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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>P S A L M S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>PSALM LXXX.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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This psalm is much to the same purport with the foregoing. Some think
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it was penned upon occasion of the desolation and captivity of the ten
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tribes, as the foregoing psalm of the two. But many were the distresses
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of the Israel of God, many perhaps which are not recorded in the sacred
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history some whereof might give occasion for the drawing up of this
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psalm, which is proper to be sung in the day of Jacob's trouble, and
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if, in singing it, we express a true love to the church and a hearty
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concern for its interest, with a firm confidence in God's power to help
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it out of its greatest distresses, we make melody with our hearts to
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the Lord. The psalmist here,
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I. Begs for the tokens of God's presence with them and favour to them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:1-3">ver. 1-3</A>.
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II. He complains of the present rebukes they were under,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:4-7">ver. 4-7</A>.
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III. He illustrates the present desolations of the church, by the
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comparison of a vine and a vineyard, which had flourished, but was now
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destroyed,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:8-16">ver. 8-16</A>.
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IV. He concludes with prayer to God for the preparing of mercy for them
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and the preparing of them for mercy,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:17-19">ver. 17-19</A>.
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This, as many psalms before and after, relates to the public interests
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of God's Israel, which ought to lie nearer to our hearts than any
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secular interest of our own.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ps80_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps80_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps80_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps80_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps80_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps80_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps80_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Mournful Complaints.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<CENTER>
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<P>To the chief musician upon Shoshannim, Eduth. A psalm of Asaph.</P>
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</CENTER>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph
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like a flock; thou that dwellest <I>between</I> the cherubims, shine
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forth.
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2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy
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strength, and come <I>and</I> save us.
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3 Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we
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shall be saved.
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4 O L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the
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prayer of thy people?
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5 Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them
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tears to drink in great measure.
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6 Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies
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laugh among themselves.
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7 Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine;
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and we shall be saved.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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The psalmist here, in the name of the church, applies to God by prayer,
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with reference to the present afflicted state of Israel.</P>
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<P>
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I. He entreats God's favour for them
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:1,2"><I>v.</I> 1, 2</A>);
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that is all in all to the sanctuary when it is desolate, and is to be
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sought in the first place. Observe,
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1. How he eyes God in his address as the Shepherd of Israel, whom he
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had called the <I>sheep of his pasture</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+79:13">Ps. lxxix. 13</A>),
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under whose guidance and care Israel was, as the sheep are under the
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care and conduct of the shepherd. Christ is the great and good
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Shepherd, to whom we may in faith commit the custody of his sheep that
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were given to him. He <I>leads Joseph like a flock,</I> to the best
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pastures, and out of the way of danger; if Joseph follow him not as
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obsequiously as the sheep do the shepherd, it is his own fault. He
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<I>dwells between the cherubim,</I> where he is ready to receive
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petitions and to give directions. The mercy-seat was between the
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cherubim; and it is very comfortable in prayer to look up to God as
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sitting on a throne of grace, and that it is so to us is owning to the
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great propitiation, for the mercy-seat was the propitiatory.
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2. What he expects and desires from God, that he would give ear to the
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cry of their miseries and of their prayers, that he would shine forth
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both in his own glory and in favour and kindness to his people, that he
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would show himself and smile on them, that he would <I>sir up his
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strength,</I> that he would excite it and exert it. It had seemed to
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slumber: "Lord, awaken it." His cause met with great opposition and the
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enemies threatened to overpower it: "Lord, put forth thy strength so
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much the more, and come for salvation to us; be to thy people a
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powerful help and a present help; Lord, do this <I>before Ephraim,
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Benjamin, and Manasseh,</I>" that is, "In the sight of all the tribes
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of Israel; let them see it to their satisfaction." Perhaps these three
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tribes are named because they were the tribes which formed that
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squadron of the camp of Israel that in their march through the
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wilderness followed next after the tabernacle; so that before them the
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ark of God's strength rose to scatter their enemies.</P>
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<P>
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II. He complains of God's displeasure against them. God was angry, and
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he dreads that more than any thing,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>.
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1. It was great anger. He apprehended that God was <I>angry against the
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prayer of his people,</I> not only that he was angry notwithstanding
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their prayers, by which they hoped to turn away his wrath from them,
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but that he was angry with their prayers, though they were his own
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people that prayed. That God should be angry at the sins of his people
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and at the prayers of his enemies is not strange; but that he should be
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angry at the prayers of his people is strange indeed. He not only
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delayed to answer them (that he often does in love), but he was
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displeased at them. If he be really angry at the prayers of his people,
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we may be sure it is because they ask amiss,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jam+4:3">Jam. iv. 3</A>.
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They pray, but they do not wrestle in prayer; their ends are not right,
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or there is some secret sin harboured and indulged in them; they do not
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lift up pure hands, or they lift them up with wrath and doubting. But
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perhaps it is only in their own apprehension; he seems angry with their
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prayers when really he is not; for thus he will try their patience and
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perseverance in prayer, as Christ tried the woman of Canaan when he
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said, <I>It is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to
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dogs.</I>
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2. It was anger that had continued a great while: "<I>How long wilt
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thou be angry?</I> We have still continued praying and yet are still
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under thy frowns." Now the tokens of God's displeasure which they had
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been long under were both their sorrow and shame.
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(1.) Their sorrow
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>):
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<I>Thou feedest them with the bread of tears;</I> they eat their meat
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from day to day in tears; this is the vinegar in which they <I>dipped
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their morsel,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+42:3">Ps. xlii. 3</A>.
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They had tears given them to drink, not now and then a taste of that
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bitter cup, but in great measure. Note, There are many that spend their
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time in sorrow who yet shall spend their eternity in joy.
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(2.) It was their shame,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>.
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God, by frowning upon them, made them a strife unto their neighbours;
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each strove which should expose them most, and such a cheap and easy
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prey were they made to them that all the strife was who should have the
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stripping and plundering of them. Their enemies laughed among
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themselves to see the frights they were in, the straits they were
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reduced to, and the disappointments they met with. When God is
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displeased with his people we must expect to see them in tears and
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their enemies in triumph.</P>
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<P>
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III. He prays earnestly for converting grace in order to their
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acceptance with God, and their salvation: <I>Turn us again, O God!</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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<I>Turn us again, O God of hosts!</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>)
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and then <I>cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved.</I> It is
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the burden of the song, for we have it again,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>.
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They are conscious to themselves that they have gone astray from God
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and their duty, and have turned aside into sinful ways, and that it was
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this that provoked God to hide his face from them and to give them up
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into the hand of their enemies; and therefore they desire to begin
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their work at the right end: "Lord, turn us to thee in a way of
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repentance and reformation, and then, no doubt, thou wilt return to us
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in a way of mercy and deliverance." Observe,
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1. No salvation but from God's favour: "<I>Cause thy face to shine,</I>
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let us have thy love and the light of thy countenance, and then we
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shall be saved."
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2. No obtaining favour with God unless we be converted to him. We must
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turn again to God from the world and the flesh, and then he will cause
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his face to shine upon us.
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3. No conversion to God but by his own grace; we must frame our doings
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to turn to him
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ho+5:4">Hos. v. 4</A>)
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and then pray earnestly for his grace, <I>Turn thou me, and I shall be
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turned,</I> pleading that gracious promise
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+1:23">Prov. i. 23</A>),
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<I>Burn you at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto
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you.</I> The prayer here is for a national conversion; in this method
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we must pray for national mercies, that what is amiss may be amended,
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and then our grievances would be soon redressed. National holiness
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would secure national happiness.</P>
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<A NAME="Ps80_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps80_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps80_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps80_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps80_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps80_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps80_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps80_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps80_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps80_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps80_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps80_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Desolated Vine.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>8 Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the
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heathen, and planted it.
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9 Thou preparedst <I>room</I> before it, and didst cause it to take
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deep root, and it filled the land.
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10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs
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thereof <I>were like</I> the goodly cedars.
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11 She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto
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the river.
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12 Why hast thou <I>then</I> broken down her hedges, so that all
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they which pass by the way do pluck her?
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13 The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast
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of the field doth devour it.
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14 Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from
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heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;
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15 And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the
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branch <I>that</I> thou madest strong for thyself.
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16 <I>It is</I> burned with fire, <I>it is</I> cut down: they perish at
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the rebuke of thy countenance.
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17 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son
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of man <I>whom</I> thou madest strong for thyself.
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18 So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will
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call upon thy name.
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19 Turn us again, O L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> God of hosts, cause thy face to shine;
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and we shall be saved.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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The psalmist is here presenting his suit for the Israel of God, and
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pressing it home at the throne of grace, pleading with God for mercy
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and grace for them. The church is here represented as a vine
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:8,14"><I>v.</I> 8, 14</A>)
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and a vineyard,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>.
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The root of this vine is Christ,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ro+11:18">Rom. xi. 18</A>.
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The branches are believers,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+15:5">John xv. 5</A>.
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The church is like a vine, weak and needing support, unsightly and
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having an unpromising outside, but spreading and fruitful, and its
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fruit most excellent. The church is a choice and noble vine; we have
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reason to acknowledge the goodness of God that he has planted such a
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vine in the wilderness of this world, and preserved it to this day. Now
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observe here,</P>
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<P>
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I. How the vine of the Old-Testament church was planted at first. It
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was <I>brought out of Egypt</I> with a high hand; <I>the heathen were
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cast out</I> of Canaan to make room for it, seven nations to make room
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for that one. <I>Thou didst sweep before it</I> (so some read
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>),
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to make clear work; the nations were swept away as dirt with the besom
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of destruction. God, having made room for it, and planted it, cause it
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to take deep root by a happy establishment of their government both in
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church and state, which was so firm that, though their neighbours about
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them often attempted it, they could not prevail to pluck it up.</P>
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<P>
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II. How it spread and flourished.
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1. The land of Canaan itself was fully peopled. At first they were not
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so numerous as to replenish it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+23:29">Exod. xxiii. 29</A>.
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But in Solomon's time <I>Judah and Israel were many as the sand of the
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sea;</I> the land was filled with them, and yet such a fruitful land
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that it was not over-stocked,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>.
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The hills of Canaan were covered with their shadow, and the branches,
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though they extended themselves far, like those of the vine, yet were
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not weak like them, but as strong as those of the goodly cedars. Israel
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not only had abundance of men, but those mighty men of valour.
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2. They extended their conquests and dominion to the neighbouring
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countries
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>):
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<I>She sent out her boughs to the sea,</I> the great sea westward, and
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<I>her branches to the river,</I> to the river of Egypt southward, the
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river of Damascus northward, or rather the river Euphrates eastward,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+15:18">Gen. xv. 18</A>.
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Nebuchadnezzar's greatness is represented by a flourishing tree,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Da+4:20,21">Dan. iv. 20, 21</A>.
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But it is observable here concerning this vine that it is praised for
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its <I>shadow,</I> its <I>boughs,</I> and its <I>branches,</I> but not
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a word of its fruit, for <I>Israel was an empty vine,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ho+10:1">Hos. x. 1</A>.
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God came looking for grapes, but, behold, wild grapes,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+5:2">Isa. v. 2</A>.
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And, if a vine do not bring forth fruit, no tree so useless, so
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worthless,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+15:2,6">Ezek. xv. 2, 6</A>.</P>
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<P>
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III. How it was wasted and ruined: "Lord, thou hast done great things
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for this vine, and why shall it be all undone again? If it were a plant
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not of God's planting, it were not strange to see it rooted up; but
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will God desert and abandon that which he himself gave being to?"
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>.
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<I>Why hast thou then broken down her hedges?</I> There was a good
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reason for this change in God's way towards them. This noble vine had
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become <I>the degenerate plant of a strange vine</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+2:21">Jer. ii. 21</A>),
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to the reproach of its great owner, and then no marvel if he <I>took
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away its hedge</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+5:5">Isa. v. 5</A>);
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yet God's former favours to this vine are urged as pleas in prayer to
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God, and improved as encouragements to faith, that, notwithstanding all
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this, God would not wholly cast them off. Observe,
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1. The malice and enmity of the Gentile nations against Israel. As soon
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as ever God <I>broke down their hedges</I> and left them exposed troops
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of enemies presently broke in upon them, that waited for an opportunity
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to destroy them. Those that passed by the way plucked at them; the
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<I>board out of the wood</I> and the <I>wild beast of the field</I>
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were ready to ravage it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>.
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But,
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2. See also the restraint which these cruel enemies were under; for
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till God had <I>broken down their hedges</I> they could not pluck a
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leaf of this vine. The devil could not hurt Job so long as God
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continued the <I>hedge round about him,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+1:10">Job i. 10</A>.
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See how much it is the interest of any people to keep themselves in the
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favour of God and then they need not fear any wild beast of the field,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+5:23">Job v. 23</A>.
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If we provoke God to withdraw, <I>our defence has departed from us,</I>
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and we are undone. The deplorable state of Israel is described
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>):
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<I>It is burnt with fire; it is cut down;</I> the people are treated
|
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like thorns and briers, that are nigh unto cursing and whose end is to
|
|
be burned, and no longer like vines that are protected and cherished.
|
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They perish not through the rage of the wild beast and the boar, but
|
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<I>at the rebuke of thy countenance;</I> that was it which they dreaded
|
|
and to which they attributed all their calamities. It is well or ill
|
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with us according as we are under God's smiles or frowns.</P>
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<P>
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IV. What their requests were to God hereupon.
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1. That God would help the vine
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:14,15"><I>v.</I> 14, 15</A>),
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that he would graciously take cognizance of its case and do for it as
|
|
he thought fit: "<I>Return, we beseech thee, O Lord of hosts!</I> for
|
|
thou hast seemed to go away from us. <I>Look down from heaven,</I> to
|
|
which thou hast retired,--from heaven, that place of prospect, whence
|
|
thou seest all the wrongs that are done us, that place of power, whence
|
|
thou canst send effectual relief,--from heaven, where thou hast
|
|
prepared thy throne of judgment, to which we appeal, and where thou
|
|
hast prepared a better country for those that are Israelites
|
|
indeed,--thence give a gracious look, thence make a gracious visit, to
|
|
this vine. Take our woeful condition into thy compassionate
|
|
consideration, and for the particular fruits of thy pity we refer
|
|
ourselves to thee. Only behold the vineyard, or rather the root, which
|
|
<I>thy right hand hath planted,</I> and which therefore we hope thy
|
|
right hand will protect, that <I>branch which thou madest strong for
|
|
thyself,</I> to show forth thy praise
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+43:21">Isa. xliii. 21</A>),
|
|
|
|
that with the fruit of it thou mightest be honoured. Lord, it is formed
|
|
by thyself and for thyself, and therefore it may with a humble
|
|
confidence be committed to thyself and to thy own care." <I>As for God,
|
|
his work is perfect.</I> What we read the <I>branch</I> in the Hebrew
|
|
is the <I>son (Ben</I>), whom in thy counsel thou hast made strong for
|
|
thyself. That branch was to come out of the stock of Israel (<I>my
|
|
servant the branch,</I>
|
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|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+3:8">Zech. iii. 8</A>),
|
|
|
|
and therefore, till he should come, Israel in general, and the house of
|
|
David in particular, must be preserved, and upheld, and kept in being.
|
|
<I>He is the true vine,</I>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+15:1,Isa+11:1">John xv. 1; Isa. xi. 1</A>.
|
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|
<I>Destroy it not for that blessing is in it,</I>
|
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|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+65:8">Isa. lxv. 8</A>.
|
|
|
|
2. That he would help the vine-dresser
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:17,18"><I>v.</I> 17, 18</A>):
|
|
|
|
"<I>Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand,</I>" that king
|
|
(whoever it was) of the house of David that was now to go in and out
|
|
before them; "let they hand be upon him, not only to protect and cover
|
|
him, but to own him, and strengthen him, and give him success." We have
|
|
this phrase,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+7:28">Ezra vii. 28</A>,
|
|
|
|
<I>And I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my God was upon
|
|
me.</I> Their king is called the <I>man of God's right hand</I> as he
|
|
was the representative of their state, which was dear to God, as his
|
|
Benjamin, the <I>son of his right hand,</I> as he was president in
|
|
their affairs and an instrument in God's right hand of much good to
|
|
them, defending them from themselves and from their enemies and
|
|
directing them in the right way, and as he was under-shepherd under him
|
|
who was the great shepherd of Israel. Princes, who have power, must
|
|
remember that they are <I>sons of men,</I> of <I>Adam</I> (so the word
|
|
is), that, if they are strong, it is God that has made them strong, and
|
|
he has made them so for himself, for they are his ministers to serve
|
|
the interests of his kingdom among men, and, if they do this in
|
|
sincerity, <I>his hand shall be upon them;</I> and we should pray in
|
|
faith that it may be so, adding this promise, that, if God will adhere
|
|
to our governors, we will adhere to him: <I>So will not we go back from
|
|
thee;</I> we will never desert a cause which we see that God espouses
|
|
and is the patron of. Let God be our leader and we will follow him.
|
|
Adding also this prayer, "<I>Quicken us,</I> put life into us, revive
|
|
our dying interests, revive our drooping spirits, and then <I>we will
|
|
call upon thy name.</I> We will continue to do so upon all occasions,
|
|
having found it not in vain to do so." We cannot call upon God's name
|
|
in a right manner unless he quicken us; but it is he that puts life
|
|
into our souls, that puts liveliness into our prayers. But many
|
|
interpreters, both Jewish and Christian, apply this to the Messiah, the
|
|
Son of David, the protector and Saviour of the church and the keeper of
|
|
the vineyard.
|
|
|
|
(1.) He is the man of God's right hand, to whom he has <I>sworn by his
|
|
right hand</I> (so the Chaldee), whom he has exalted to his right hand,
|
|
and who is indeed his right hand, the arm of the Lord, for all power is
|
|
given to him.
|
|
|
|
(2.) He is that son of man whom he <I>made strong for himself,</I> for
|
|
the glorifying of his name and the advancing of the interests of his
|
|
kingdom among men.
|
|
|
|
(3.) God's hand is upon him throughout his whole undertaking, to bear
|
|
him out and carry him on, to protect and animate him, that the <I>good
|
|
pleasure of the Lord might prosper in his hand.</I>
|
|
|
|
(4.) The stability and constancy of believers are entirely owing to the
|
|
grace and strength which are laid up for us in Jesus Christ,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+68:28">Ps. lxviii. 28</A>.
|
|
|
|
In him is our strength found, by which we are enabled to persevere to
|
|
the end. Let thy hand be upon him; on him let our help be laid who is
|
|
mighty; let him be made able to save to the uttermost and that will be
|
|
our security; <I>so will not we go back from thee.</I></P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
Lastly, The psalm concludes with the same petition that had been put up
|
|
twice before, and yet it is no vain repetition
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>):
|
|
|
|
<I>Turn us again.</I> The title given to God rises,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>,
|
|
|
|
<I>O God!</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>,
|
|
|
|
<I>O God of hosts!</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>,
|
|
|
|
<I>O Lord (Jehovah) God of hosts!</I> When we come to God for his
|
|
grace, his good-will towards us and his good work in us, we should pray
|
|
earnestly, continue instant in prayer, and pray more earnestly.</P>
|
|
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