Psalms 80

1 [Yahweh], you [who lead us like] a shepherd leads his flock [of sheep], listen to us Israeli people. You sit on your throne [in the Very Holy Place in the temple], above the [carvings of] winged creatures.

For the music director. A psalm of Asaph. To the tune “Lilies of the Covenant.” Please hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead the descendants of Joseph like a flock. You who sit on your throne above the cherubim, shine out

2 Show yourself to [the people of the tribes of] Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh! Show us that you are powerful and come and rescue us!

in the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Gather together your power and come to save us!

3 God, cause our nation to be strong like it was before; be kind to us [IDM] in order that we may be saved [from our enemies.]

God, please restore us! Let your face shine on us so we can be saved.

4 Yahweh, you who are the commander of the armies of heaven, how long will you be angry with us, your people, when we pray to you?

Lord God Almighty, how long will you be angry with the prayers of your people?

5 [It is as though] the only food and drink that you have given us is a cup full of our tears!

You fed them with the bread of tears, and gave them a full bowl of tears to drink.

6 You have allowed the people-groups that surround us to fight with [each other to decide which part of our land each of them will take]; our enemies laugh at us.

You turn us into victims our neighbors fight over; our enemies mock us.

7 God, commander of the armies of heaven, cause our nation to be strong like it was before! Be kind to us in order that we may be saved!

God Almighty, please restore us! Let your face shine on us so we can be saved!

8 [Our ancestors were like] a grapevine [MET] that you brought out of Egypt; you expelled the other people-groups [from this land], and you put your people in their land.

You carried us out of Egypt like a vine. You drove out the heathen nations, and then you planted the vine.

9 [Like people] clear ground to plant a grapevine [MET], [you cleared out the people who were living in this land for us to live in it]. [Like] the roots of a grapevine go deep down into the ground and spread [MET], [you enabled our ancestors to prosper and start living in towns all over this land].

You prepared the ground for the vine. It took root and filled the land.

10 [Like huge] grapevines cover the hills with their shade and their branches are taller than big cedar [trees] [MET, HYP],

The mountains were covered by its shade; its branches covered the great cedars.

11 [your people ruled all of Canaan], from the [Mediterranean] Sea [in the west] to the [Euphrates] River [in the east].

It sent its branches as far west as the Mediterranean Sea, and its shoots as far east as the Euphrates River.

12 So why have you abandoned us and [allowed our enemies to] tear down our walls [RHQ]? [You are like] someone who tears down the fences [around his vineyard], with the result that all [the people] who pass by [can] steal the grapes,

So why have you broken down the walls that protect it so that everyone who passes by can steal its fruit?

13 and wild pigs [can] trample [the vines], and wild animals [can also] eat [the grapes].

Wild pigs from the forest eat it, wild animals feed on it.

14 You who are the commander of the armies of heaven, (turn to/stop abandoning) us! Look down from heaven and see [what is happening to] us! Come and rescue [us who are like] [MET] your grapevine,

God Almighty, please return to us! Look down from heaven and see what's happening to us! Come and care for this vine

15 who are [like] the young vine that you [SYN] planted and caused to grow!

that you planted yourself, this son that you brought up yourself.

16 Our enemies have torn down and burned everything in our land; look at them angrily and get rid of them!

We, your vine, have been chopped down and burned. May those who did this die when you glare at them.

17 But strengthen [us] people whom you have chosen [IDM], [us] Israeli people whom you [previously] caused to be very strong.

Protect the man who stands beside you; strengthen the son you have chosen.

18 When you do that, we will never turn away from you again; (revive us/cause us to be again like we were previously), and [then] we will praise/worship you.

Then we will not turn away from you. Revive us so we can pray to you.

19 Yahweh, commander of the armies of heaven, restore us; be kind to us in order that we may be rescued [from our enemies]!

Lord God Almighty, please restore us! Let your face shine on us so we can be saved.