Psalms 80
1 Unto the end. For those who will be changed. The testimony of Asaph. A Psalm. The One who reigns over Israel: Be attentive. For you lead Joseph like a sheep. The One who sits upon the cherubim: Shine forth
[Yahweh], you [who lead us like] a shepherd leads his flock [of sheep], listen to us Israeli people. You sit on your throne [in the Very Holy Place in the temple], above the [carvings of] winged creatures.
2 in the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Awaken your power and draw near, so as to accomplish our salvation.
Show yourself to [the people of the tribes of] Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh! Show us that you are powerful and come and rescue us!
3 Convert us, O God. And reveal your face, and we will be saved.
God, cause our nation to be strong like it was before; be kind to us [IDM] in order that we may be saved [from our enemies.]
4 O Lord, God of hosts, how long will you be angry over the prayer of your servant?
Yahweh, you who are the commander of the armies of heaven, how long will you be angry with us, your people, when we pray to you?
5 How long will you feed us the bread of tears, and give us to drink a full measure of tears?
[It is as though] the only food and drink that you have given us is a cup full of our tears!
6 You have set us as a contradiction to our neighbors. And our enemies have ridiculed us.
You have allowed the people-groups that surround us to fight with [each other to decide which part of our land each of them will take]; our enemies laugh at us.
7 O God of hosts, convert us. And reveal your face, and we will be saved.
God, commander of the armies of heaven, cause our nation to be strong like it was before! Be kind to us in order that we may be saved!
8 You have transferred a vineyard from Egypt. You have cast out the Gentiles, and planted it.
[Our ancestors were like] a grapevine [MET] that you brought out of Egypt; you expelled the other people-groups [from this land], and you put your people in their land.
9 You were the leader of the journey in its sight. You planted its roots, and it filled the earth.
[Like people] clear ground to plant a grapevine [MET], [you cleared out the people who were living in this land for us to live in it]. [Like] the roots of a grapevine go deep down into the ground and spread [MET], [you enabled our ancestors to prosper and start living in towns all over this land].
10 Its shadow covered the hills, and its branches covered the cedars of God.
[Like huge] grapevines cover the hills with their shade and their branches are taller than big cedar [trees] [MET, HYP],
11 It extended its new branches even to the sea, and its new seedlings even to the river.
[your people ruled all of Canaan], from the [Mediterranean] Sea [in the west] to the [Euphrates] River [in the east].
12 So then, why have you destroyed its walls, so that all those who pass by the way gather its grapes?
So why have you abandoned us and [allowed our enemies to] tear down our walls [RHQ]? [You are like] someone who tears down the fences [around his vineyard], with the result that all [the people] who pass by [can] steal the grapes,
13 The wild boar of the forest has trampled it, and a single wild beast has laid waste to it.
and wild pigs [can] trample [the vines], and wild animals [can also] eat [the grapes].
14 Turn back, O God of hosts. Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vineyard;
You who are the commander of the armies of heaven, (turn to/stop abandoning) us! Look down from heaven and see [what is happening to] us! Come and rescue [us who are like] [MET] your grapevine,
15 and complete what your right hand has planted, and look upon the son of man, whom you have confirmed for yourself.
who are [like] the young vine that you [SYN] planted and caused to grow!
16 Whatever has been set on fire and dug under will perish at the rebuke of your countenance.
Our enemies have torn down and burned everything in our land; look at them angrily and get rid of them!
17 Let your hand be over the man on your right, and over the son of man, whom you have confirmed for yourself.
But strengthen [us] people whom you have chosen [IDM], [us] Israeli people whom you [previously] caused to be very strong.
18 For we do not depart from you, and you will revive us. And we will invoke your name.
When you do that, we will never turn away from you again; (revive us/cause us to be again like we were previously), and [then] we will praise/worship you.
19 O Lord, God of hosts, convert us. And reveal your face, and we will be saved.
Yahweh, commander of the armies of heaven, restore us; be kind to us in order that we may be rescued [from our enemies]!
