DAWN

     Explanation: In Psalm 80 Asaph calls on the Shepherd of Israel to save his people. Today's painting reflects the shepherd emphasis in the Psalm.

          [ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Numbers 2:18-24. Numbers 10:22-24. Psalm 74. Psalm 79. ]

          [ CHRONOLOGY: GENERAL. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]

          [ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]

          [ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

          [ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). VARIOUS ARTISTS: Psalm 80 - #1. Psalm 80 - #2. Psalm 80 - #3. Psalm 80 - #4. Psalm 80 - #5. Psalm 80 - #6. Psalm 80 - #7. ]

     Asaph addresses the LORD God as the Shepherd of Israel and asks him to give ear. He begins his prayer by mentioning God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt. By metonymy, he refers to them as "Joseph," who was their ruler when they entered Egypt, and who (through Joseph's descendants, Ephraim and Manasseh) was the leading tribe when they made their Exodus from Egypt, 430 years later under the guidance of Moses. Asaph then asks God to stir up his strength before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh; and he asks the LORD to save the nation. And, in a recurring refrain, Asaph asks God to turn them again, and to cause his face to shine upon them; and they will be saved. Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh represent the whole of Israel, again by metonymy. These three tribes descended from the same mother (Rachel); they encamped together (on the west side of the Tabernacle); they marched together when Israel was on the move in the wilderness; and they were national leaders. For these reasons, and others which might be adduced, these tribes were mentioned as representatives of the whole of the nation (1-3).
     After making his first set of petitions, Asaph pleads with God not to continue to be angry against the prayers of his people. He mentions the abundance of tears which they have shed, and the strife and scorn of their neighbors. And, recognizing how dull they are to repentance, Asaph, for a second time, takes up his recurring refrain, asking God to turn them again (to give them a heart of repentance), and to cause his face to shine; and they will be saved (4-7).
     In the third stanza of the Psalm, Asaph reminds God how he brought Israel, which he compares to a vine, out of Egypt; how he cast out the heathen from the Promised Land; and how he planted his "vine" in the land in place of their enemies. It covered the hills and had bows as thick as cedars. It spread from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River. Why then, asks Asaph, did the LORD break down its hedges and allow those who pass by to steal its fruit. Wild beasts devoured it. For these reasons, he pleads with God to look down from heaven, to visit his vine, and to see how his vineyard and his vine are burned with fire, how it is cut down, and how it perishes at the rebuke of his countenance. Asaph then asks the LORD to "Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, upon the son of man whom you made strong for yourself." The translation of this verse is ambiguous. When God puts his hand on someone it may be for judgment; or it may be for strengthening. The phrase "son of man" refers to a representative of man; and it quite often has particular reference to Christ, the Messiah. So it is unclear whether Asaph was looking for a national deliverer (a man, a tribe, etc.) in the short term, or to the Messianic deliverer in the long term. Certainly the Messiah suffered at the hand of God (by bearing our sins); and certainly he delivered Israel, and all who trust in him, by atoning for their sins. Whoever the deliverer was in Asaph's mind, the 18^th verse points out that the result of his actions will be that Israel will not depart from God, but will call on God's name. This result is, again, best explained by the Messiah. Asaph closes with the same refrain that closed the previous two stanzas: "Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause your face to shine; and we shall be saved." This, again, has it's ultimate reference to the work of the Messiah (8-19).

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.
² Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.
³ Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

⁴ O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?
⁵ Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.
⁶ Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.
⁷ Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

⁸ Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.
⁹ Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.
¹⁰ The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.
¹¹ She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.
¹² Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?
¹³ The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.
¹⁴ Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;
¹⁵ And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.
¹⁶ It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
¹⁷ Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.
¹⁸ So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.
¹⁹ Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

* NOTE: On Opening and Closing Comments in the Psalms.
[Some commentators take the Psalm in Habakkuk 3 to be a standard model for the Psalms.
Habakkuk's Psalm begins with the name of the composer (Habakkuk) and a musical notation ("upon Shigionoth").
It closes with a dedication or a "send to" notice ("To the chief singer on my stringed instruments").
I have arranged similar material, where it is found in the Psalter, in accord with the model in Habakkuk.]