This Psalm focuses on deliverance, highlighting the stressful conditions the Israelites faced and the Psalmist’s plea for God to restore them once again. It depicts God as a Shepherd, providing a detailed account of His rescue and blessings. Despite God’s guidance and provision, the people suddenly found themselves under immense stress, feeling as though His protection had been withdrawn. As a prayer, this Psalm teaches us to seek a deeper understanding of God and His ways. While the Psalmist’s mention of the Son of Man leads many to see it as a prophetic Psalm, it is more than that—it powerfully illustrates how the Spirit of God moves and guides prayer.
Shepherd of Israel
Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh. Awaken your might; come and save us. Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved. – Psalms 80:1-3 (NIV)
The Psalmist observes God’s guidance during the time of Joseph and Benjamin, emphasizing the prominent tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. He addresses God as the “Shepherd of Israel,” acknowledging His leadership, provision, and protection, while also portraying Him as the One enthroned between the cherubim. As he reflects on how God led the Israelites out of Egypt, the author, feeling vulnerable at the time of writing, pleads for divine protection. Did God really withdraw His protective covering from Israel?
God has freed us from the bondage of sin and given us His Spirit to secure our salvation, yet in times of hardship, we may feel abandoned. In such moments, do we, like David, earnestly pray for God not to take His Spirit from us (Psalm 51:11)?
In this Psalm, the plea for restoration is repeated several times, emphasizing the urgent need for God’s protection. Do we also recognize our own need for His protection as we journey toward eternal life? When we sincerely seek His protection through prayer, God will give us the strength to guard ourselves.
How long, LORD God Almighty, will your anger smolder against the prayers of your people? You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have made them drink tears by the bowlful. You have made us an object of derision to our neighbors, and our enemies mock us. Restore us, God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved. – Psalms 80:4-7 (NIV)
God revealed to Abraham that the Israelites would endure four hundred years of slavery. But was God truly unresponsive to their cries during those centuries? No, rather, it took four hundred years for the Israelites to finally cry out to Him. God knew they would not seek Him during that time.
Scripture reminds us that His hand is not shortened, but our iniquities separate us from Him (Isaiah 59:1-2). The Israelites wept over their suffering, yet it was their own sin that led them into distress. Still, they blamed God, saying He fed them the bread of tears and made them drink their own sorrow. When we distance ourselves from our gracious God, we become subjects of ridicule for our enemies.
Why do others mock us? Is it not because we hastily expose all our struggles to them? Rather than standing firm in faith during trials, we often fall into the enemy’s trap, openly lamenting our hardships and complaining to those who oppress us. Can our troublemakers truly resolve our concerns? Are we not the ones giving them the very reasons to ridicule us?
The Golden Age
You transplanted a vine from Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it.
You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land.
The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches.
Its branches reached as far as the Sea, its shoots as far as the River. – Psalms 80:8-11 (NIV)
The land was fruitful, and its cedars became a symbol of its glory. While highlighting the land’s abundance, the vine does not merely represent a plant but symbolizes the Israelites themselves. Perhaps this period of blessing led them to forget God and His commandments.
When we seek God only in times of need, we tend to ignore Him when all is well, only turning back when our resources are depleted. Unlike before the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are at risk of losing our salvation if we pursue Him solely for worldly blessings (1 Corinthians 15:19).
The Israelites were fully aware of the miraculous way God led them out of slavery and continually blessed them. Yet, they struggled to submit themselves to Him because they were unwilling to forsake their comforts and blessings for a deeper relationship with God. Their desire for worldly pleasures and indulgent food took precedence over prioritizing Him.
God blessed them so that, in their sufficiency, they would have peace and the time to dedicate themselves to Him. However, they misused these blessings. Even today, every blessing and moment of peace we receive is meant to draw us closer to God. Unfortunately, instead of surrendering to Him, we often become attached to the blessings themselves.
No More Fences
Why have you broken down its walls so that all who pass by pick its grapes?
Boars from the forest ravage it, and insects from the fields feed on it. Return to us, God Almighty! Look down from heaven and see! Watch over this vine, the root your right hand has planted, the son you have raised up for yourself. – Psalms 80:12-15 (NIV)
During this period, the Israelites experienced peace, as God had removed their enemies from among them. However, these enemies might have served as a protective barrier, and once they were driven out, the community struggled to safeguard the freedom God had granted them. This aligns with God’s words: “I will not drive out your enemies all at once, for if I did, wild animals would overrun the land. Instead, I will remove them gradually as you increase and fill the land, leaving no room for them to enter” (Deuteronomy 7:22).
At times, we find it difficult to hold on to the freedom and salvation that God has graciously given us, especially when life is free of challenges. God removes obstacles when our faith has matured, yet we often lose faith more easily during times of peace than in seasons of struggle. When God grants us peace, we should deepen our relationship with Him through His Word, truth, and love to help sustain it. Still, God continues to refine us through trials and tests. Like a loving father who disciplines his children, God corrects us to help us learn and grow (Hebrews 12:6–8). If we resist His correction, we risk missing the valuable lessons He wants to teach us.
The devil assumed that Job’s faithfulness was due to God’s protection over his possessions. But knowing Job’s spiritual maturity, God allowed the protective hedge to be removed—not to destroy Job, but to secure his salvation. Likewise, when God removed the Israelites’ protective barriers, it was not to harm them but to prepare them for a life of spiritual strength and reliance on Him.
Son of Man
Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire; at your rebuke your people perish.
Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself. Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name. Restore us, LORD God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved. – Psalms 80:16-19 (NIV)
This Psalm reflects the truth Paul speaks of in Romans 8:26—when we fail to recognize our mistakes and do not know what or how to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words, bringing order to our chaos. As the Psalmist sought God’s protection, he initially perceived God’s rebuke as an intention to remove His people from the earth and His presence. Yet, in his uncertainty, the Spirit of God prayed about the Son of Man—Jesus—whose life was given as a ransom for ours and whom God raised to life.
Many people struggle to pray when overwhelmed by problems, but this Prayer Psalm reminds us that even when we feel too weak to pray, we should still pray. In those moments, the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us, will intercede with groans beyond words, revealing insights of His Kingdom and solutions (Romans 8:26).
When we find ourselves in vulnerable situations, we must recognize that God is teaching us to rely on His living Word rather than merely on His provisions. Unfortunately, like the Israelites, many cry out to God for restoration only after allowing the enemy to weaken them during times of peace. Are we repeating the same cycle—seeking God only when we have fallen? We must remember that Jesus died and rose again once and for all, securing our restoration until we receive eternal life (Romans 6:9-10).
When we trust Him, God strengthens our faith; when we falter, He extends His grace and fortifies His protection with strong, high hedges. In both situations, His purpose remains unchanged. What an incredible God we serve—one who protects us and faithfully guides us toward eternity.
Heavenly Father, thank You for setting us free from the bondage of sin.
As we grow in Your truth and love, You remove the hedge, trusting that we can withstand the enemy’s attacks.
Help us remain faithful and not give the devil a foothold, even without the hedge of protection.
Thank You for Your abundant grace. Amen.
The Jordan Valley 
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