Psalms 80

80 ¹ Listen, Shepherd of Israel — our Father — you who lead Joseph like a flock; you who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth. ² Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might; come to save us! ³ Restore us, our Father; let your face shine, that we may be saved. ⁴ O the Father of heaven's armies, how long will you smolder against the prayers of your people? ⁵ You have fed them the bread of tears; you made them drink tears in full measure. ⁶ You make us an object of strife to our neighbors, and our enemies mock us among themselves. ⁷ Restore us, Father of heaven's armies; let your face shine, that we may be saved. ⁸ You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. ^a a v8 The vine our Father carried out of Egypt is Israel; Jesus later calls himself "the true vine" — the faithful one in whom the Father's people finally bear fruit. ⁹ You cleared the ground before it; it took deep root and filled the land. ¹⁰ The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches. ¹¹ It sent out its branches to the sea and its shoots to the River. ^b b v11 The River: the Euphrates, the great river marking Israel's northeastern boundary. ¹² Why have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass by the road pluck its fruit? ¹³ The boar from the forest ravages it, and every creature of the field feeds on it. ¹⁴ Come back, Father of heaven's armies! Look down from heaven and see; care for this vine, ¹⁵ the stock that your right hand planted, and the son you raised up strong for yourself. ¹⁶ It is burned with fire, it is cut down; they perish at the rebuke of your face. ¹⁷ Let your hand rest on the man of your right hand, on the son of man you raised up strong for yourself. ^c c v17 Israel prayed for the "son of man" at our Father's right hand to be raised up; Jesus takes that very title for himself and is seated at the Father's right hand — the true Son in whom the prayer is answered. ¹⁸ Then we will not turn away from you; give us life, and we will call on your name. ¹⁹ Restore us, the Father of heaven's armies; let your face shine, that we may be saved.