Read Psalm 80. How are God’s people portrayed in this psalm, and what great hope do they plead for?

 Israel is portrayed as a vineyard that God uprooted from Egypt, the land of oppression, and transported to the Promised Land of abundance. The image of a vineyard conveys God’s election of Israel and His providential care (read also Gen. 49:11, 12, 22; and Deut. 7:7-11).

 However, in Psalm 80, God’s vineyard is under His wrath (Ps. 80:12). The prophets announce the vineyard’s destruction as the sign of God’s judgment because the vine has turned bad (Isa. 5:1-7, Jer. 2:21).

 However, Psalm 80 does not ponder over the reasons for divine judgment. Given the depths of God’s grace, the psalmist is perplexed that God can withhold His presence from His people for such an extended time. The tension between God’s wrath and judgment, on the one hand, and God’s grace and forgiveness, on the other, causes the psalmist to fear that divine wrath may prevail and consume the people completely (Ps. 80:16).

 Read Numbers 6:22-27. How is this blessing used by Psalm 80?

 The psalm’s refrain evokes Aaron’s promise of God’s perpetual blessing of His people (Num. 6:22-27) and highlights the hope that God’s grace will triumph over the causes of the people’s misery: “Restore us, O God; cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!” (Ps. 80:3, NKJV; see also Ps. 80:7, 19, NKJV).

 The Hebrew word for “restore” here comes from a common word that means to “return,” and it is used again and again in the Bible with God calling His people, who have wandered away, to return to Him. It is closely linked to the idea of repentance, of turning away from sin and back to God. “ ‘ ”Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart“ ’ ” (Jer. 24:7, NKJV).