The Lord, being full of compassion toward His people, had forgiven their iniquities and had not destroyed them; yea, many times He had turned away His anger and did not stir up all His wrath. Then the casting out of the heathen from the land is brought before them and the dividing of the land for their inheritance. But after all this they still tempted and provoked the Most High and did not keep His testimonies. So God greatly abhorred Israel and forsook His tabernacle (or dwelling place) at Shiloh, and allowed the ark, called here His strength, to go into captivity. But God in His grace, while forsaking Shiloh, did not give them up entirely. He did go on with them through Samuel the prophet, until He was ready to give them a new king, even David, to lead them. Then He also chose Mount Zion for His temple, or sanctuary, so that He could go on with them in grace, while waiting for the Messiah to come.
Psalm 79. Here we have the exercise of the remnant, or those seeking to go on in faith, over the heathen being allowed to enter the land and Jerusalem as being laid waste. They do not understand how that God in His dealings with them had spoken by Daniel the prophet (Daniel 9:27) of a desolater coming in on account of their making an alliance with the revived Roman Empire. So they can only cry out, “How long, Lord?.. Help us, O God of our salvation,... and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for Thy name’s sake.” But they have the confidence that in spite of it all, they are the sheep of His pasture; they will give thanks forever, and show His praises to all generations.
Psalm 80. Faith looks forward in this psalm to God’s taking His Place in the midst of the whole nation, not simply with those known as the Jews. They desire to be turned again and to have His face shine upon them, so that they might be saved from their enemies. Israel is referred to as the vine which He had brought out of Egypt and which His own right hand had planted. The branch which He had made strong for Himself probably refers to the house of David from which the Messiah was promised to come, This will in its own time be manifested when He comes forth from heaven in power and glory.
Psalm 81. In this psalm we are again prophetically celebrating the restoration of the whole nation, Joseph is brought in as representing the ten tribes, since the restoration would not be complete otherwise. The new moon is referred to as signifying their return to the place of God’s blessing. Then at the close we have the yearning of Jehovah over them, Psalm 82. Here we have the faithful calling upon God to arise and judge the earth, He had entrusted His government to His people, but they had dealt unjustly and had accepted the persons of wickedness. They had not defended the poor and needy, so they are warned that they shall die like men if they do not turn from their former ways. The foundations of the earth are here said to be out of course. The great nations of the earth are looked upon as being in a state ready to collapse. Conditions in the world at the present time seem to be leading up to this. But we have the promise that those who belong to Christ shall be kept from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth (Rev. 3:10).
ML 02/05/1961