Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;
This psalm was composed for the ten tribes after their kingdom began to waste away. The psalmist names Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh deliberately: these three tribes followed closest behind the ark in the wilderness march, and so they call upon God who dwelt between the cherubim to remember His ancient faithfulness and restore them.
AI summary
Commenting on Psalm 80:1-19
Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts. Turn thyself to us as well as us to thee. Thou hast gone from us because of our sins, come back to us, for we sigh and cry after thee. Or, if it be too much to ask thee to come then do at least give us some consideration and cast an eye upon our griefs.
The Church is like a vine: weak, needing support, outwardly unpromising, yet spreading and fruitful with the most excellent fruit. God swept the nations away like dirt with the besom of destruction to make room for it, and then caused it to strike deep root through a firm establishment of government and worship that no enemy could upraise.
AI summary
Commenting on Psalm 80:8-19