October 16 - Psalm 80

October 16 - Psalm 80

“Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved” (Psalm 80:3).

These words are found three times throughout the Psalm as a different plea for restoration.

In the beginning of the Psalm, the Lord is called a shepherd and the reader is reminded of the early days of Israel when the Mercy Seat was part of the Ark of the Covenant and the Lord traveled with His people.  They call on him again to come and save them. (Psalm 80:1-2).

It is probably that this Psalm was written while the people were in exile under Nebuchadnezzar.  How long was God going to be angry at them?  They had prayed and prayed for relief, but his anger still held out against them.  (Psalm 80:4-6)

“Restore us, O God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved” (Psalm 80:7).

The Lord brought a vine out of Egypt. He drove out nations and then cleared the ground and planted that vine.  It grew.  Now, they see the Lord as a gardener, not just a shepherd.  This vine that he tended grew everywhere. It covered the ground, offered shade to the people, reached from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River.  But, then, the Psalmist says, the Lord allowed others to pick its grapes, animals ravaged it and fed from it. It was cut down and burned.

The people perish because He no longer cares for the vine.

“Restore us, O Lord God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved” (Psalm 80:19).

The people of Israel had sinned greatly.  They were to keep themselves only for the Lord and then, they were also to ensure that the rest of the world knew of the Lord’s greatness. It was their job to bring people to Him so that the entire world would be in relationship with him.  They did neither of those things.  They fought among themselves and worshiped anything they could find. They participated in pagan rites and rituals of other religions. They were too busy protecting themselves from the fights that surrounded them and didn't care to reach out to others in the name of the Lord.

He loved his children and when they had enough, he brought them back, restoring their home to them.

Before we get pushed too far from him, pray that he will restore us, make his face shine upon us and save us.