悲的光景被描述為（詩 80:16）：這樹已被火焚燒，已被砍下；百姓被當作荊棘蒺藜對待——那本近於咒詛、結局就是焚燒的，不再像受保護、被珍視的葡萄樹。他們不是因野獸和野豬的暴怒而滅亡，而是因你臉上的責備而滅亡；這才是他們所懼怕的，也是他們一切災禍的歸因。我們的光景是好是壞，全在乎我們在神的笑臉或皺眉之下。
四、 他們因此向神有何請求。1。 求神扶助這葡萄樹（詩 80:14,15），求祂恩慈地顧念它的處境，並照祂看為合宜的為之行事：「萬軍之耶和華啊，求你回轉！ 因為你似乎已離開我們。求你從天上垂看——就是你退隱之處——從天上，那個瞭望之處，你看見我們所受的一切冤屈；那個能力之處，從那裏你能差遣有效的救助；從天上，就是你設立審判寶座之處，我們向之申訴；又是你為真正以色列人所預備那更美家鄉之處——求你從那裏賜下恩慈的一看，從那裏臨到這葡萄樹作恩慈的眷顧。願你以憐憫的心顧念我們悲慘的處境，至於你憐憫的具體果效，我們交託給你。只要觀看這葡萄園——或更恰當地說，那根——就是你右手所栽種的，所以我們指望你的右手也必保護；那你為自己所堅固的枝子，為要傳揚你的讚美（賽 43:21），使你藉着它的果子得榮耀。主啊，它是你所造、也是為你而造的，因此可以謙卑的信心交託給你自己、交託給你的眷顧。」至於神，祂的作為是完全的。 希伯來文中所讀的枝子，是兒子（希伯來文作 Ben）——你在旨意中為自己所堅固的那一位。那枝子要從以色列的根出來（我僕人那枝子，亞 3:8），所以，在祂來到之前，以色列整體，特別是大衛家，必須被保存、被扶持、被維持。祂是真葡萄樹，約 15:1、賽 11:1。不要毀壞，因為福在其中，賽 65:8。2。 求祂扶助那栽培的人（詩 80:17,18）：「願你的手護佑你右邊的人」——就是那在大衛家中如今在他們面前出入的王（無論是誰）；「願你的手護佑他，不僅為保護遮蓋他，更為承認他、堅固他、使他亨通。」我們有這樣的說法，拉 7:28：神我主的手幫助我，我就得以堅固。 他們的王被稱為神右手的人，因為他是國家的代表，國家為神所寶愛，如祂的便雅憫——右手之子；又因為他是他們事務的主席，是神右手中為他們成就許多善事的器皿——保護他們免受自己與仇敵的害，引導他們走正路；又因為他是那位為以色列的大牧者之下的小牧者。有權柄的君王當記念自己是人子，是亞當的字（原文如此）；他們若是剛強，是神使他們剛強，並且是為祂自己使他們剛強，因為他們是祂的用人，在人間服事祂國度的利益；他們若真誠如此行，祂的手必護佑他們；我們也當憑信心求這事如此成就，並附上這應許：神若依附我們的治理者，我們便依附祂：這樣，我們便不退後離開你；我們看見神所支持、所維護的事業，我們決不離棄。讓神作我們的元帥，我們必跟隨祂。又加上這禱告：「復興我們」——將生命賜給我們，復興我們垂死的事業，復興我們低落的靈，「我們便必呼求你的名。我們要在一切境遇中繼續如此行，因為我們已經發現如此行並不徒然。」 我們除非蒙神復興，便不能正當地呼求祂的名；但是使靈魂得着生命的，也是祂，使禱告得着活力的也是祂。但許多猶太和基督教的解經家都將這話應用於彌賽亞——大衛的兒子，教會的保護者和救主，葡萄園的守護者。（1）祂是神右手的人，神憑自己的右手向祂起誓（迦勒底譯本如此讀），神將祂升到自己的右邊，祂實在就是神的右手——耶和華的膀臂，因為一切的權柄都賜給了祂。（2）祂是那位你為自己所堅固的人子——為着榮耀祂的名，為着推進祂在人間國度的利益。（3）在祂整個事工期間，神的手都在祂身上，扶持祂、推進祂，保護祂、激勵祂，使耶和華所喜悅的事在祂手中亨通。（4）信徒的堅定和恆久，完全歸功於為我們存在耶穌基督裏的恩典與能力，詩 68:28。我們的力量在於祂，靠着這力量我們能堅忍到底。願你的手在祂身上；願我們的幫助被加在那有能者身上；願祂被使能拯救到底，這便是我們的保障；這樣，我們便不退後離開你。
末了，這詩以先前已獻上兩次的同一祈求作結，然而這並不是無謂的重複（詩 80:19）：使我們回轉。 對神的稱呼漸漸提高，詩 80:3 是神啊！ 詩 80:7 是萬軍之神啊！ 詩 80:19 是耶和華萬軍之神啊！ 我們來到神面前求恩典——求祂對我們的善意、求祂在我們裏面的善工——之時，當迫切禱告，恆久祈求，並且更加迫切。
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.
本詩與前一詩篇主旨大致相同。有人認為它是因十個支派的荒涼與被擄而寫，正如前一詩篇是因那兩個支派而寫。但神的以色列有過許多患難，其中許多也許並未記在聖經歷史之中；其中某些也許正是本詩寫作的緣由。本詩適合在雅各遭難的日子歌唱；我們若在唱的時候表達出對教會真實的愛、對教會益處真誠的關切，以及對神能拯救教會脫離最大患難之大能的堅定信心，我們便是以心向主歌唱製造旋律了。
詩人在此：一、求神與他們同在的記號，並向他們施恩（詩八十1-3）。二、他哀訴他們現今所受的責罰（詩八十4-7）。三、他藉葡萄樹與葡萄園的比方說明教會現今的荒涼——它曾茂盛，如今卻遭毀壞（詩八十8-16）。四、他以向神禱告作結：求神為他們預備憐憫，並預備他們領受憐憫（詩八十17-19）。
本詩與前後許多詩篇一樣，論到神以色列的公眾利益；這些事當比我們自己任何屬世的利益更貼近我們的心。