| |
80 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might
and come to save us!
Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!
O LORD God of hosts,
how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
You have fed them with the bread of tears
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh among themselves.
Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!
You brought a vine out of Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
You cleared the ground for it;
it took deep root and filled the land.
The mountains were covered with its shade,
the mighty cedars with its branches.
It sent out its branches to the sea
and its shoots to the River.
Why then have you broken down its walls,
so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
The boar from the forest ravages it,
and all that move in the field feed on it.
Turn again, O God of hosts!
Look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
the stock that your right hand planted,
and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.
They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;
may they perish at the rebuke of your face!
But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
Then we shall not turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call upon your name!
Restore us, O LORD God of hosts!
Let your face shine, that we may be saved!
(ESV)
There are some aspects to growth that can only happen in community. This is the central theme of this chapter. Three times the psalmist pleads for victory through restoration. However, it is not a personal plea, but a corporate one.
Restore us, Yahweh, the God of Hosts; look on us with favor, and we will be saved.
Psalms 80:19 HCSB
The ‘us’ in this passage signals a community, nation, or larger group of people who are calling out with one heart. There is total brokenness as the people call out for Him to turn ALL of them around. In Jesus’ letters to the churches, He called out the entire body for their sin struggle.
Ephesus – Revelation 2:6 HCSB Yet you do have this: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Pergamum – Revelation 2:15-16 HCSB In the same way, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent! Otherwise, I will come to you quickly and fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
Thyatira – Revelation 2:20 HCSB But I have this against you: You tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and deceives My slaves to commit sexual immorality and to eat meat sacrificed to idols.
Sardis – Revelation 3:2 HCSB Be alert and strengthen what remains, which is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before My God.
Laodicea – Revelation 3:15-16 HCSB I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth.
It can be assumed from those writings that Jesus was addressing themes or patterns of sin within all the members of the body. So, in the same way, we are taught here to confess our iniquities together with one accord.
When we do this, we also grow stronger and more mature as individuals. We see others in a different light which allows us to love them more sincerely. At the same time, we are given opportunities to minister to them utilizing the spiritual gifts that God has given us. There is much talk about personal repentance – and there should be – but, there is not much corporate accountability these days. I wonder, what would Jesus write in a letter to your church? What would the theme be?
There is a lot to be said about entering humbly into personal repentance. However, we need to remember that our body should have accountability as well. Churches, nations, and families all have a history of sinning together, even when they think they are doing what’s right. The truth of this psalm states that we need to repent together and seek restoration from our God in Heaven.