The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 142

EXPOSITION. kingdoms, the greater prl.l't nUaohing itself PSALM LXXX. to tile rival power. Stir up thy strength; i.e. " rouse thyself from tb ine inaction- A PSALM in which the writer entrnats Goel come forward, and make thy might to to restore bis favour onoe more t.o Israel, appear." And come and save us; literally, and especially to the ten tribes, who are come for salvation to us. The writer in affliction, and in danger of perishing identifies himself with the rebel tribes, who, after all, are a part of God's people- (vers. 1, 2, 15-17). The psalm is evidently e. part of Israel. written while the temple is standing (,er. Ver. 3.-Turn u again, 0 God; or, restore 1), and while Israel still occupies the Holy us-" bring us back "-i.e. bring those of Land (vers. 8-15), but in a time of deep us who are in exile (2 Kings xv. 29) back suffering, when the nation has sustained a to our country. And cause thy faoe to shine (comp.Numb.vi.25; Pas. xxxi. lG; lxvii. severe blow. It probably belongs to the I). The metaphor scarcely needs explnna- period immediately preceding the final tion. And we shall be saved. If thou caplh-ity of the ten tribes, when the lookest upon us with favour, our sal vo.tion 1.-ingdom of Israel was already tottering to is assured, its fall, and the carrying off of the popula- Ver. 4.-0 Lord God of hosts. A form of address unusual in the Psalms, but occurring tion had begun (2 Kings xv. 29). The in Pss. lix. 5; lxxxiv. 8; and below in var. psalm is "Asaphian," i.e. composed by a 18. How long wilt thou be angry age.inst member of the .A.saphia.n division of the the prayer of thy people 1 literally, how long temple choir, but certainly not by Asaph. wilt thou. smoke? (comp. .Pa. lxxiv. 1). It consistB of two short strophes (vers. 1-3, "Against the prayer" means "in spite of the prayer," or "notwithstanding the 4-7) and one long one (vers. 8-~, each prayer." Ordinarily, Go,l forgives, and concluded with an almost identical refrain ceases from his anger, as soon as the (vera. 3, 7, 19). afflicted one makes eo.rnest prayer to him. But this is not always so. A time comes Ver. 1.-Give ear, 0 Shepherd of Israel. when his wrath cannot be appeased-when The title, "Shepherd of Israel," is a new " there ia no remedy" (2 Chron. xxxvi. one; bnt it follows naturally from the 16). Evil has been persisted in too long. metaphor, so often employed (Pss. lxxiv. I ; Ver. 5.-Thou feedest them with the lx:xvii. 20; lxHiii. 52; luix. 13), of Israel bread of tears (comp. Ps. xlii. 2, "My being God's "flock." Tilou that leade&t tears have been my meat day and night"). J"o&eph like a flock. "Thou that 1,edde8t" And givest them tears to drink in great (Cl,eyn~ ). Tlie mention of" Joseph" shows measure; or, and givest them to drink a at once that the thoughts of the psalmist copiou8 draught of tear8; literally, sltalish e.re fixed on the northern kingdom. Tbou is a measure of capacity, probably the that dwe!lest between the cherubims. The third part of nn ephah (see Iso.. :xl. 12). two cherubim that overshadowed the Ver. 6.-Thou makest us a strife unto our mercy-seat seem to be meant. Shine forth; neighbours. A great invasion, Assyrian i.e. "show thyself-manifest thy might" or Babylonian, was always a signal to the ( comp. Ps. I. 2). near neighbours of Israel-Syria, Moab, Ver. 2.-Before Ephraim and Benjamin Ammon, Edom-to indulge in hostilities and Mana~seh. " Ephraim " and "Manas- (see 2 Kings xxiv. 2). And our enemies seh" form n natural expansion of the laugh among themselves (comp. Pas. xliv. "Joseph" of the preceding verse; Lut it 13; lxxix. 4). is difficult to understand the mention of Ver. 7.-Turn UB again, 0 God of hosts, "Benjamin" here. Hengstenberg suggesb, and ea.use thy face to shine ; and we shall e.nd both Ca.non Cook and Professor Cheyne be saved. Here the refrain oeours for the stem to a.ccept the suggestion, that it was second time, but with the slight variation or only a email portion of Benjamin which "0 God of hosts" instead of "0 God" &dh.ert:d to Judah 11,t the di vision. of the simply (see tbe ~mmen.t ~n ver'. 19),  PB, LXXX, 1-19.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 1G7