1 To the chief musician on Shoshannim-Eduth (of lilies, a testimony); of Asaph, a psalm.
2 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph as the sheep; dwelling [above] the cherubim, shine forth.
3 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh arouse thy might and come for our salvation.
4 O God, restore us, and cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.
5 Jehovah God of hosts, how long wilt thou (will thine anger) smoke against the prayer of thy people?
6 Thou hast caused them to eat bread of tears and to drink tears a large measure.
7 Thou hast made us a strife to our neighbors, and our enemies mock among ourselves.
8 O God of hosts, restore us, and cause thy face to shine, and We shall be saved.
9 A vine out of Egypt thou broughtest; thou didst drive out nations, and didst plant it.
10 Thou preparedst [space] before it, and it took deep root and filled the land.
11 Mountains were covered with its shadow, and its boughs [were] cedars of God (i.e. vast).
12 It sent out its branches unto the sea, and its shoots unto the river.
13 Why hast thou broken down its fence, so that all who pass by the way shall pluck it?
14 The boar out of the forest wasteth it, and the wild beast of the field feedeth on it.
15 O God of hosts, return, we pray; look down even from the heavens and see, and visit this vine,
16 Even the stock which thy right hand planted, and the plant (son) thou madest strong for thyself.
17 [It is] burned with fire, cut down: at the rebuke of thy face they perish.
18 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man thou madest strong for thyself.
19 So will we not go back from thee. Revive us, and we will call upon thy name.
20 Restore us, O Jehovah God of hosts, cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.
Notes on Psalm 80
This is “To the chief musician, on Shoshannim-Eduth (Lilies, a testimony) of Asaph, a psalm.” Here is a turning of their eyes upward to the Shepherd of Israel, and a binding together of their hopes as His people with the ark of the covenant as of old in the wilderness. They own His just anger, whilst entreating that His face may shine, and, most strikingly, that His hand may be upon His right hand man, upon Adam’s son Whom He made strong for Himself (compare Psalm 8:44What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? (Psalm 8:4)).