Revival With the God of Israel

INTRO

Psalm 80 is another lament psalm. The people had been removed because of apostasy—they turned away from God and looked to false idols. Therefore, this psalm is a prayer request for restoration to God. MacArthur explains, “This psalm was probably written from Jerusalem in astonishment at the captivity of the ten northern tribes in 722 B.C.”¹ This is another psalm by Asaph and was meant to be sung.

TEACHING

Psalm 80:1-3: Wiersbe outlines these verses as, “Save Your Flock.”² Asaph called for God, the Shepherd of Israel, to rise up to save His flock (v. 1). Asaph described God as sitting on a cherub in the Holy of Holies. This is a psalm of revival. God’s presence was there, and Asaph wanted Him to make His presence known before the tribes of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh (v. 2). Asaph repeated his request that God save them by looking on them with favor (v. 3). “Look on them with favor” can also be translated as “face to shine” and referred to a king smiling on one who came before him with a request, showing the petitioner his request would be well received.”³ God is the Shepherd, He will take care of us and lack nothing (Psalm 23) and as God gathers His sheep, calling them forth, they will respond (John 10).

Psalm 80:4–7: Wiersbe outlines these verses as, “Pity Your People.”⁴ In verse 4, Asaph questioned how long God would remain angry because their prayers seem unanswered. Instead, they had received only manna of tears to eat and water of tears to drink (v. 5). They were quarreling with their neighbors and being mocked by their enemies (v. 6). Asaph asked again for God to save them (v. 7). The repetition of asking God to save is important to notice (Numbers 6:24).

Psalm 80:8–19: Wiersbe outlines these verses as, “Revive Your Vine.”⁵ Asaph moved from the image of a shepherd to a vine dresser. MacArthur explains, “The vine is a metaphor for Israel whom God delivered out of Egypt and nurtured into a powerful nation”⁶ (Isaiah 5:1–7). The boundaries of Israel had been “the hill country in the south to the mighty cedars of Lebanon in the north, from the Mediterranean Sea on the west to the Euphrates on the east—and beyond.”⁷ These boundaries are outlined in verses 10–11. However, the walls of Israel had been broken down (v. 12). They were being taken over by the beasts and the creatures of the field (their enemies) (v. 13). Asaph asked God again to take care of the vine God had planted (vv. 14–15). Asaph cried out in desperation because of the destruction that had taken place (v. 16). Psalm 80 is a last-ditch effort of seeking God’s help. MacArthur explains the phrase, “with the man at Your right hand,” as “a reference to Israel. In a secondary sense, the ‘son of man’ may allude to the Davidic dynasty and even extend to the Messiah, since He is so frequently called by that title in the New Testament”⁸ (Matthew 2:15). Asaph stated they would not turn away from God again and asked God again to revive them (v. 18). For a third time, Asaph asked that God would save them (v. 19). Nelson’s Commentary explains, “In response to God’s work of deliverance, the poet promises renewed praise centered on the name of God.”⁹ Verse 18 is based on verse 17. When that happens, revival takes place.

CLOSING

Revival can take place when we look to Him as the God of Israel who brought forth revival. If we don’t see God as the God of Israel, I question whether true revival can take place because there’s a lack of a complete picture of who God is.

9Earl Radmacher, Ronald B. Allen, and H. Wayne House, eds., Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999), p. 702.