Psalm 80-83

Psalm 80In Hebrew texts 80:1-19 is numbered 80:2-20. 1For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” Of Asaph. A psalm. Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth

2before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh. Awaken your might; come and save us.

3Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.

4How long, LORD God Almighty, will your anger smolder against the prayers of your people?

5You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have made them drink tears by the bowlful.

6You have made us an object of derision Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text contention to our neighbors, and our enemies mock us.

7Restore us, God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.

8You transplanted a vine from Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it.

9You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land.

10The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches.

11Its branches reached as far as the Sea, Probably the Mediterranean its shoots as far as the River. That is, the Euphrates

12Why have you broken down its walls so that all who pass by pick its grapes?

13Boars from the forest ravage it, and insects from the fields feed on it.

14Return to us, God Almighty! Look down from heaven and see! Watch over this vine,

15the root your right hand has planted, the son Or branch you have raised up for yourself.

16Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire; at your rebuke your people perish.

17Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself.

18Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name. 19Restore us, LORD God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.

Psalm 81In Hebrew texts 81:1-16 is numbered 81:2-17. 1For the director of music. According to gittith. Title: Probably a musical term Of Asaph. Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob!

2Begin the music, strike the timbrel, play the melodious harp and lyre.

3Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;

4this is a decree for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

5When God went out against Egypt, he established it as a statute for Joseph. I heard an unknown voice say:

6“I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket.

7In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

8Hear me, my people, and I will warn you— if you would only listen to me, Israel!

9You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not worship any god other than me.

10I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.

11“But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me.

12So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.

13“If my people would only listen to me, if Israel would only follow my ways,

14how quickly I would subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!

15Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever. 16But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Psalm 82 1A psalm of Asaph. God presides in the great assembly; he renders judgment among the “gods”:

2“How long will you The Hebrew is plural. defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

3Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.

4Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

5“The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

6“I said, ‘You are “gods”; you are all sons of the Most High.’

7But you will die like mere mortals; you will fall like every other ruler.” 8Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance.

Psalm 83In Hebrew texts 83:1-18 is numbered 83:2-19. 1A song. A psalm of Asaph. O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God.

2See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their heads.

3With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish.

4“Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.”

5With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you—

6the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites,

7Byblos, Ammon and Amalek, Philistia, with the people of Tyre.

8Even Assyria has joined them to reinforce Lot’s descendants. The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

9Do to them as you did to Midian, as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,

10who perished at Endor and became like dung on the ground.

11Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

12who said, “Let us take possession of the pasturelands of God.”

13Make them like tumbleweed, my God, like chaff before the wind.

14As fire consumes the forest or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,

15so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your storm.

16Cover their faces with shame, LORD, so that they will seek your name.

17May they ever be ashamed and dismayed; may they perish in disgrace. 18Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD — that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.