Book 21 Psalms (continued 1)
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Psalms Chapter 79
Qui regis Israel.
A prayer for the church in tribulation, commemorating God's former favours.
79:1. Unto the end, for them that shall be changed, a testimony for Asaph, a psalm.
79:2. Give ear, O thou that rulest Israel: thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep. Thou that sittest upon the cherubims, shine forth
79:3. Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasses. Stir up thy might, and come to save us.
79:4. Convert us, O God: and shew us thy face, and we shall be saved.
79:5. O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy servant?
79:6. How long wilt thou feed us with the bread of tears: and give us for our drink tears in measure?
79:7. Thou hast made us to be a contradiction to our neighbours: and our enemies have scoffed at us.
79:8. O God of hosts, convert us: and shew thy face, and we shall be saved.
79:9. Thou hast brought a vineyard out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the Gentiles and planted it.
79:10. Thou wast the guide of its journey in its sight: thou plantedst the roots thereof, and it filled the land.
79:11. The shadow of it covered the hills: and the branches thereof the cedars of God.
79:12. It stretched forth its branches unto the sea, and its boughs unto the river.
79:13. Why hast thou broken down the hedge thereof, so that all they who pass by the way do pluck it?
79:14. The boar out of the wood hath laid it waste: and a singular wild beast hath devoured it.
79:15. Turn again, O God of hosts, look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vineyard:
79:16. And perfect the same which thy right hand hath planted: and upon the son of man whom thou hast confirmed for thyself.
79:17. Things set on fire and dug down shall perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
Things set on fire, etc... So this vineyard of thine, almost consumed already, must perish, if thou continue thy rebukes.
79:18. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand: and upon the son of man whom thou hast confirmed for thyself.
The man of thy right hand... Christ.
79:19. And we depart not from thee, thou shalt quicken us: and we will call upon thy name.
79:20. O Lord God of hosts, convert us and shew thy face, and we shall be saved.
Psalms Chapter 80
Exultate Deo.
An invitation to a solemn praising of God.
80:1. Unto the end, for the winepresses, a psalm for Asaph himself.
For the winepresses, etc... Torcularibus. It either signifies a musical instrument, or that this psalm was to be sung at the feast of the tabernacles after the gathering in of the vintage.
80:2. Rejoice to God our helper: sing aloud to the God of Jacob.
80:3. Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel: the pleasant psaltery with the harp.
80:4. Blow up the trumpet on the new moon, on the noted day of your solemnity.
80:5. For it is a commandment in Israel, and a judgment to the God of Jacob.
80:6. He ordained it for a testimony in Joseph, when he came out of the land of Egypt: he heard a tongue which he knew not.
80:7. He removed his back from the burdens: his hands had served in baskets.
80:8. Thou calledst upon me in affliction, and I delivered thee: I heard thee in the secret place of tempest: I proved thee at the waters of contradiction.
In the secret place of tempest... Heb., Of thunder. When thou soughtest to hide thyself from the tempest: or, when I came down to mount Sina, hidden from thy eyes in a storm of thunder.
80:9. Hear, O my people, and I will testify to thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken to me,
80:10 There shall be no new god in thee: neither shalt thou adore a strange god.