Psalm 80
EasyEnglish Bible
Asaph wrote this psalm for the music leader. He should use special music.
God, help our nation[a]
80 Shepherd of Israel, listen to us!
You lead us, Joseph's family,
as your sheep.[b]
God, you sit on your throne as king,
above the cherubs.[c]
Show everyone your bright glory!
2 Shine on Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.
Show your great power!
Come and rescue us!
3 God, turn us to come back to you.
Look at us with a smile on your face!
Then we will be safe.
4 Lord God Almighty,
we, your people, are praying to you.
How long will you continue to be angry with us?
5 You have caused us to eat tears as our food.
Buckets full of tears is what we drink.
6 You have caused the people who live near us
to laugh at us.
Our enemies insult us.
7 God Almighty, turn us to come back to you.
Look at us with a smile on your face!
Then we will be safe.
8 You pulled us out from Egypt,
like a vine that you dug out of the ground.
You chased nations out of this land,
and you planted us here.[d]
9 You prepared the ground ready for us.
We put down roots like a vine.[e]
We grew well and we covered all the land.
10 Our branches gave shade to the mountains,
and to the big cedar trees.
11 Our branches reached the Mediterranean Sea,
and as far as the Euphrates River.
12 Why have you knocked down the walls
that protected us?[f]
Now, anyone who passes can rob our fruit.
13 Wild pigs from the forest attack your vine.
Other wild animals eat all the fruit.
14 Come back to us, God Almighty!
Look down from heaven
and see what is happening!
Take care of your special vine.
15 You planted it with your own right hand.
You caused it to grow, like a strong son.[g]
16 But now the enemy has cut down your vine,
and they have burned it with fire.
Show them that you are angry with them,
and destroy them!
17 Give strength to the one who sits at your right hand.
He is the man that you have chosen to serve you.[h]
18 Then we will never turn away from you.
Give to us new life and strength,
so that we may always worship you.
19 Lord God Almighty, turn us to come back to you.
Look at us with a smile on your face!
Then we will be safe.
Footnotes
- 80:1 This psalm is in three parts. Each part ends with a prayer, verses 3, 7, 19. If God's people trust him, he will make them safe.
- 80:1 Joseph's family means the same as God's people, the descendants of Jacob (Israel).
- 80:1 This is a picture of God on his throne. In the Most Holy Place, in the tabernacle and in the temple, there were gold statues of cherubs. The cherubs' wings were over the Covenant Box. Cherubs were special angels. In heaven, God's throne is above these angels.
- 80:8 God brought his people out from Egypt where they were slaves. He took them to live in Canaan, the special land that he had promised to give to them.
- 80:9 The vine is a picture of how God took care of his people.
- 80:12 Vineyards (where vines grow) usually had walls round them. The walls kept out the wild animals that would spoil the vines.
- 80:15 ‘The strong son’ is a way of talking about God's people, the Israelites.
- 80:17 ‘the man’ is a way of talking about God's people, the Israelites.
Psalm 80
King James Version
80 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.
2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.
3 Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
4 O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?
5 Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.
6 Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
8 Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.
9 Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.
10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.
11 She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.
12 Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?
13 The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.
14 Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;
15 And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.
16 It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
17 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.
18 So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.
19 Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
Psalm 80
English Standard Version
Restore Us, O God
To the choirmaster: according to (A)Lilies. A Testimony. Of (B)Asaph, a Psalm.
80 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead (C)Joseph like (D)a flock.
You who are (E)enthroned upon the cherubim, (F)shine forth.
2 Before (G)Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
(H)stir up your might
and (I)come to save us!
4 O (L)Lord God of hosts,
(M)how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?
5 You have fed them with (N)the bread of tears
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 (O)You make us an object of contention for our (P)neighbors,
and our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 (Q)Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!
8 You brought (R)a vine out of Egypt;
you (S)drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You (T)cleared the ground for it;
it took deep root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 It sent out its branches to (U)the sea
and its shoots to (V)the River.[b]
12 Why then have you (W)broken down its walls,
so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
13 (X)The boar from the forest ravages it,
and all that move in the field feed on it.
14 Turn again, O God of hosts!
(Y)Look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
15 the stock that your right hand planted,
and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.
16 They have (Z)burned it with fire; they have (AA)cut it down;
may they perish at (AB)the rebuke of your face!
17 But (AC)let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
18 Then we shall not turn back from you;
(AD)give us life, and we will call upon your name!
19 (AE)Restore us, O Lord God of hosts!
Let your face shine, that we may be saved!
Footnotes
- Psalm 80:3 Or Turn us again; also verses 7, 19
- Psalm 80:11 That is, the Euphrates
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