Psalm 80

From: Short Meditations on the Psalms: Chiefly in Their Prophectic Character By: John Gifford Bellett

Psalm 80 • 2 min. read • grade level: 8

This Psalm seems to be in connection with the preceding. Psalm 79:13¹³So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will show forth thy praise to all generations. (Psalm 79:13) suggests Psalm 80:1¹<<To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim-eduth, A Psalm of Asaph.>> Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. (Psalm 80:1). Accordingly the soul of the Remnant advances in liberty and confidence. There is not the same confession of sin, but a stronger appeal for deliverance, and a fuller intelligence of the divine counsels. The Man at God’s right hand is pleaded—the Son of Man made strong for God’s purposes. What a thought, as we utter it! to think that there is a Man, “a real Man,” now glorified in the highest heavens. And such is Jesus in resurrection and ascension. (See Matt. 28:18¹⁸And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (Matthew 28:18); Psa. 110:1¹<<A Psalm of David.>> The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (Psalm 110:1); Dan. 7:13¹³I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. (Daniel 7:13); 1 Peter 3:22²²Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. (1 Peter 3:22).)

Psalm 80:2²Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us. (Psalm 80:2) refers to Numbers 10, where, on the journeying of the camp, we learn that the Ark went immediately before the standard of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, and on the moving forward there was a cry to the Lord as here.

Psalm 80:17¹⁷Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself. (Psalm 80:17) may remind us very specially of Matthew 26:64⁶⁴Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (Matthew 26:64).

The prophet, in pleading for Israel, is animated by tender and lofty thoughts of Israel’s ancient glories, as the Apostle afterward is. (See Rom. 9:1-5¹I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, ²That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. ³For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: ⁴Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; ⁵Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. (Romans 9:1‑5).) And very beautiful is this. The very nature of the ruin bespeaks the grandeur of the building, and awakens the deeper sympathy.