In this song of praise, Asaph, again, begs God to deliver them from their enemies. Here’s the psalm in its entirety: “Please listen, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Israel like a flock. O God, enthroned above the cherubim, display your radiant glory to Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Show us your mighty power. Come to rescue us!
Turn us again to yourself, O God. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved. (Only by God’s grace are we saved, for none of us deserve one thing! Lord, help us humble ourselves and fall to our knees before you.)
O Lord God Almighty, how long will you be angry and reject our prayers? You have fed us with sorrow and made us drink tears by the bucketful. You have made us the scorn of neighboring nations. Our enemies treat us as a joke. (....And we deserve every bit of it!)
Turn us again to yourself, O God Almighty. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved. You brought us from Egypt as though we were a tender vine; you drove away the pagan nations and transplanted us into your land. You cleared the ground for us, and we took root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with our shade; the mighty cedars were covered with our branches. We spread our branches west to the Mediterranean Sea, our limbs east to the Euphrates River. But now, why have you broken down our walls so that all who pass may steal our fruit? (Come on, Asaph. You already know…DISOBEDIENCE!) The boar from the forest devours us, and the wild animals feed on us. Come back, we beg you, O god Almighty. Look down from heaven and see our plight. Watch over and care for this vine that you yourself have planted, this son you have raised for yourself. For we are chopped up and burned by our enemies. May they perish at the sight of your frown. Strengthen the man you love, the son of your choice. Then we will never forsake you again. (Here we go again, the Lord is saying, “Yeah, Right!”) Revive us so we can call on your name once more.
Turn us again to yourself, O Lord God Almighty. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved.” (Psalm 80)
Lord, thank you for your Word today! How did we become so disobedient? How did we forget who you are? Help us, Lord, take our place back with you by returning to serving you completely, so you can, again, take and lead us by our right hand. We are absolutely nothing without you! Lord, we love you!
May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
….AND MAY WE ALL PRACTICE THIS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
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