8 A vine out of Egypt Thou dost bring, Thou dost cast out nations, and plantest it.
`I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman; every branch in me not bearing fruit, He doth take it away, and every one bearing fruit, He doth cleanse by pruning it, that it may bear more fruit; already ye are clean, because of the word that I have spoken to you; remain in me, and I in you, as the branch is not able to bear fruit of itself, if it may not remain in the vine, so neither ye, if ye may not remain in me. `I am the vine, ye the branches; he who is remaining in me, and I in him, this one doth bear much fruit, because apart from me ye are not able to do anything; if any one may not remain in me, he was cast forth without as the branch, and was withered, and they gather them, and cast to fire, and they are burned; if ye may remain in me, and my sayings in you may remain, whatever ye may wish ye shall ask, and it shall be done to you. `In this was my Father glorified, that ye may bear much fruit, and ye shall become my disciples.
Let me sing, I pray you, for my beloved, A song of my beloved as to his vineyard: My beloved hath a vineyard in a fruitful hill, And he fenceth it, and casteth out its stones, And planteth it `with' a choice vine, And buildeth a tower in its midst, And also a wine press hath hewn out in it, And he waiteth for the yielding of grapes, And it yieldeth bad ones! And now, O inhabitant of Jerusalem, and man of Judah, Judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard. What -- to do still to my vineyard, That I have not done in it! Wherefore, I waited to the yielding of grapes, And it yieldeth bad ones! And now, pray, let me cause you to know, That which I am doing to my vineyard, To turn aside its hedge, And it hath been for consumption, To break down its wall, And it hath been for a treading-place. And I make it a waste, It is not pruned, nor arranged, And gone up have brier and thorn, And on the thick clouds I lay a charge, From raining upon it rain. Because the vineyard of Jehovah of Hosts `Is' the house of Israel, And the man of Judah His pleasant plant, And He waiteth for judgment, and lo, oppression, For righteousness, and lo, a cry.
And the moment I speak concerning a nation, And concerning a kingdom, to build, and to plant, And it hath done the evil thing in Mine eyes, So as not to hearken to My voice, Then I have repented of the good That I have spoken of doing to it.
`Hear ye another simile: There was a certain man, a householder, who planted a vineyard, and did put a hedge round it, and digged in it a wine-press, and built a tower, and gave it out to husbandmen, and went abroad. `And when the season of the fruits came nigh, he sent his servants unto the husbandmen, to receive the fruits of it, and the husbandmen having taken his servants, one they scourged, and one they killed, and one they stoned. `Again he sent other servants more than the first, and they did to them in the same manner. `And at last he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son; and the husbandmen having seen the son, said among themselves, This is the heir, come, we may kill him, and may possess his inheritance; and having taken him, they cast `him' out of the vineyard, and killed him; whenever therefore the lord of the vineyard may come, what will he do to these husbandmen?' They say to him, `Evil men -- he will evilly destroy them, and the vineyard will give out to other husbandmen, who will give back to him the fruits in their seasons.'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 80
Commentary on Psalms 80 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 80
Ps 80:1-19. Shoshannim—"Lilies" (see on Ps 45:1, title). Eduth—Testimony, referring to the topic as a testimony of God to His people (compare Ps 19:7). This Psalm probably relates to the captivity of the ten tribes, as the former to that of Judah. Its complaint is aggravated by the contrast of former prosperity, and the prayer for relief occurs as a refrain through the Psalm.
1, 2. Joseph—for Ephraim (1Ch 7:20-29; Ps 78:67; Re 7:8), for Israel.
Shepherd—(Compare Ge 49:24).
leadest, &c.—(Ps 77:20).
dwellest … cherubim—(Ex 25:20); the place of God's visible glory, whence He communed with the people (Heb 9:5).
shine forth—appear (Ps 50:2; 94:1).
2. Before Ephraim, &c.—These tribes marched next the ark (Nu 2:18-24). The name of Benjamin may be introduced merely in allusion to that fact, and not because that tribe was identified with Israel in the schism (1Ki 12:16-21; compare also Nu 10:24).
3. Turn us—that is, from captivity.
thy face to shine—(Nu 6:25).
4. be angry—(Compare Margin.)
5. bread of tears—still an Eastern figure for affliction.
6. strife—object or cause of (Isa 9:11). On last clause compare Ps 79:4; Eze 36:4.
8-11. brought—or, "plucked up," as by roots, to be replanted.
a vine—(Ps 78:47). The figure (Isa 16:8) represents the flourishing state of Israel, as predicted (Ge 28:14), and verified (1Ki 4:20-25).
12. hedges—(Isa 5:5).
13. The boar—may represent the ravaging Assyrian and
the wild beast—other heathen.
14, 15. visit this vine—favorably (Ps 8:4).
15. And the vineyard—or, "And protect or guard what thy right hand," &c.
the branch—literally, "over the Son of man," preceding this phrase, with "protect" or "watch."
for thyself—a tacit allusion to the plea for help; for
16. it—the "vine" or
they—the "people" are suffering from Thy displeasure.
17. thy hand … upon—that is, strengthen (Ezr 7:6; 8:22).
man of … hand—may allude to Benjamin (Ge 35:18). The terms in the latter clause correspond with those of Ps 80:15, from "and the branch," &c., literally, and confirm the exposition given above.
18. We need quickening grace (Ps 71:20; 119:25) to persevere in Thy right worship (Ge 4:26; Ro 10:11).
19. (Compare Ps 80:3, "O God"; Ps 80:7, "O God of hosts").