Wesley's Notes on the Bible < 80:1 Joseph - The children of Joseph or Israel. The name of Joseph, the most eminent of the patriarchs, is elsewhere put for all the tribes. Cherubim - Which were by the mercy seat above the ark.
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us. 80:2 Before Ephraim - Here is an allusion to the ancient situation of the tabernacle in the wilderness, where these tribes were placed on the west - side of the tabernacle, in which the ark was, which consequently was before them.
Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. 80:3 Turn us - To thy self.
O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?
Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.
Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.
Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.
Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. 80:9 Preparedst - Thou didst root out the idolatrous nations. Deep root - Thou gavest them a firm settlement.
The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. 80:10 The hills - They filled not only the fruitful valleys, but even the barren mountains.
She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river. 80:11 The river - They possessed the whole land, from the mid - land sea to the river Euphrates.
Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? 80:12 Hedges - Taken away thy protection.
The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.
Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;
And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.
It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance. 80:16 They - Thy people, signified by the vine. So now he passes from the metaphor to the thing designed by it.
Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself. 80:17 Be - To protect and strengthen him. Right - hand - Benjamin signifies the son of the right hand, a dearly beloved son, as Benjamin was to Jacob. Son of man - The people of Israel, who are often spoken of as one person, as God's son and first - born.
So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. 80:18 Go back - Revolt from thee to idolatry or wickedness. Quicken - Revive and restore us to our tranquility.
Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible by John Wesley [1754-65] Bible Hub |
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