"A Prayer for the Nation's Restoration"
Psalm 80:1-8
Good News Translation (GNT)
"HEBREW TITLE:
A psalm by Asaph; a testimony"
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1 Listen to us, O Shepherd of Israel; hear us,
leader of your flock. Seated on your throne
above the winged creatures,
2 reveal yourself to the tribes of Ephraim,
Benjamin, and Manasseh.
Show us your strength; come and save us!
3 Bring us back, O God! Show us your mercy,
and we will be saved!
4 How much longer, Lord God Almighty, will you
be angry with your people's prayers?
5 You have given us sorrow to eat, a large cup
of tears to drink.
6 You let the surrounding nations fight over
our land; our enemies insult us.
7 Bring us back, Almighty God!
Show us your mercy, and we will be saved!
8 You brought a grapevine out of Egypt;
you drove out other nations and planted it in
their land.
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Commentary taken from 'word-on-the-web'
supplied by Scripture Union
'A Prayer for the
Nation's Restoration'
The note at the beginning of this psalm links it with the dedication of the temple and to David.
One would have expected to read rather formal and communal words and sentiments,
but we encounter highly personal language and experience.
The words in verse 4 suggest that the psalmist was in the temple
even as he urged his fellow-worshippers to praise God,
but the rest of the psalm is couched in very personal
(though not individualistic) language.
There is a huge sense of relief in the psalm, as if the psalmist has discovered
for himself that the God worshipped in the temple is indeed a God who listens to
answers the prayers of his people (as he had promised).
The psalmist was in dire straits, as expressed by words such as 'enemies',
but God had listened and responded to his desperate cry for help and mercy.
The language is general enough to be helpful to most people in most situations.
What a wonderful psalm to appropriate the next time you worship God in church!
God is real.
He does answer prayer and responds to our urgent calls (John 1:11).
He is faithful and merciful and turns our darkness into joy.
He is our ever-present help.
We can therefore praise and thank him for ever -
along with all the others with similar personal experiences and thoughts.
The worshipping congregation is then united in such wonderful worship
that is built on the real actions of the true God and the actual personal experiences
of the gathered worshippers.
Such worship would help individuals and the whole community,
and it would please God immensely.
Other versions are available here
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