Psalm 80:8-19
“You transplanted a vine from Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it.
You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches. Its branches reached as far as the Sea,[a] its shoots as far as the River.[b] Why have you broken down its walls so that all who pass by pick its grapes? Boars from the forest ravage it, and insects from the fields feed on it. Return to us, God Almighty! Look down from heaven and see! Watch over this vine, the root your right hand has planted, the son[c] you have raised up for yourself. Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire; at your rebuke, your people perish. Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself. Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name. Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.”
You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches. Its branches reached as far as the Sea,[a] its shoots as far as the River.[b] Why have you broken down its walls so that all who pass by pick its grapes? Boars from the forest ravage it, and insects from the fields feed on it. Return to us, God Almighty! Look down from heaven and see! Watch over this vine, the root your right hand has planted, the son[c] you have raised up for yourself. Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire; at your rebuke, your people perish. Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself. Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name. Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.”
Often we find that a metaphor used in the Scriptures to tell the story of an event or happening, such as the people of Israel coming out of slavery characterized as a fruitful vine. That is what the writer of this Psalm is doing, but make sure you do not miss who was the planter of the vine.
The author was telling the history of what God did with His chosen people. Both in territorial, political influence through the reign of both Saul and David, but primarily through the Davidic Empire we read the history of Israel.
They, much like people today forgot who was the source of their protection and began to chase after the little gods of this world. Those gods often require us to leave the worship of God to fit into the desires of the world. When we do that we find as they did the protective hedge of God's right hand removed from our lives, much like what happened to Israel.
How are they different than us? Your 100% correct, not one iota difference between them and us. We all come into this world with what the Bible calls flesh and, it wants to rule. You will find that in Galatians 5:17, "For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."
When things go wrong, it is never our sins, no it is always someone else, and I've found that God is often the one blamed. For it was the Lord that planted the root (Israel) and the shoot always in Scripture is referring to a living person. And the foolishness of man is that no matter his action, God to be good must protect him. That lie is from the evil one, the one that knows his time is short and wants to deceive the masses.
And like them, when your world turns into cow manure, you are looking to cut a deal with a Holy God, who is not in the deal business, no He in the obedience business.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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