Praying the Psalms

Psalm 80

Psalm 80

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” Of Asaph. A psalm.

¹ Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,
    you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who sit enthroned between the cherubim,
    shine forth ² before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.
Awaken your might;
    come and save us.

³ Restore us, O God;
    make your face shine on us,
    that we may be saved.

⁴ How long, Lord God Almighty,
    will your anger smolder
    against the prayers of your people?
⁵ You have fed them with the bread of tears;
    you have made them drink tears by the bowlful.
⁶ You have made us an object of derision^[b] to our neighbors,
    and our enemies mock us.

⁷ Restore us, God Almighty;
    make your face shine on us,
    that we may be saved.

⁸ You transplanted a vine from Egypt;
    you drove out the nations and planted it.
⁹ You cleared the ground for it,
    and it took root and filled the land.
¹⁰ The mountains were covered with its shade,
    the mighty cedars with its branches.
¹¹ Its branches reached as far as the Sea,^[c]
    its shoots as far as the River.^[d]

¹² Why have you broken down its walls
    so that all who pass by pick its grapes?
¹³ Boars from the forest ravage it,
    and insects from the fields feed on it.
¹⁴ Return to us, God Almighty!
    Look down from heaven and see!
Watch over this vine,
¹⁵     the root your right hand has planted,
    the son^[e] you have raised up for yourself.

¹⁶ Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire;
    at your rebuke your people perish.
¹⁷ Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand,
    the son of man you have raised up for yourself.
¹⁸ Then we will not turn away from you;
    revive us, and we will call on your name.

¹⁹ Restore us, Lord God Almighty;
    make your face shine on us,
    that we may be saved.

Questions to ponder:

Verses 2, 7, and 19 each begin “Turn us again (to yourself), O God.” What does this tell us about our need for growth in relationship with Him? 

Much of the rest of the Psalm reflects on hardship, strife, and destruction. How does this foreshadow the redemptive grace we have in Christ?

Praying for you as you read, study, and apply God’s Word.

Psalm 76

Psalm 76

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song.

¹ God is renowned in Judah;
    in Israel his name is great.
² His tent is in Salem,
    his dwelling place in Zion.
³ There he broke the flashing arrows,
    the shields and the swords, the weapons of war.^[b]

⁴ You are radiant with light,
    more majestic than mountains rich with game.
⁵ The valiant lie plundered,
    they sleep their last sleep;
not one of the warriors
    can lift his hands.
⁶ At your rebuke, God of Jacob,
    both horse and chariot lie still.

⁷ It is you alone who are to be feared.
    Who can stand before you when you are angry?
⁸ From heaven you pronounced judgment,
    and the land feared and was quiet—
⁹ when you, God, rose up to judge,
    to save all the afflicted of the land.
¹⁰ Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise,
    and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.^[c]

¹¹ Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them;
    let all the neighboring lands
    bring gifts to the One to be feared.
¹² He breaks the spirit of rulers;
    he is feared by the kings of the earth.

Questions to ponder:

In what ways does this Psalm remind me that one day I will stand before God and give an account of the life I have lived?

Am I aware that God wants to make known His salvation through me?

Praying for you as you read, study, and apply God’s Word.