The Book of Psalms Paraphrased, Book 3 · Psalm 80
PSALM LXXX.
To the chief-Muſician, upon Shoſhannim Eduth. A Pſalm of Aſaph.
ARGUMENT.
This Pſalm is ſomething of kin to the former; deprecating the diſpleaſure of the Almighty in a time of great calamity. Which, as all that I have met withall think, was either in the captivity of Judah and Benjamin by Nebuchadnezzar; or of the Ten Tribes, by Salmanaſſar. But it ſeems to me rather to have been penned between theſe two, in the time of Hezekiah: who had wrote a Letter you find (2 Chron. XXXI. 6.) to the remnant that were eſcaped out of the hand of the King of Aſſyria; eſpecially to Ephraim and Manaſſeh, the Tribes neareſt to them, that they would come to the Houſe of the Lord at Jeruſalem, and keep the Paſſover with them: which ſummons, ſeveral of them obeyed, Ver. 11. 18. and kept the Feaſt as long again as they were wont, Ver. 23. And when this was finiſhed, they all went through the Country, and threw down all the High places and Altars that they found: not onelyonly in Judah; but in Benjamin alſo, Ephraim and Manaſſeh, 2 Chron. XXXI. 1.
But after this happy ſettlement you reade there, XXXII. 1. that the Land was invaded by Senacherib, and ſorely diſtreſſed; to the great diſcouragement no doubt of thoſe, who had joined in the Reformation: which moved Aſaph (mentioned 2 Chron. XXIX. 30. ſee the Argument of LXXIII. Pſal.) moſt earneſtly to beſeech God (Ver. 2. of this Pſalm) that he would be pleaſed to ſtir up Himſelf before Ephraim, and Manaſſeh, as well as Benjamin (who was ſo linkt to Judah, that part of Jeruſalem and of the Temple ſtood in that Tribe) and let them ſee, by a remarkable deliverance, that their zeal for the purity of their Religion, was acceptable to Him.
Another reaſon indeed there may be given (which I have not omitted in my Paraphraſe) why theſe three are joined together, rather then any other, becauſe they were the Tribes (as we reade in the ſecond of Numbers) who, when they were in the Wilderneſs, always marched behind the Tabernacle, when it moved; and had that part, where the Propitiatory was, from whence God ſent his Oracles, and the tokens of his power; juſt before them. But then there is this to be added, to make it probable that this Pſalm was not penned in the time of the Captivity; becauſe, as then there was no Ark; nor did God ſit between the Cherubins (concerning which phraſe the learned Reader may ſee Lud. de Dieu, upon 1 Sam. IV. 4.) as He is ſaid here to do; nor were Ephraim and Manaſſeh then mixed with them, that we reade of: ſo, firſt of all, it is too full of elegancies for that time of utter deſolation; and ſecondly the Greek expreſly calls it, A Pſalm concerning the Aſſyrian (who is the wild Boar I ſuppoſe that broke into God's Vineyard, mentioned Ver. 13.) and laſtly, Hezekiah, I obſerve, applies himſelf to God (in the time of that diſtreſs by the King of Aſſyria) in the very language of the Pſalmiſt; and begins his Prayer, juſt as Aſaph doth here, to Him that ſits between the Cherubins, deſiring Him to incline his ear to his requeſts, 2 King. XIX. 15, 16. XXXVII. Iſa. 16, 17.
It was delivered to the chief Maſter of Muſick to be ſung as the LX. Pſalm, upon the Inſtruments of ſix ſtrings: which were wont to be uſed in ſolemn Thanksgivings (ſee the Argument of that Pſalm) for he nothing doubted God would hear their Prayers, and deſtroy Senacherib: Or perhaps it was ordered afterward to be ſung in that manner.
1. GIve ear, O ſhepherd of Iſrael, thou that leadeſt Joſeph like a flock, thou that dwelleſt between the cherubims, ſhine forth.
1. O Thou, who art the Ruler and Protectour of thy people Iſrael, who didſt long ago give a famous inſtance of thy power; in preſerving Joſeph, when he fell, like an innocent Lamb, among a company of Wolves, (XXXVII. Gen. 18, &c.) and conducting him to the higheſt preferment; reject not our humble petitions, which we put up unto Thee, in the like diſtreſs: but ſhew that Thou favoureſt us, by ſome illuſtrious token of thy preſence among us, in thy Holy place; from whence Thou canſt ſend Angels to defend and deliver us, 2 King. XIX. 35.
2. Before Ephraim, and Benjamin, and Manaſſeh, ſtir up thy ſtrength, and come and ſave us.
2. Let the poſterity of Joſeph, who beheld heretofore ſo many enemies fall before Thee, when they attended upon the Ark of thy preſence in the Wilderneſs, (II. Numb. 18, 20, 22.) and have lately been very zealous in thy ſervice, (2 Chr. XXX. 1. XXXI. 1.) ſee thy power to be as great as ever: (though for ſome time it hath not appeared at all for us) and that Thou art as forward, in due time, to grant us a glorious deliverance.
3. Turn us again, O God: and cauſe thy face to ſhine, and we ſhall be ſaved.
3. Reſtore us, O God, to our former happineſs; and for that end reſtore us into thy favour: and then there will ſoon be an end of our calamities.
4. O LORD God of hoſts, how long wilt thou be angry againſt the prayer of thy people?
4. For what can the greateſt Armies (2 King. XVIII. 17.) doe againſt Thee, who art the ſupreme Lord of all, the abſolute Commander of the Hoſts of Heaven? whoſe help we have moſt importunately implored, and long waited for, as men impatient to ſee our enemies ſo prevalent; though hitherto Thou haſt been ſo exceeding angry with us, that Thou haſt not heard the prayers of thy people.
5. Thou feedeſt them with the bread of tears: and giveſt them tears to drink in great meaſure.
5. But haſt turned our joyfull Feaſts unto faſting, and weeping; and our plenty, into ſcarcity of all things, but onelyonly of tears: which we pour out in large meaſure; when we think of the danger we are in, to periſh by famine and by thirſt, 2 Chron. XXXII. 21.
6. Thou makeſt us a ſtrife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themſelves.
6. Our neighbours, the Edomites and others, either pick quarrels with us, or ſtrive among themſelves who ſhall make the greateſt booty of us: while our enemies, that beſiege us, mock at our inability to help our ſelves; and at our confidence, which we place in Thee, 2 King. XVIII. 22, 23. 2 Chron. XXXII. 15.
7. Turn us again, O God of hoſts, and cauſe thy face to ſhine, and we ſhall be ſaved.
7. Convince them, O Lord, that it is not vainly placed, by reſtoring us again to our former happineſs: which it is eaſie for Thee to doe, who haſt all the Hoſts of Heaven at thy command; if Thou wilt but be pleaſed to favour us (as we again beſeech Thee, Thou wilt) and then no harm ſhall befall us.
8. Thou haſt brought a vine out of Egypt: thou haſt caſt out the heathen, and planted it.
8. We were once very dear unto Thee, when Thou didſt tranſplant us, like a choice Vine, out of Egypt into this Country: from whence Thou didſt drive out the ancient Inhabitants; that we might be ſettled in their place.
9. Thou preparedſt room before it, and didſt cauſe it to take deep root, and it filled the land.
9. Thou preparedſt the way for us, making our terrour fall upon them before we came (II. Joſh. 9, 10, 11.) ſo that we eaſily expelled them; and being there firmly eſtabliſhed, like a Vine deeply rooted in a fruitfull ſoil, we increaſed and multiplied, till we peopled all the Land.
10. The hills were covered with the ſhadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.
10. And as a rich Vine covers the Hill, on the ſide of which it is planted; or overtops the lofty Cedars, which ſupport it: ſo we obſcured the ſplendour of the greateſt Kingdoms; and made mighty Kings, become Tributaries to us, 1 King. IV. 24.
11. She ſent out her boughs unto the ſea, and her branches unto the river.
11. For our Empire extended it ſelf (juſt like ſuch a luxuriant Vine which ſpreads its branches every way) from the mid-land Sea, to the River Euphrates, 1 King. IV. 21. (ſee LXXII. Pſal. 8.)
12. Why haſt thou then broken down her hedges, ſo that all they which paſs by the way, do pluck her?
12. But now alas! Thou haſt withdrawn thy protection from us; and we are left like a Vineyard without its Hedges: All our ſtrong Holds, and fenced Cities are taken, (2 King. XVIII. 3.) ſo that we lie open to be made a prey to every one that hath a mind to ſpoil us.
13. The Boar out of the wood doth waſte it, and the wild beaſt of the field doth devour it.
13. The Aſſyrian King, like a wild Boar, that breaks into a Vineyard, treads down all under his feet, and ſeeks to root us up: There is no ſavage Beaſt can make greater havock among the Vines, then his barbarous Souldiers have done throughout all the Land; which they have eaten up, 2 King. XIX. 29.
14. Return, we heſeech thee, O God of hoſts: look down from heaven, and behold, and viſit this vine;
14. Our onelyonly hope is, that Thou, the great Lord of Hoſts, on whom the event of Wars, as of all things elſe, depends, wilt be reconciled unto us; and drive him out again: deny us not this requeſt, we beſeech Thee, but though we be deſtitute of all help on earth, yet ſend us ſome from heaven; and, though very unworthy, yet graciouſly take us into thy care, and repair the breaches which they have made.
15. And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madeſt ſtrong for thy ſelf.
15. Be favourable to the remnant of us, which, by thy powerfull preſervation, is ſtill left; like the root or ſtock of a Vine, which may ſprout out again: (2 King. XIX. 30, 31.) and eſpecially to our King, whom Thou haſt endued with zeal and couragious reſolution for they ſervice, (2 Chron. XXX. 32.) and for our defence, 2 Chron. XXXII. 5, 6, 7, 8.
16. It is burnt with fire, it is out down: they periſh at the rebuke of thy countenance.
16. Great numbers of us are deſtroyed already; and may be compared to the numerous branches of that remaining ſtock, which, being cut off, are burnt with fire: and all the reſt of us muſt periſh; if Thou wilt not be reconciled unto us, but ſtill perſevere in thy anger towards us.
17. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the ſon of man whom thou madeſt ſtrong for thy ſelf.
17. Which we beſeech Thee turn away; and be the mighty Helper of our Sovereign, who is dearly beloved by Thee; of that excellent Prince, whom Thou haſt endued with zeal and couragious reſolution, for thy ſervice and for our defence and preſervation, (Ver. 15.)
18. So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.
18. Which ſhall be an everlaſting obligation upon us, never to revolt from Thee to our former Idolatry: Do but free us from theſe deadly enemies, and we will worſhip Thee alone; and never ceaſe to praiſe Thee, and acknowledge that we owe our very lives to thy almighty Goodneſs.
19. Turn us again, O LORD God of hoſts: cauſe thy face to ſhine, and we ſhall be ſaved.
19. Hear us, O great Lord, who haſt all the Angels in Heaven at thy command; hear us, we once more beſeech Thee, and reſtore us perfectly to our former happineſs: and in order to it, reſtore us to thy favour; and let there be a ſpeedy end of all theſe calamities.