PSALM Eighty One

 

For the director of music. 

According to gittith. 

Of Asaph.

1 

Sing for joy to God our strength;

    shout aloud to the God of Jacob!

2 

Begin the music, strike the tambourine,

    play the melodious harp and lyre.

3 

Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon,

    and when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast;

4 

this is a decree for Israel,

    an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

5 

When God went out against Egypt,

    he established it as a statute for Joseph.

I heard an unknown voice say:

6 

‘I removed the burden from their shoulders;

    their hands were set free from the basket.

7 

In your distress you called and I rescued you,

    I answered you out of a thundercloud;

    I tested you at the waters of Meribah.

8 

Hear me, my people, and I will warn you –

    if you would only listen to me, Israel!

9 

You shall have no foreign god among you;

    you shall not worship any god other than me.

10 

I am the Lord your God,

    who brought you up out of Egypt.

Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.

11 

‘But my people would not listen to me;

    Israel would not submit to me.

12 

So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts

    to follow their own devices.

13 

‘If my people would only listen to me,

    if Israel would only follow my ways,

14 

how quickly I would subdue their enemies

    and turn my hand against their foes!

15 

Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him,

    and their punishment would last for ever.

16 

But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;

    with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.’

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Word by Word Meditations 

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 81: “melodious” (v.2)

It’s easy to forget when we read the Psalms that actually they were songs to be sung. This fact can be clearly seen from the opening sentence, “sing for joy to God our strength (v.1). However in a number of them we discover comments, such as in the heading (‘for the director of music’), or with words like “melodious” (v.2), describing the ”harp and lyre.” Other musical instruments that are mentioned are the  “tambourine” and “ram’s horn” (v.2). 

Paul encouraged the Ephesians to use “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs … make music in your hearts to the Lord” (5v.19).  Why?  Godly music is so uplifting!

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READINGS

PSALM 81

Read by Sir David Suchet

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OVERVIEW 

Psalms 

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The Bible Project 

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Psalms

David Pawson

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SONGS

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PSALM Eighty

For the director of music. 

To the tune of ‘The Lilies of the Covenant’. 

Of Asaph. 

A psalm.

1 

Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,

    you who lead Joseph like a flock.

You who sit enthroned between the cherubim,

    shine forth 

2 

before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.

Awaken your might;

    come and save us.

3 

Restore us, O God;

    make your face shine on us,

    that we may be saved.

4 

How long, Lord God Almighty,

    will your anger smoulder

    against the prayers of your people?

5 

You have fed them with the bread of tears;

    you have made them drink tears by the bowlful.

6 

You have made us an object of derision to our neighbours,

    and our enemies mock us.

7 

Restore us, God Almighty;

    make your face shine on us,

    that we may be saved.

8 

You transplanted a vine from Egypt;

    you drove out the nations and planted it.

9 

You cleared the ground for it,

    and it took root and filled the land.

10 

The mountains were covered with its shade,

    the mighty cedars with its branches.

11 

Its branches reached as far as the Sea,

    its shoots as far as the River.

12 

Why have you broken down its walls

    so that all who pass by pick its grapes?

13 

Boars from the forest ravage it,

    and insects from the fields feed on it.

14 

Return to us, God Almighty!

    Look down from heaven and see!

Watch over this vine,

15 

    the root your right hand has planted,

    the son you have raised up for yourself.

16 

Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire;

    at your rebuke your people perish.

17 

Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand,

    the son of man you have raised up for yourself.

18 

Then we will not turn away from you;

    revive us, and we will call on your name.

19 

Restore us, Lord God Almighty;

    make your face shine on us,

    that we may be saved.

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Word by Word Meditations 

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 80: “vine” (vv.8, 14 & 16)

The cry, “hear us, O Shepherd of Israel” (v.1) demonstrates the unselfish nature of Asaph’s prayer to God, not just for himself but for the whole nation. He uses the 1^st person plural, not just once but in three separate places “restore us” (vv.3, 7 & 19). 

He pictures his people as a “vine” brought initially “out of Egypt” (v.8) during the Exodus under Moses, and “planted” (vv.9 & 15), where it “took root” (v.9) in the Promised Land. Now he asks the LORD to “watch over this vine” (v.14), because it is “cut down” (v.16).  

Struggling congregations and individual believers, pray, “revive us!” (v.18).  It works!

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READINGS

PSALM 80

Read by Sir David Suchet

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OVERVIEW 

Psalms 

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The Bible Project 

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Psalms

David Pawson

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SONGS

Psalm 80 - ( Sons of Korah )

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PSALM Seventy Nine

A psalm of Asaph.

1 

O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance;

    they have defiled your holy temple,

    they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.

2 

They have left the dead bodies of your servants

    as food for the birds of the sky,

    the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild.

3 

They have poured out blood like water

    all around Jerusalem,

    and there is no one to bury the dead.

4 

We are objects of contempt to our neighbours,

    of scorn and derision to those around us.

5 

How long, Lord? Will you be angry for ever?

    How long will your jealousy burn like fire?

6 

Pour out your wrath on the nations

    that do not acknowledge you,

on the kingdoms

    that do not call on your name;

7 

for they have devoured Jacob

    and devastated his homeland.

8 

Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;

    may your mercy come quickly to meet us,

    for we are in desperate need.

9 

Help us, God our Saviour,

    for the glory of your name;

deliver us and forgive our sins

    for your name’s sake.

10 

Why should the nations say,

    ‘Where is their God?’

Before our eyes, make known among the nations

    that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants.

11 

May the groans of the prisoners come before you;

    with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die.

12 

Pay back into the laps of our neighbours seven times

    the contempt they have hurled at you, Lord.

13 

Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture,

    will praise you for ever;

from generation to generation

    we will proclaim your praise.

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Word by Word Meditations 

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 79: “desperate” (v.8)

What a profound cry for God to speak and act! Jerusalem had been invaded and the temple defiled.  Death, devastation and derision reigned. Though acknowledging that they fully deserved such drastic judgement, Asaph pleaded for “mercy” (v.8) and “help” (v.9), asking for the LORD to “forgive” (v.9). He confessed,“we are [N.B. not ‘I am’] in desperate need” (v.8). 

He realised that, despite the nation’s waywardness, they were “your people, the sheep of your pasture” (v.13), and belonged to him. 

Are you in a mess? Your extremity is God’s opportunity! Get “desperate” and call on him!

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READINGS

PSALM 79

Read by Sir David Suchet

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OVERVIEW 

Psalms 

 - Overview -

The Bible Project 

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STUDY - LINKS

Psalms

David Pawson

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SONGS

Psalm 79 

"O God, the Heathen Are Come into Thine Inheritance"

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