Psalm 80
EasyEnglish Bible
Asaph wrote this psalm for the music leader. He should use special music.
God, help our nation[a]
80 Shepherd of Israel, listen to us!
You lead us, Joseph's family,
as your sheep.[b]
God, you sit on your throne as king,
above the cherubs.[c]
Show everyone your bright glory!
2 Shine on Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.
Show your great power!
Come and rescue us!
3 God, turn us to come back to you.
Look at us with a smile on your face!
Then we will be safe.
4 Lord God Almighty,
we, your people, are praying to you.
How long will you continue to be angry with us?
5 You have caused us to eat tears as our food.
Buckets full of tears is what we drink.
6 You have caused the people who live near us
to laugh at us.
Our enemies insult us.
7 God Almighty, turn us to come back to you.
Look at us with a smile on your face!
Then we will be safe.
8 You pulled us out from Egypt,
like a vine that you dug out of the ground.
You chased nations out of this land,
and you planted us here.[d]
9 You prepared the ground ready for us.
We put down roots like a vine.[e]
We grew well and we covered all the land.
10 Our branches gave shade to the mountains,
and to the big cedar trees.
11 Our branches reached the Mediterranean Sea,
and as far as the Euphrates River.
12 Why have you knocked down the walls
that protected us?[f]
Now, anyone who passes can rob our fruit.
13 Wild pigs from the forest attack your vine.
Other wild animals eat all the fruit.
14 Come back to us, God Almighty!
Look down from heaven
and see what is happening!
Take care of your special vine.
15 You planted it with your own right hand.
You caused it to grow, like a strong son.[g]
16 But now the enemy has cut down your vine,
and they have burned it with fire.
Show them that you are angry with them,
and destroy them!
17 Give strength to the one who sits at your right hand.
He is the man that you have chosen to serve you.[h]
18 Then we will never turn away from you.
Give to us new life and strength,
so that we may always worship you.
19 Lord God Almighty, turn us to come back to you.
Look at us with a smile on your face!
Then we will be safe.
Footnotes
- 80:1 This psalm is in three parts. Each part ends with a prayer, verses 3, 7, 19. If God's people trust him, he will make them safe.
- 80:1 Joseph's family means the same as God's people, the descendants of Jacob (Israel).
- 80:1 This is a picture of God on his throne. In the Most Holy Place, in the tabernacle and in the temple, there were gold statues of cherubs. The cherubs' wings were over the Covenant Box. Cherubs were special angels. In heaven, God's throne is above these angels.
- 80:8 God brought his people out from Egypt where they were slaves. He took them to live in Canaan, the special land that he had promised to give to them.
- 80:9 The vine is a picture of how God took care of his people.
- 80:12 Vineyards (where vines grow) usually had walls round them. The walls kept out the wild animals that would spoil the vines.
- 80:15 ‘The strong son’ is a way of talking about God's people, the Israelites.
- 80:17 ‘the man’ is a way of talking about God's people, the Israelites.
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