Psalm 80: Seven Things That Jesus Offers People Trapped in Sin
Introduction: Here, a descendant of Asaph cried out for God to restore Israel after it had been sent into exile and bondage. From this psalm, the Bible reveals seven things that God offers people when they are trapped in the bondage of sin. These include Jesus’: (1) love, (2) mercy, (3) restoration, (4) faithfulness, (5) discipline, (6) deliverance, and (7) hope.
First, the psalmist cried out for the “Shepherd of Israel” to save all of Israel, including the lost Northern Kingdom. This pointed to Jesus. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He loves all His sheep. Second, the psalmist also cried out for relief from Israel’s punishment. Jesus died for everyone’s sins. He offers mercy for all who repent and turn to Him. Third, the psalmist lamented the Jews’ shame and ridicule amongst the pagan nations. Jesus took your shame and offers to restore you. Fourth, the psalmist recounted how God was faithful to replant the vine of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land. He prayed for God to again replant the vine of Israel. This again pointed to Jesus, the vine of life. God would be faithful to save His people. Jesus is also faithful to keep all His promises to you. Fifth, the psalmist lamented the discipline that the Jews experienced. Jesus disciplines sinners. But He does so out of love to restore sinners. Sixth, the psalmist cried out for God to deliver the Jews. Jesus will deliver sinners when they repent. Finally, the psalmist professed confidence that the “son of man”, seated at the right hand of God, would restore Israel. This again pointed to Jesus. Jesus the Messiah offers hope to all sinners trapped in darkness.
1. Love: Jesus the Good Shepherd Loves All His Sheep. Ps. 80:1-3.
The psalmist urged the Shepherd of Israel to save and restore Israel after its deportation. Only the “Shepherd of Israel” could miraculously intervene to restore the defeated nation: “For the music director; set to El Shoshannim; Eduth. A Psalm of Asaph. 1 Listen, Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; You who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth! 2 Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, awaken Your power, and come to save us! 3 God, restore us and make Your face shine upon us, and we will be saved.” (Ps. 80:1-3). God did not want any of His sheep to be left behind. Thus, in addition to seeking Judah’s restoration, He would also restore Northern Israel: “Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh were united by the tie of common descent from Jacob’s beloved wife Rachel, who is regarded by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:15) as the mother of the Northern Kingdom, and they are named as representatives of that Kingdom. According to Numbers 2:17 ff. these tribes encamped to the West of the Tabernacle, and marched immediately behind it (Numbers 2:24) . . . Turn us again, O God; or, restore us – ‘bring us back’ - i.e. bring those of us who are in exile (2 Kings 15:29) back to our country. And cause thy face to shine (comp. Numbers 6:25; Psalm 31:16; Psalm 67:1).”1
The Good Shepherd loves all His sheep. The psalmist cried out to the “Shepherd of Israel” (Ps. 80:1). Moses first referred to Yahweh as the Shepherd of Israel: “But his bow remained firm, and his arms were agile, from the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),” (Gen. 49:24). David later also declared: “The LORD is my shepherd, I will not be in need.” (Ps. 23:1). Isaiah also called God a shepherd who cares for His flock: “Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in the fold of His robe; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.” (Is. 40:11). Jesus later revealed that He is the Good Shepherd who has come to reclaim His lost sheep: “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep . . . I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me,” (Jo. 10:11, 14). As the Good Shepherd, He loves His sheep.
Jesus the Good Shepherd loves His sheep2
The Good Shepherd loved His flock enough to sacrifice His life for His lost sheep. The author of Hebrews also calls Jesus the “great Shepherd”: “Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, that is, Jesus our Lord,” (Heb. 13:20). Peter also called Jesus the “Chief Shepherd”: “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” (1 Pet. 5:4). A good shepherd is willing to risk his life to save his sheep. As our Good Shepherd, Jesus loved His flock enough to die to save them: “11b the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” (Jo. 10:11b). He died for everyone at the cross so that all who believe can be members of His flock (Jo. 3:16).
The God of atonement could cleanse the nation’s sins. The psalmist also prayed to the God “enthroned above the cherubim,” (Ps. 80:1). God promised to meet with Moses and later the High Priest from the seat of atonement: “There I will meet with you; and from above the atoning cover, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about every commandment that I will give you for the sons of Israel.” (Ex. 25:22). “Now when Moses entered the tent of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the atoning cover that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; so He spoke to him.” (Nu. 7:89; 1 Sam. 4:4). It was out of love that Jesus died to atone for our sins.
The Good Shepherd seeks to reclaim all His lost sheep. Without a shepherd, sheep will wander off. Sin also makes us behave like aimless sheep. Our Good Shepherd has come to reclaim His lost sheep: “All of us, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the wrongdoing of us all to fall on Him.” (Is. 53:6). “As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day.” (Ezek. 34:12). “But He answered and said, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’” (Matt. 15:24). Like sheep, we must also respond to our Shepherd’s call: “For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.” (1 Pet. 2:25). “For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice, (Ps. 95:5). “He again sets a certain day, ‘Today,’ saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, ‘Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”’ (Heb. 4:7). Have you responded to His call?
Pray for God’s love to shine upon you. The psalmist cried out for God’s light and His favor to shine on Israel (Ps. 80:1-3) “The LORD cause His face to shine on you, and be gracious to you;” (Nu. 6:25). “Many are saying, ‘Who will show us anything good?’ Lift up the light of Your face upon us, LORD!’” (Ps. 4:6). “Make Your face shine upon Your servant; save me in Your faithfulness.” (Ps. 31:16). “A Psalm. A Song. God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us— Selah” (Ps. 67:1). This was a matter of great urgency for Israel: “Stir Yourself, and awake to my right and to my cause, my God and my Lord.” (Ps. 35:23). Through faith in Jesus, God’s love can shine on you as well. “Our greatest dread is the withdrawal of the Lord’s presence, and our brightest hope is the prospect of his return. In the darkest times of Israel, the light of her Shepherd’s countenance is all she needs.” (Charles Spurgeon on Ps. 80).3
2. Mercy: Jesus Offers His People Mercy When They Repent. Ps.80:4-5.
The psalmist prayed for God to show the Jews mercy. The psalmist recognized that the Jews had brought God’s wrath on them with their ongoing rebellions. Thus, He appealed to God to show His people mercy and forgive the Jews’ sins: “4 Lord God of armies, how long will You be angry with the prayer of Your people? 5 You have fed them with the bread of tears, and You have made them drink tears in large measure.” (Ps. 80:4-5). “He that dwelleth upon the mercy-seat, is the good Shepherd of his people. But we can neither expect the comfort of His love, nor the protection of His arm, unless we partake of his converting grace. If He is really angry at the prayers of His people, it is because, although they pray, their ends are not right, or there is some secret sin indulged in them, or He will try their patience and perseverance in prayer.” (Matthew Henry on Ps. 80).4
Sin separates you from God’s full fellowship. The psalmist pleaded: “how long will You be angry with the prayer of Your people?” (Ps. 80:4). Many other psalms contain similar pleas for God’s forgiveness: “A Psalm of David. How long, LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” (Ps. 13:1). “How long, LORD? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire?” (Ps. 79:5). “LORD God of armies, how long will You be angry with the prayer of Your people?” (Ps. 80:4). “LORD, why do You reject my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me?” (Ps. 88:14). “How long, LORD? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your wrath burn like fire?” (Ps. 89:46). Without atonement, sin will separate God’s people from Him. Thus, everyone needs atonement and God’s mercy and forgiveness.
God can allow you to experience affliction to cause you to draw closer to Him. The psalmist lamented that God had been forced to discipline His people to bring them to repent: “5 You have fed them with the bread of tears, and You have made them drink tears in large measure.” (Ps. 80:5). The prophets warned that the Jews’ failure to repent would lead to God’s discipline and their suffering while in Babylonian captivity: “Although the Lord has given you bread of deprivation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher, will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will see your Teacher.” (Is. 30:20). “therefore this is what the LORD of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Behold, I will feed this people wormwood; and I will give them poisoned water to drink”’ (Jer. 9:15). But the Jews ignored these warnings to repent and turn back to God.
The Good Shepherd wants you to repent and return to Him. David stated that his Shepherd “restores my soul.” (Ps. 23:3). In Hebrew, the words restore “lahazur” (לשחזר) and repent “lahazur tshuva” (לחזור בתשובה) are related. Thus, for the Good Shepherd to “restore” your soul you must “repent” and turn back to Him. “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”’ (Matt. 4:17). “God, You have rejected us . . . You have been angry; restore us!” (Ps. 60:1). “Return, Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled because of your wrongdoing.” (Hos. 14:1). ‘“Yet even now,’ declares the LORD, ‘Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning;”’ (Joel 2:12). When you repent and turn back to Him, He will “guide” you on the “paths of righteousness.” (Ps. 23:3).
God offers you His compassion and comfort when you call out to Him. The book of Job establishes that not all suffering is the result of a person’s sins. Even before David engaged in some of his more serious sins, like murder and adultery, he cried out when he experienced suffering: “I am weary with my sighing; every night I make my bed swim, I flood my couch with my tears.” (Ps. 6:6). “My God, I cry out by day, but You do not answer; and by night, but I have no rest.” (Ps. 22:2). “My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?”’ (Ps. 42:3). “For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mixed my drink with weeping” (Ps. 102:9). God responded to David’s prayers by giving him comfort. He also gave the Jews comfort while they were in captivity: “He also made them objects of compassion in the presence of all their captors.” (Ps. 106:46). Even when you sin, God offers you His comfort when you repent and cry out to Him for relief: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Cor. 1:3-4; 7:6). Thus, if you are feeling sad or depressed, cry out to God and seek out His comfort.
3. Restoration: Jesus Took Your Shame and Offers to Restore You. Ps. 80:6-7.
The psalmist cried out for the Jews’ reproach to come to an end. God had allowed the pagan nations to ridicule, shame, and mock the once mighty nation of Israel: “6 You make us an object of contention to our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves. 7 God of armies, restore us and make Your face shine upon us, and we will be saved.” (Ps. 80:6-7). Regarding verse seven, one commentator observes: “This verse is the same as Psalm 80:3, except that here the appeal is to the ‘God of hosts;’ there, it is simply to ‘God.’ This indicates greater earnestness; a deeper sense of the need of the interposition of God, indicated by the reference to his attribute as the leader of hosts or armies, and therefore able to save them.” (Barnes Notes on Ps. 80).5
Sin can cause others to reject, shame, or ridicule you. The psalmist lamented that God had allowed the Jews to become the subject of ridicule and mocking: “6 You make us an object of contention to our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves.” (Ps. 80:6). “All who see me deride me; they sneer, they shake their heads, saying,” (Ps. 22:7). “You make us an object of reproach to our neighbors, of scoffing and ridicule to those around us.” (Ps. 44:13). “We have become a disgrace before our neighbors, an object of derision and ridicule to those around us.” (Ps. 79:4). “All who pass along the way plunder him; he has become a disgrace to his neighbors.” (Ps. 89:41).
David also faced shame and ridicule. On many occasions, David complained that people around him despised him (Ps. 22:6-7). “Because of all my adversaries, I have become a disgrace, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me.” (Ps. 31:11). “Those who sit in the gate talk about me, and songs of mockery by those habitually drunk are about me. . . You know my disgrace, my shame, and my dishonor; all my enemies are known to You.” (Ps. 69:12, 19). “You have removed my acquaintances far from me; You have made me an object of loathing to them; I am shut up and cannot go out.” (Ps. 88:8). “I also have become a disgrace to them; when they see me, they shake their head.” (Ps. 109:25). “I am small and despised, . . .” (Ps. 119:141). David also felt isolated when his friends and acquaintances turned against him: “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” (Ps. 41:9). “You have removed my acquaintances far from me; You have made me an object of loathing to them; I am shut up and cannot go out.” (Ps. 88:8). David had become like a lowly “worm” (Ps. 22:6). Jesus experienced shame so that you could know that you can cast your anxiety on Him: “having cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares about you.” (1 Pet. 5:7).
Job also lost the respect of everyone around him. Job also became the subject of ridicule. Satan turned Job’s wife against him (Job 2:9l 19:17a). Satan also turned all of Job’s friends and relatives against him (Job 12:4a; 16:20a; 19:9,13-14, 19; 30:10). Even children feared him with his open sores across his body (Job 19:18); cf., “I have become a laughingstock to all my people, their song of ridicule all the day.” (Lam. 3:14). Sometimes, innocent people are privileged to suffer for God’s greater purpose (Ro. 8:28). Thus, you should not assume that your suffering is the result of God’s punishment.
Jesus was also humiliated so that you could be restored. Although He was without sin, Jesus bore our shame. For example, He was mocked when He stated that a girl believed to be dead was only asleep before He healed her (Matt. 9:24; Mk. 5:40). The soldiers also mocked Jesus when they beat Him (Matt. 27:29). The chief priests also mocked Him (Matt. 27:41). “Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him,” (Matt. 26:67). “They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head.” (Matt. 27:30). “And those passing by were speaking abusively to Him, shaking their heads,” (Matt. 27:39). Jesus suffered without deserving it so that you might be saved. He was also rejected and treated like an outcast so that you would know that He understands your pain and rejection when you cry out to Him.
Turn to God when you need restoration. When you feel rejected and despised, the psalms encourage you to turn to God to find restoration: “God, restore us and make Your face shine upon us, and we will be saved. . . God of armies, restore us and make Your face shine upon us, and we will be saved.” (Ps. 80:3, 7). “Save me from all my wrongdoings; do not make me an object of reproach for the foolish.” (Ps. 39:8). “God, You have rejected us. You have broken us; You have been angry; restore us!” (Ps. 60:1b). If you feel rejected or despised because of sin, turn to God to find His restoration.
4. Faithfulness: Jesus is Faithful to Keep His Promises to You. Ps. 80:8-11.
God freed the Jews in Egypt, and He would again free them from their second captivity. God was faithful to keep His promises to the Jews in Egypt. He would again be faithful: “8 You removed a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations and planted it. 9 You cleared the ground before it, and it took deep root and filled the land. 10 The mountains were covered with its shadow, and the cedars of God with its branches. 11 It was sending out its branches to the sea and its shoots to the Euphrates River.” (Ps. 80:8-11). “A vine; to which the Israel or church of God is oft compared; as Isaiah 5:2 Jeremiah 2:21 Ezekiel 17:6 Matthew 21:32. Out of Egypt; he alludes to the custom of transplanting trees for their more advantageous growth.” (Matthew Poole on Ps. 80).6
God kept His promise to replant the vine of Israel from Egypt into the Promised Land. God promised through Moses to replant the Jews like a vine in the Promised Land: “You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, the place, LORD, which You have made as Your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, which Your hands have established.” (Ex. 15:17). Moses later called upon God to keep His promises to the patriarchs to replant His vine into the Promised Land of milk and honey: “Look down from Your holy dwelling place, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel, and the ground which You have given us, a land flowing with milk and honey just as You swore to our fathers.’” (Dt. 26:15). God later repeated this promise: “All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon as far as Misrephoth-maim, all the Sidonians, I will drive out from the sons of Israel; only allot it to Israel as an inheritance as I have commanded you.” (Josh. 13:6). God was then faithful to keep His promises. He replanted His people into the Promised Land: “You with Your own hand drove out the nations; then You planted them; You afflicted the peoples, then You let them go free.” (Ps. 44:2).
Jesus is the vine of life, and He offers you abundant life through Him7
God then allowed the vine of Israel to thrive in the Promised Land. God’s vine of Israel then thrived in its replanted home in the Promised Land: “Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard, planted by the waters; it was fruitful and thick with branches because of abundant waters.” (Ezek. 19:10). God would again be faithful to keep His promises and replant His people in the Promised Land: “When our sons in their youth are like growing plants, and our daughters like corner pillars fashioned for a palace,” (Ps. 144:12).
Jesus offers to let you be grafted into the vine of life. Just as God replanted the Jews and gave them a new life, Jesus makes the same offer to you: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” (Jo. 15:1). Jesus offers you abundant life in Him when you are grafted into His vine of life: “But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,” (Ro. 11:17). “He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.” (Ps. 1:3). “The righteous person will flourish like the palm tree, he will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courtyards of our God.” (Ps. 92:12-13). But those who have no faith will be uprooted: “But He answered and said, ‘Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted.”’ (Matt. 15:13). “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.” (Jo. 15:2). Thus, you should share Jesus’ offer of salvation with others (Matt. 28:16-20).
5. Discipline: Jesus Disciplines Out of Love to Restore Sinners. Ps. 80:12-13.
God disciplines His lost sheep out of love to restore them. The psalmist lamented that God had to remove His hedge of protection around Israel: “12 Why have You broken down its hedges, so that all who pass that way pick its fruit? 13 A boar from the forest eats it away, and whatever moves in the field feeds on it.” (Ps. 80:12-13). God warns that He will discipline sinners: “With rebukes You punish a person for wrongdoing; You consume like a moth what is precious to him; certainly all mankind is mere breath! Selah” (Ps. 39:11). But God’s discipline is meant to correct sinners.
God gave His people many warnings before He disciplined them. God first warned the Jews that He would remove the hedge of protection around His vineyard in the Promised Land if the Jews did not repent: “So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard: I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed; I will break down its wall and it will become trampled ground.” (Is. 5:5). After the Jews ignored these warnings, God keep His Word and removed His hand of protection: “You have broken down all his walls; You have brought his strongholds to ruin. All who pass along the way plunder him; He has become a disgrace to his neighbors.” (Ps. 89:40-41). Because of sin, God then allowed His vine of Israel to be temporarily replanted into the desert: “And now it is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land.” (Ezek. 19:13).
Accept the Good Shepherd’s rod of discipline. Like sheep, we frequently make poor choices. Thus, also like sheep, we must sometimes accept the Shepherd’s discipline: “God, why have You rejected us forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?” (Ps. 74:1). “Then David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel who was striking down the people, and said, ‘Behold, it is I who have sinned, and it is I who have done wrong; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let Your hand be against me and against my father’s house!”’ (2 Sam. 24:17; 1 Chr. 21:17).
God’s discipline includes the offer of restoration for those who returned to Him. Even though God had disciplined His people, He promised to restore those who returned to Him: “For the LORD will restore the splendor of Jacob Like the splendor of Israel, even though destroyers have laid waste to them and ruined their vines.” (Nahum 2:2). “On that day I will raise up the fallen shelter of David, and wall up its gaps; I will also raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old;” (Amos 9:11). “Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; You will raise up the age-old foundations; and you will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets in which to dwell.” (Is. 58:12).
6. Deliverance: Jesus Will Deliver Sinners When They Repent. Ps. 80:14-16.
The God of armies would deliver Israel. It was God’s mighty power that freed the Jews in Egypt. The God of armies would again intervene and vanquish the Jews’ new captors: “14 God of armies, do turn back; look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine, 15 the shoot which Your right hand has planted, and of the son whom You have strengthened for Yourself. 16 It is burned with fire, it is cut down; they perish from the rebuke of Your face.” (Ps. 80:14-16). The “burned” “shoot” (Ps. 80:15-16) likely referenced when the Babylonians burned God’s temple: “Then they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burned all its fortified buildings with fire and destroyed all its valuable articles.” (2 Chr. 36:19; 2 Kgs. 25:9; Jer. 21:10). It also referred to when God the vinedresser burned Israel’s unfruitful branches: “The LORD named you “A green olive tree, beautiful in fruit and form”; with the noise of a great tumult He has set fire to it, and its branches are worthless.” (Jer. 11:16).
Jesus offers deliverance from your enemies. When the Jews were faithful and obedient, God promised the Jews victory over their enemies: “7 But you will chase your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword; 8 five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword.” (Lev. 26:7-8; Ex. 23:22; Nu 10:9, 35; Is. 54:17; Gen. 22:17). “The Lord shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways.” (Dt. 28:7). Thus, with His help, you never need to fear your enemies.
Because He loves His flock, the Good Shepherd also responds when you cry out for help. As our example to follow, the psalms contain many cries for the Shepherd to intervene for the people: “Save Your people and bless Your inheritance; be their shepherd also, and carry them forever.” (Ps. 28:9). “A Psalm of Asaph. Listen, Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; You who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth!” (Ps. 80:1). “Shepherd Your people with Your scepter, the flock of Your possession which lives by itself in the woodland, in the midst of a fruitful field.” (Micah 7:14a). When you are in need, Jesus also wants you to cry out to Him for His deliverance.
Pray as an intercessor for the deliverance of people in spiritual bondage. The psalmist cried out for God to deliver His peoples (Ps. 80:14-16). The psalmists frequently cried out for God’s intervention: “Do return, LORD; how long will it be? And be sorry for Your servants.” (Ps. 90:13). Believers are also called upon to pray for the deliverance of people trapped in darkness: “When once-believing communities disappear because of unbelief and disobedience, the faithful must pray for God’s grace so that they will be restored to faith and enjoy His blessings once again.” (Allen Ross, A Commentary of the Psalms: Volume 2 (42-89), Kregel Academic (2013) p. 706) (italic original).
7. Hope: Jesus Offers Hope to All Sinners Trapped in Darkness. Ps. 80:17-19.
The psalmist proclaimed that his hope rested in only God. Even in your darkest times, God wants you to place your hope in Him alone: “17 Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself. 18 Then we will not turn back from You; revive us, and we will call upon Your name. 19 Lord God of armies, restore us; make Your face shine upon us, and we will be saved.” (Ps. 80:17-19). Through God’s Word, the Jews had the hope of their restoration: “You who have shown me many troubles and distresses will revive me again, and will bring me up again from the depths of the earth.” (Ps. 71:20). Jesus also gives you the hope of restoration.
The “Son of Man” would revive Israel. On three occasions, the psalmist cried out “revive us” (Ps. 80:3, 7, 19). He also cried out to the “the man of Your right hand,” and the “son of man”, both prophetic references to Jesus Christ: “In Israel’s low place, Asaph knew that the nation needed leadership. He asked God to be with and to bless (Let Your hand be upon) a particular man – the man of God’s right hand. Perhaps Asaph had first in mind the present king of Israel; but ultimately the Man of God’s Right Hand is Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:20, Hebrews 8:1).” (David Guzik on Ps. 80) (emphasis original).8 “In Ps 80:8 (MT 80:9) the vine is the nation of Israel, but then in 80:14-15 (MT 80:15-15) that vine comes to be identified with the son God made strong for Himself. The identification of the vine with the sin here informs Jesus referring to Himself as the vine, the true Israel, in John 15.” (James M. Hamilton Jr., Evangelical Bible Theology Commentary Psalms (Vol. II: Psalms 73-150) (Lexham Academic 2021) p. 77).
Through Jesus, you have the hope of restoration and salvation9
Put your hope in Jesus when you are attacked. When you face a trial or darkness, Jesus also wants you to place your hope in Him alone for deliverance: “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and reliable and one which enters within the veil,” (Heb. 6:19). “And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.” (Ps. 39:7). “For I wait for You, LORD; You will answer, Lord my God.” (Ps. 38:15). “For You are my hope; Lord GOD, You are my confidence from my youth.” (Ps. 71:5). When you are attacked, do you place your hope in Jesus or in the things of this world?
Image credit: Psalm 23 Pictures to Pray - Soul Shepherding↩︎
Image credit: (140) Pinterest↩︎