INTRODUCTON - READ PSALM 80
This Psalm, another written by Asaph's descendents, was a prayer for restoration and salvation, particularly for the Northern Kingdoms in Israel. It has been broken up into 4 sections, with a refrain follow each section. It is indeed a PRAYER OF FAITH, UNDERSTANDING AND DEPENDENCE. expressing trust and confidence in a strong God' who Asaph knew would deliver his people from their crisis.
1. A PRAYER TO ISRAEL'S SHEPHERD - Read Psalm 80:1-3, Psalm 23,
John 10:11-16
The image of a king or ruler as a shepherd for his people was common in the ancient world. Jeremiah was also called a shepherd to God's people in their time of exile.
"And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will guide you with knowledge and understanding." Jeremiah 3:15
Asaph understood, like David, and many other Prophets and writers in the Bible, that the greatest `shepherd' of all was God who would `lead' his people 'like a flock'.
"He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in His arms, holding them close to His heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young." Isaiah 40:11
He recalls, as David did his famous Psalm 23, that God is our guide and omnipresent Shepherd. Asaph would have had this same special relationship that David had, not only as a lost sheep in His flock, but one who had experienced His mercy and love in a special way.
"The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters, He refreshed my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name's sake.... Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" Psalm 23:1-3, 6 (NIV)
In this time when his people's land and their lives needed restoration, Asaph prayed this prayer to Israel's shepherd, and we can pray this same prayer to our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, who gave his life so we too can have this same mercy, love and grace.
"I am the Good Shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know my Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them in also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one Shepherd." John 10:14-16 (NLT)
2. DESPAIR OF GOD'S ANGER - Read Psalm 80:4-7
Over and over the people of Israel had been mourning because of their enemies scorn and attacks by neighbouring nations. Their "grevious sin" - idoltary - had seperated them from God. He had good reason for being angry with them.
"That God should be angry with us sinning is natural enough, but that He should be angry even with our prayers is bitter grief." Charles H Spurgeon
"Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear to dull to hear. But your iniquities have seperated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." Isaiah 59:1&2
Still, as in previous psalms, Asaph's heart is full of sorrow and grief when he thinks of God's anger towards his people Israel. In this second part of the psalm he asks God how long it will be before:
* He stops being angry with them.
* They can stop crying "buckets full of tears".
* He stops their enemies fighting and laughing at them.
It did seem at times that their prayers were not being answered. But God gave them hope: "keep on praying, and I will listen and forgive!" This promise can give us great hope when are in despair and grief.
"Then you will call on me and come and pray to me and I will listen. You will seek me and find me if you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and will bring you back from captivity." Jeremiah 29:12-14a (NLT)
3. DESCRIPTION OF GOD'S VINE - Psalm 80:8-15, Isaiah 5:1-7, John 15:1-8
The Vine is a familiar metaphorical image used in the Old and New Testaments to describe the people of Israel and the Church. God planted it, it took root in the Promised Land, and it's branches spread "west to the Mediterranean Sea and east to the Euphrates River". God cared for the Vine and Israel's task was to give shade to other nations.
But again, because of their disobedience, God had "broken down the hedges" and removed it's wall of protection, leaving Jerusalem vulnerable to attack. God let "wild animals" - a picture of their enemies - attack and destroy their vines.
"Now I am going to tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed. I will break down its wall and it will be trampled. I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it. The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the nation of Israel, and the people of Judah are the vine he delighted in. He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress." Isaiah 5:5-7
In John 15, the Church too is represented as a Vine with branches and fruit - and like the Israelites we too can become vulnerable to attack and our fruit can `fall off'.
"I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing." John 15:5 (NKJV)
4. PRAYER OF DIVINE RESTORATION - Read 80:16-19
Asaph knew that Israel needed Divine restoration. We know that man cannot save himself. God, through His Son Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation.
"The only person who can be said to be "at the right hand of God" as intercessor is JESUS THE MESSIAH. Let Him become OUR DELIVERER and let HIS STRENGTH be manifested in our weakness! By Him are the Jews to be restored, by Him alone can they find mercy, through Him can they be reconciled to God." William Clarke
The "Son of Man" in this context may refer to the Israelites, but in a prophetic sense is also speaks of Jesus Christ the Messiah. The "right hand" is strong because HE IS GOD'S SON! That is why He sent His Son Jesus, as our Redeemer.
"For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth." Job 19:25 (NKJV)
"The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,"declares the Lord."
Isaiah 59:20
CONCLUSION
Ask God to be your Shepherd and promise to be a sheep in His flock, believing that He will guide you each step of the way. Remember God as your 'sabaoth' - your `army of angels' - that watches over you. Remember God sent His Son to be your restoration and salvation - all you need to do is accept Him as Your Saviour and trust in Him.
Like Asaph pray this refrain:
Asaph was seeking repentance for the sins of His people, but He knew it would not happen in their own strength, but only with the GRACE OF GOD."
"Grant us the joy of your presence, the comfort of your Spirit, the measures of your love and grace." Webmaster
Asaph knew that the only hope for anyone was the salvation that came from God, through His Son Jesus Christ.
"For whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:11 (NIV)
"For God sent His Son into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world, through Him might be saved." John 3:17 (NIV)
"The Holy Bible, New International Version" 2011, Biblica
"Holy Bible, New Living Translation" 2015, Tyndale House Foundation.
"The Holy Bible, New King James Version"1982, Thomas Nelson.
"Discover the Books of the Bible", 2020, Webmaster@biblestudys.org
Churchyard, Gordon, 2002, "Make Us United - Psalm 80", www.easyenglish.bible
Guzik, David, 2020, "Psalm 80 - Restoring Israel, The Sheep and Vineyard of the Lord", www.enduringword.
No comments:
Post a Comment