PSALMS 79-80 "TURN US AGAIN, O' GOD"

Pastor Carolyn Sissom (1182 views)

“TURN US AGAIN, O GOD”

PSALM 79 and 80

Tuesday Morning Bible Study 9/1/20, the Year of Our Lord

Pastor Carolyn Sissom

 

“Turn us again O’ God and we shall be saved.”

(Ps. 80: 3, 7 and 19)

 

In Psalm 79, Indignation is expressed over the terrible carnage that made the streets of Jerusalem run with blood.  Intercession is made to the LORD. 

 

As we see the escalation of the rioting, burning, and violence in our capitol and our cities, we are very close to being over-run by Barbarians which are the demonic, terrorist armies by the names of Antifa and Black Lives Matter. 

 

One of the verses that resonated with me is:  Psa. 79:3: The shed blood of your servants has soaked the city with no one left to bury the dead.(T.P.T.)

 

During the past months, people in our nation were not allowed to have funerals to bury their loved ones.  People of God we have to know the scriptures.  We have to study the scriptures. This is a “sign” of national disaster. 

 

Psalms 79 and 80 are psalms of intercession in times of national disaster.  It points to a great national calamity. This is a cry of distress.  The country and the city of God are over run and spoiled by ruthless armies.

 

Psa. 79:1: God won’t you do something?  Barbarians have invaded your inheritance.  Your temple of holiness has been violated, and Jerusalem has been left in ruins. (T.P.T.)

 

The Psalmists prays to God for pardon, help, and deliverance.  The singer is placing his total trust in God.

 

The historical setting behind this Psalm was the grim tragedy of 587 B.C., when Nebuchadnezzar invaded and laid siege to Jerusalem.  Heartbroken, a group gather round the temple and lay their anguish before the God of Judah.

 

As you will recall, from Sunday’s sermon, the LORD promised King Zedekiah if he would surrender to Nebuchadnezzar, Jerusalem would not be destroyed and the remnant who remained would prosper.  

 

37:2: Neither he (Zedekiah), nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of the Lord, which he spoke by the prophet, Jeremiah.

 

The cry of the Psalm indicates the people know that they are under God’s hand of judgement.  They know God is sovereign over the nations of the earth. Behind Nebuchadnezzar can only be the enabling of God Himself.  Just as Assyria of old was the rod of His anger (Isa. 10:5).  All their symbols of security were shattered nationwide, the capital, even the temple.

 

 In verses 1-7, I don’t hear any repentance:

 

 

Psa. 79:5-7:  How long, LORD? will you be angry forever? shall your jealousy burn like fire.  Pour out your wrath upon the heathen that have not known you, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon your name. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.

 

The fires that raged over Jerusalem’s landmarks were symbols of the LORD’S passion (jealousy).  God is both the Enemy who has vented His anger and the Friend whose help is sought.  This is a word.  These Barbarians building fires and destroying our cities could not do this unless the hand of God was permitting this judgment.  America will you repent, or will you be like Judah of old, and continue to defy and disobey God.

 

The people of Judah are saying, “Lord see those infidels, they worship their own gods and give no allegiance to Yahweh.  Surely you will not let them go scot-free while we have lost everything.” 

 

Of course, we have the benefit of history, and know that the LORD also judged and destroyed those he used as vessels of his judgment.  So, their prayer was answered, but not until God’s work of judgment on Judah was fulfilled.

 

Psa. 79:8: O’ remember not against us former iniquities: let your tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.

 

Now we hear the cry and groan of the believer for redemption; but they are still not taking full responsibility for their own sins.  They are blaming this judgment on their fathers.

 

Please God, don’t hold the sins of our fathers against us.  Don’t make us pay for their sins.  Hurry to our side, and let your tenderhearted mercy meet us in our need, for we are devastated beyond belief. (T.P.T.)

 

In history and even today unrepented sins of one generation to the other, brings judgment on its predecessors.  Israel was very conscious of the chains of solidarity which bound generation to generation and God’s covenant of blessing to their generations.   As Christians, we have seen generational sins falling on our children.  We also see generational blessings falling on our children.  Our righteousness will bring blessings to generations to come. 

 

Through the Blood of Jesus, Faith and the Holy Spirit, we are able to break the curses of the sins of our ancestors.

 

In Psalm 79, the pray-ers, cry out for the redemption and saving grace of the Cross.  Their prayers touch the Cross.   The survivors plead for mitigation, that they may not suffer further on this account.  If their plea is granted, they now admit that it will be undeserved, which is true humility and repentance. 

 

They now in humility ask for God’s mercy, not His justice.

 

Psa.79:9 - Help us, O’ God of our salvation, for the glory of your name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for your name's sake.

 

Christian, you and I carry the name of Christ.  We declare we are of His Blood.  Let us live our lives for the glory of His Name and not dishonor His Holy Name.  The Israelites are asking God to deliver them for the glory of His name.  they are the ones who brought shame to God, but now they are asking Him to deliver them so their judgment will not reflect on Judah’s God. 

 

Psa. 79:10:  Wherefore should the heathen say, where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of your servants which is shed.

 

They are trying to negotiate a “deal” with God for Him to deliver them from the judgment of their sins.  Do not pray like this!  It reveals their hearts are not yet pure before God and as we saw in Jeremiah 42, this same crowd later acted in hypocrisy toward God. Their prayers are still sneering saying their neighbors will think their God is weak.  If I prayed like that, I would be afraid, lightning would strike me down. 

 

Many of them are prisoners of war with a death sentence on their heads, but beyond their pitiful weakness, they do recognize that the strong arm of God is their only hope.  Perhaps at one time or another, in our weakness, we have all prayed wrongly.  But, in our place of ignorance and desperation, we knew that only God was our help.  The human race without Jesus Christ as our Savior, is a pitiful bunch.

 

  Psa. 79:11-13:  Let the sighing of the prisoner come before you; according to the greatness of your power preserve those that are appointed to die; And render unto our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached you, O Lord. So, we your people and sheep of your pasture will give you thanks forever.  We will show forth your praise to all generations.

 

As we saw in Jeremiah 42, the Lord answered this prayer.  He told them He had repented of the evil he had done to them, but they had to obey His directive. 

 

If you will still abide in this land, then I will build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I repent of the evil that I have done unto you.  Be not afraid of the king of Babylon of whom you are afraid; be not afraid of him, says the Lord; for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.  And I will show mercies unto you, and cause you to return to your own land.  But if you say, we will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the Lord your God, Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell;  And now, therefore, hear the Word of the Lord you Remnant of Judah; thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel…

 

We know they again disobeyed the Word of the Lord.

 

America do not be afraid of Babylon (the world monetary system).  Let us trust and obey God.  In Him, we will prosper and be safe regardless of what comes upon the earth.  Do not put your trust in Egypt (the One World Order).

 

PSALM 80 – TURN US AGAIN O’ GOD

 

The cry in Psalm 80 is for restoration of the nation.  This can be our cry as we ask God to heal our nation after the COVID Pandemic, rioting, and the obvious attempt to overthrow a sitting U. S. President.

 

In Psalm 80, we see the principle of the Passover of the Kingdom into a new age.   This is the revelation of the MAN whose name is the BRANCH.  This is the BRANCH MAN of Isa. 4, 11; Zech. 6; and Jer. 23.

 

Psa. 80:1-3: Give ear, O’ Shepherd of Israel, you that leads Joseph like a flock; You that dwells between the cherubims, shine forth.  Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up your strength, and come and save us. Turn us again, O God, and cause your face to shine; and we shall be saved.

 

The cry is to God our Shepherd.  The burden of the prayer is repeated three times in verses 3, 7, and 19:

 

“Turn us again, O’ God and cause your face to shine; and we shall be saved.”

 

There is an ascent in the NAMES OF God:  O’ Shepherd, O’ God, O’ LORD God of hosts, and Jehovah, God of hosts!

 

Psa. 80:4:  O’ LORD God of hosts, how long will you be angry against the prayer of your people?

 

Passion translation addressed God as follows:

 

Vs.1:  God enthroned, be revealed in splendor…Loving Shepherd of Israel---listen to our hearts cry.

Vs.4;19: O’ God, the Mighty Commander of Angel-Armies.

 

80: 1-3:  God-Enthroned, be revealed in splendor as you ride upon the cherubim!  How perfectly you lead us, a people set free.  Loving Shepherd of Israel---listen to our hearts’ cry! Shine forth from your throne of dazzling light.  In the sight of Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh, stir up your mighty power in full display before our eyes.  Revive us, O’ God!  Let your beaming face shine upon us with the sunrise rays of glory; then nothing will be able to stop us.

 

In verses 4-7, they confess that God was too great to allow the situation to be out of His control.  They knew He held their enemies on a leash.

 

Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh are three sons of Rachel and they marched together behind the Ark. 

 

80:4-7:  O’ God, the Mighty Commander of Angel-Armies, how much longer will you smolder in anger?  How much longer will you be disgusted with your people even when they pray?  You have fed us with sorrow and grief and made us drink our tears by the bowlful.  You have made us a thorn in the side of all the neighboring lands, and now they just laugh at us with their mocking scorn.  Come back, come back, O God, and restore us!  You are the Commander of Angel-Armies.  Let your beaming face shine upon us with the sunrise rays of glory, and then nothing will be able to stop us.

 

Land and people go together in God’s covenant.  On this ground, they plead for re-occupation of lost territory. On this principle of God, the founders of the United States came into covenant with God for our naiton:  “One nation under God.”

 

  The past triumphs of His grace they proclaim in the parable of the vine.  The figure of the vine is expressive of the divine purpose, choice and care of Israel’s destiny to expand and bear much fruit for God.  It also expresses the people’s unity, a single organism transcending the generations.  He is not only the Shepherd of His people, but God is our gardener/husbandman.    

 

Jhn.15:1: I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

Jhn.15:4-5: Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  “I am the vine.  You are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

 

Psa. 80: 8-11:  Remember how you transplanted us here like a tender vine from Egypt.  You cleared the land for your vineyard, evicting the nations from your land and planting us here!  The roots of your vineyard went deep into the soil and filled the land with fruit.  Because of your favor on your vineyard, blessing extended to every mountain of influence.  Through this flourishing vineyard mighty ones were raised up.  The nations were blessed by your fruitful vineyard of Israel, all the way from the Mediterranean to the Euphrates.

 

Like weeds, other nations now cover holy ground. In hope, the praying community declare God’s mighty works of grace when he prepared the garden and cared for his beloved vine.  From Lebanon’s gigantic cedars to the southern mountains, from the Mediterranean Sea to the River Euphrates once stretched God’s vineyard.  Unprotected by God, His land and people are now the weak prey of every foe, who, unclean as any wild boar tramples down the vine. 

 

The political problem is at heart a spiritual one.