Psalm 80 — 81
ple during their wilderness years. Tabernacles was also a joyful harvest festival. The psalm reminds us of three different aspects of true worship.
ruin the vineyard. Asaph prayed that the Lord might forgive and once again bless His people. The word "branch" in verse 15 (kjv) is translated "son" in the New American Standard Bible and the New International Version, perhaps a reference to Jacob's words about Joseph in Genesis 49:22. Israel was called God's "son" (Ex. 4:22–23; see Hos. 11:1, which is a messianic reference in Matt. 2:15), and Benjamin means "son of my right hand." While there may be messianic overtones in verses 15 and 17 (see 110:1, 5), the main idea is that Israel is God's own people, His vine, and His chosen son. He planted the nation in Canaan, and He alone can protect and deliver them. He had treated the people like a favored son, just as Jacob had laid his right hand of blessing on Ephraim rather than the firstborn Manasseh (Gen. 48:12–20). They did not deserve His blessing, but in His grace He bestowed it. It is also possible that verse 17 refers to Israel's king and expresses hope in the Davidic dynasty.
Praising God's Name (vv. 1–5) The leader called together the people (v. 1), the musicians (v. 2), and the priests to blow the trumpets (v. 3). In the Old Testament law, you find stated times of worship (the weekly Sabbath, the annual feasts, etc.) as well as spontaneous times of worship (at the defeat of the enemy, for example). Both are essential to balanced worship, and both should focus on the goodness of the Lord. If all worship were personal and spontaneous, there would be diversity but no unity; but if all worship only followed a schedule, there would be uniformity and no diversity. Both voices and instruments were used in worship. The nation is called "Jacob, Israel, and Joseph" (vv. 4–5). Jacob and his wives built the family, and Joseph preserved them alive in Egypt. God gave Jacob the name "Israel," which means "he strives with God and prevails" (Gen. 32:22–32).
The final refrain introduces a third name for God, borrowed from verse 4: "O Lord God of hosts [Almighty, niv]." "Lord" is the name "Jehovah," which is the covenant name of God. The psalmist appealed to the covenant and asked God to be faithful to forgive His people as they called upon Him and confessed their sins (Lev. 26:40–45; Deut. 30:1–10). This is the Old Testament version of 1 John 1:9. Spiritually speaking, the roots of Israel are still strong (Rom. 11:1ff., especially vv. 16–24), and one day the vine and olive tree will be restored, and Asaph's prayer will be answered.
Hearing God's Word (vv. 6–10) The last clause of verse 5 could be translated, "We heard a voice we had not known" (niv margin), referring to the message God sent in verses 6–10. At some point in the festal celebration, a priest received God's message and declared it to the people. The emphasis in this psalm is on hearing the Word of God (vv. 6, 11, 13; see 95:7–11; Heb. 3). Every seventh year at the Feast of Tabernacles, the priests read the book of Deuteronomy to the people, and perhaps this was one of those special sabbatical years. (See Deut. 31:9–13, and note the emphasis in Deuteronomy on "hearing God" [Deut. 4:1, 6, 10; 5:1; 6:3–4; 9:1].) It is delightful to sing praises to God and to pray, but if we want Him to listen to us, we must listen to Him.