Hear Us, O Shepherd of Israel
Study note
The psalmist calls on God, the Shepherd of Israel, to shine forth and stir up his strength. Restore us and let your face shine so we can be saved.
1 Pay attention, Shepherd of Israel! You lead Joseph's family like a flock. You sit in glory above the cherubim -- let your light break through! Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.
2 Show your might to Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Come and rescue us! Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.
3 Bring us back to you, God. Let the warmth of your face shine down on us, and we will be safe. Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
How Long Will You Be Angry?
Study note
God seems angry with his people's prayers. He has fed them with tears. Neighbors laugh at them. Again the refrain: Restore us, O God.
4 Lord God who commands heaven's armies, how long will you be angry even when your people pray to you? O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?
5 Tears have been our only food, and you have given us cup after cup of sorrow to drink. Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.
6 You have turned us into something our neighbors fight over. Our enemies laugh at us behind our backs. Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 God who commands heaven's armies, bring us back. Let the warmth of your face shine down on us, and we will be safe. Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
The Vine God Planted
Study note
God brought a vine out of Egypt and planted it in the promised land. It grew and covered the mountains. But now the walls are broken and wild animals devour it.
8 You dug up a vine from Egypt. You cleared away the nations and planted it in their place. Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.
9 You prepared the soil for it. It sank its roots deep and spread across the whole land. Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.
10 Its shade covered the mountaintops. Its branches reached higher than the tallest cedars. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.
11 Its limbs stretched all the way to the Mediterranean Sea, and its shoots grew as far as the Euphrates River. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.
12 So why did you tear down the walls that protected it? Now anyone walking by reaches in and picks its fruit. Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?
13 Wild pigs from the forest tear it apart, and every creature in the field feeds on it. The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.
Restore the Vine
Study note
The psalmist begs God to return and care for this vine. Let your hand be on the man at your right hand. Restore us, Lord God Almighty — let your face shine and we will be saved.
14 God who commands heaven's armies, please come back! Look down from heaven and see what has happened. Take care of this vine you planted, Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;
15 this root that your own hand put in the ground, this son you raised up for yourself. And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.
16 The vine has been chopped down and set on fire. Your people are dying under your angry gaze. It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
17 Place your hand on the man who stands at your right side, the one you raised up for your own purpose. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.
18 Then we will never walk away from you again. Breathe new life into us, and we will worship your name. So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.
19 Lord God who commands heaven's armies, bring us back. Let the warmth of your face shine down on us, and we will be safe. Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.