Week Seventeen, Day 81, Psalm 80

Day 82, Psalm 81

Day 81: Psalm 80

Author: A descendant of Asaph (superscription).

Time/Occasion: Not known, but most likely after the fall of the Northern Kingdom to the Assyrian armies when many fled south into Jerusalem and environs. Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh are mentioned. Refugees from those leading tribes would be praying at the temple for their recently fallen nation.

Main Theme: A plea for the restoration of the Northern Kingdom of Israel—the ten tribes.

V. 1. Addresses God as the Shepherd of Israel (from Genesis 49:24).

V. 8-16. Answers to Isaiah 5:1-7 where God describes Israel as his vineyard and “the choicest vine” that corrupted itself producing wild fruit, therefore, was subsequently punished by God through enemy nations.

V. 9. “…it filled the land” with health, wealth, prosperity, and children (a happy, growing, productive population living in safety).

V. 12. “...broken down her hedges”—or borders, so that others invade and steal the fruit or wealth.

V. 13. “The boar” is the surrounding gentile nations stealing and destroying the productivity of God’s nation.

V. 15. God sees things as they are: Israel actually hates Him but thinks they love God.

V. 3, 7, 19. The Psalm has a progressively greater urgency expressed by the use of God’s names: O God, O God Almighty, and O LORD God Almighty (NIV).

Hymnal: #40 O Thou the Shepherd of Israel Art; #41 Thou Shepherd that Dost Israel Keep.

Personal Application: We generally have a lot to do with the problems that come along in our lives. We reap the effects and consequences of our decisions. However, there are times in every life when disaster has struck for whatever cause. This is a prayer for God’s help when our own resources are not enough for the task. God’s assistance and power are needed. At such times the only real source of solving our problems and restoring our lives to peace with man and God is His intervention, and (happily) God has given us instruction on what we can do to move Him to help us. Proverbs 16:7: When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. As humans, we control very little beyond our own thoughts and actions—neighbors, coworkers and bosses, family and relatives, our communities, health, the weather, the government, etc. If things generally go well, we have God to thank. If things aren’t going so well, we should certainly do what we can to improve the situation, but the first and most critical factor is obtaining favor from God, usually starting with repentance. The rest of Proverbs 16 explains various principles related to this statement. Note especially V. 9 and 33. Ch. 21:1 and many other proverbs make this point, as well. Our closeness to God is, in truth and reality, the most important thing!

V. 15. Personal warning to eternal vigilance: It is possible to sink into enmity against God without realizing it. The prophecy in this Psalm should not be overlooked. It describes the end-time de-constructing of the modern nations of Israel. Their borders are being made “porous” and cannot protect them from foreign invasion by those who covet the wealth of Abraham but have no regard for the laws of the God of Abraham. God has declared that He would take away the wealth He gave to Abraham’s descendants and give it to others. They would “pluck her” (V. 12) and “waste it” (V. 13)—take the fruit of the labor of the sinful Israelites for their own and destroy the orderly system of righteous laws that produced it (Ezekiel 20:25). In other words, “kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.” This is a prayer of national Israel at the end time when their nations are destroyed, and they are in captivity. Because of the warning of His Church, they realize who they are and cry to God for restoration with a promise to repent and never leave God again (V. 18).

Day 82: Psalm 81

Author: Asaph or a descendant (superscription).

Time/Occasion: The time of its writing is unknown, but it was written for use with the Fall Holy Days. Some scholars question which Holy Days are referenced, but the ram’s horn in V. 3 can’t refer to a normal New Moon because the silver trumpets were used on those occasions (Numbers 10:10). But the shofar (ram’s horn) was used on the first day of the seventh month— the “blast” announced the Feast of Trumpets (Numbers 29:1 and 23:24). See the Soncino Commentary on this. The KJV isn’t clear, but other translations show this verse is talking about two occasions that are two weeks apart. The NIV has: Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast… This would be on the Feast of Trumpets (the New Moon is on the first day of the seventh month) and the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles is at the full moon on the 15^th of the first month. Also note the NLT, which also makes it clear.

Main theme: At first glance, this psalm calls the congregation to worship at the beginning of the Fall Holy day season. It quickly reviews the reason for these Holy Days by going back to “the beginning of the movie,” and giving the answer to the prayer for restoration in the previous Psalm. With the deliverance from Egyptian slavery as the backdrop, the reason for needing to be restored is explained. First, go back to the origin of the nation and covenant at Sinai when the First Commandment was given (V. 9), followed by the other nine and the rest of the covenant in (Exodus 20-23).

V. 10-16. God provided abundantly for them then. If they had not turned their back on him, they would not have any need for restoration now. They would have conquered all foreign enemies and had continuous peace.

Some commentaries notice that this Psalm shows, as many do, the great importance of the Holy Day cycle in the first six months of each year, and how national life revolved around them.

Hymnal: #42 Praise the Eternal With a Psalm! #43 Sing Songs of Praise to Him!

Personal application: As the national life of the Israelites and “their world” revolved around the Sabbath and the HDs, so also the lives of those who are called to God’s enlightened life, laboring in His work. They provide the centerpiece and structure for our life and work.

The story of ancient Israel teaches lessons on how nations and their rulers should conduct their business. It teaches how other smaller units like cities and villages, churches, companies, tribes, families and clans also should, and the same for individuals. It’s a common tale but true: Under the influence of Satan Israel sought and mankind in general seeks to find success, solution and fulfillment by turning their backs to God and searching elsewhere. This is the sad story of man and the story of each man, whether in the Church or out. All have the same tendencies in our nature. It is told many times in the Bible and in the history of God’s people. The book of Ruth, for example, records the family of Elimelech doing this very thing. Naomi (pleasant) pictures the OT Church beginning with the Presence of God, His Laws, personal attention, guidance, and favor. Ten years later she returns having suffered great loss, mirroring the story of the nation. She tells her old friends not to call her Naomi, but Mara (bitter). This is a personal lesson for each of us and has many applications throughout our personal experience in this covenant relationship with God. Do I always believe God’s way is best?

V. 12. In some cases the worst punishment possible is to get your own way. It’s also one of the commonest and most effective teachers because we all want to get our own way, and God will accommodate the headstrong!

V. 13-14. God must many, many times make this type of comment about His converted children today. Jesus comment “Only believe” or “If you would just believe Me…” applies. How many problems, bad habits, shortcomings, etc., would have been put in the past long ago if we had sought God’s’ way wholeheartedly? How many disappointing or strained relationships would be greatly improved? Yet we still have these “enemies” in our minds. Paul had this same frustrating trial, and writes of it in Romans 7. It can be very encouraging to read those comforting comments but we need to focus on Chapter 6 just as much as Chapter 7.