Turn Us Again, God
Psalm 80 summary: what it means
Psalm 80 is a prayer by a whole people in trouble. It calls on God as the Shepherd of Israel, who sits above the cherubim, and asks him to shine out and save. They have been fed the bread of tears, and their enemies laugh at them. Three times a refrain asks God to turn them again and cause his face to shine, so that they will be saved.
The middle of the psalm tells Israel's story as a vine. God brought it out of Egypt, planted it, and it filled the land. Now its walls are broken and wild animals feed on it. The psalm asks God to visit the vine, strengthen the man at his right hand and revive his people. It ends on the refrain for the third time.
Psalm 80: Turn Us Again, God
World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-80
Psalm 80 commentary: explained verse by verse
Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,you who lead Joseph like a flock,you who sit above the cherubim, shine out.
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.
The psalm opens by calling God the Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock and sits above the cherubim. The request is that he shine out. The refrain will ask for the same light.
Also read Isaiah 63:11, Job 10:3, Deuteronomy 33:2, Psalm 55:1
Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up your might!Come to save us!
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.
Also read Isaiah 42:13-14, Numbers 2:18-24, Psalm 35:23, Isaiah 33:22
Turn us again, God.Cause your face to shine,and we will be saved.
Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
This is the first refrain. It asks God to turn his people again and cause his face to shine, so that they will be saved. The same request returns in verses 7 and 19, with God's title growing longer each time.
Also read Psalm 80:1, 1 Kings 18:37, Psalm 60:1, Psalm 80:7
LORD God of Armies,how long will you be angry against the prayer of your people?
O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?
The people ask how long God will be angry against their prayer. He is addressed as the LORD God of Armies. The complaint is that even their praying seems to meet anger.
Also read Psalm 74:1, Isaiah 58:2-3, Matthew 15:22-28, Psalm 85:5
You have fed them with the bread of tears,and given them tears to drink in large measure.
Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.
Their suffering is pictured as food and drink. God has fed them the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in large measure. Grief has become their daily diet.
Also read Psalm 102:9, Isaiah 30:20, Psalm 42:3, Job 6:7
You make us a source of contention to our neighbors.Our enemies laugh among themselves.
Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.
Also read Psalm 44:13-14, Isaiah 36:8, Isaiah 36:12-20, Jeremiah 15:10
Turn us again, God of Armies.Cause your face to shine,and we will be saved.
Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
The refrain returns, now calling on the God of Armies. The words are otherwise the same as verse 3. The repetition marks the sections of the psalm.
Also read Isaiah 64:5, Isaiah 30:15, Psalm 51:10, Mark 4:12
You brought a vine out of Egypt.You drove out the nations, and planted it.
Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.
The story of the vine begins. God brought a vine out of Egypt, drove out the nations and planted it. The vine is his people, brought out and settled in the land.
Also read Matthew 21:33-41, Joshua 13:6, Jeremiah 12:10, Isaiah 5:1-7
You cleared the ground for it.It took deep root, and filled the land.
Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.
Also read Nehemiah 9:22-25, Joshua 23:13-15, 1 Kings 4:20, Joshua 24:12
The mountains were covered with its shadow.Its boughs were like God’s cedars.
The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.
Also read Psalm 104:16
It sent out its branches to the sea,its shoots to the River.
She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.
Also read Genesis 15:18, Exodus 23:31, 1 Kings 4:24, 1 Chronicles 18:3
Why have you broken down its walls,so that all those who pass by the way pluck it?
Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?
The question is why God has broken down the vine's walls. Now anyone passing by can pluck it. The vine he planted has been left unprotected.
Also read Luke 20:16, Isaiah 18:5-6, Isaiah 5:5, Nahum 2:2
The boar out of the wood ravages it.The wild animals of the field feed on it.
The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.
Also read Jeremiah 39:1-3, Jeremiah 4:7, Jeremiah 51:34, Jeremiah 52:7
Turn again, we beg you, God of Armies.Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vine,
Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;
The refrain changes shape here. Instead of "turn us", the people beg God himself to turn again, look down from heaven and visit this vine. They ask him to come and see what has happened.
Also read Psalm 90:13, Isaiah 63:15, Daniel 9:16-19, Psalm 7:7
the stock which your right hand planted,the branch that you made strong for yourself.
And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.
Also read Isaiah 5:1-2, Mark 12:1, Isaiah 49:5, Zechariah 3:8
It’s burned with fire.It’s cut down.They perish at your rebuke.
It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
Also read Psalm 39:11, 2 Thessalonians 1:9, Psalm 90:7, John 15:6
Let your hand be on the man of your right hand,on the son of man whom you made strong for yourself.
Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.
The prayer asks that God's hand be on the man of his right hand, the son of man he made strong for himself. The text does not name this person. Verse 15 uses similar words for the branch God made strong.
Also read Psalm 80:15, John 5:21-29, Daniel 7:13-14, Psalm 89:21
So we will not turn away from you.Revive us, and we will call on your name.
So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.
The people make a promise. They will not turn away from God. If he revives them, they will call on his name.
Also read Psalm 119:156, Psalm 119:37, Psalm 79:13, Psalm 119:40
Turn us again, LORD God of Armies.Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.
Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
The final refrain uses the fullest title: LORD God of Armies. It repeats the request for God to turn his people and cause his face to shine. The psalm ends on the words "we will be saved".
Also read Psalm 31:16, Psalm 44:3, Jeremiah 3:22-23, Psalm 27:4
A prayer from Psalm 80
Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead your people like a flock. Stir up your might and come to save us. Turn us again, God. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved. We have eaten the bread of tears. You brought a vine out of Egypt and planted it, and it filled the land. Now its walls are broken down. Look down from heaven and see, and visit this vine. Revive us, and we will call on your name. Turn us again, LORD God of Armies. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved. Amen.
Psalm 80 Bible study questions
- What line is repeated in verses 3, 7 and 19, and how does the name for God change each time?
- In verses 8 to 11, what happens to the vine that God brought out of Egypt?
- Verse 5 speaks of the bread of tears; what might it mean to feel that sorrow has become daily food?
- Verse 18 links being revived with calling on God's name; how do you see the connection between the two?
- Psalm 23:1 also calls the LORD a shepherd; how does that picture compare with the Shepherd of Israel in Psalm 80:1?
Questions about Psalm 80
What does Psalm 80 mean?
It is a prayer by God's people in a time of defeat. They describe Israel as a vine God brought out of Egypt that is now broken down, and they ask him three times to turn them again and let his face shine so they will be saved.
Who wrote Psalm 80?
The heading attributes it to Asaph and sets it to the tune of "The Lilies of the Covenant".
What does Psalm 80:3 mean?
It is the refrain of the psalm: a request that God turn his people back to him and look on them with favour, which the psalm pictures as his face shining. The result, it says, is that they will be saved.
What is Psalm 80:1 in the KJV?
The King James Version reads: "Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth."
What does Psalm 80:18 mean?
It is a promise from the people: they will not turn away from God, and if he revives them they will call on his name.
What is the refrain of Psalm 80 in the KJV?
Verse 3 in the King James Version reads: "Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved." Verses 7 and 19 repeat it with a longer title for God.
Psalm 80 KJV: the King James Version
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.1
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.2
Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.3
O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?4
Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.5
Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.6
Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.7
Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.8
Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.9
The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.10
She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.11
Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?12
The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.13
Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;14
And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.15
It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.16
Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.17
So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.18
Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.19
Psalm 80 in Hebrew
The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.
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1 לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ אֶל־שֹׁשַׁנִּ֑ים עֵד֖וּת לְאָסָ֣ף מִזְמֽוֹר׃
2 רֹ֘עֵ֤ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל ׀ הַאֲזִ֗ינָה נֹהֵ֣ג כַּצֹּ֣אן יוֹסֵ֑ף יֹשֵׁ֖ב הַכְּרוּבִ֣ים הוֹפִֽיעָה׃
3 לִפְנֵ֤י אֶפְרַ֨יִם ׀ וּבִנְיָ֘מִ֤ן וּמְנַשֶּׁ֗ה עוֹרְרָ֥ה אֶת־גְּבֽוּרָתֶ֑ךָ וּלְכָ֖ה לִישֻׁעָ֣תָה לָּֽנוּ׃
4 אֱלֹהִ֥ים הֲשִׁיבֵ֑נוּ וְהָאֵ֥ר פָּ֝נֶ֗יךָ וְנִוָּשֵֽׁעָה׃
5 יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֣ים צְבָא֑וֹת עַד־מָתַ֥י עָ֝שַׁ֗נְתָּ בִּתְפִלַּ֥ת עַמֶּֽךָ׃
6 הֶ֭אֱכַלְתָּם לֶ֣חֶם דִּמְעָ֑ה וַ֝תַּשְׁקֵ֗מוֹ בִּדְמָע֥וֹת שָׁלִֽישׁ׃
7 תְּשִׂימֵ֣נוּ מָ֭דוֹן לִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּ וְ֝אֹיְבֵ֗ינוּ יִלְעֲגוּ־לָֽמוֹ׃
8 אֱלֹהִ֣ים צְבָא֣וֹת הֲשִׁיבֵ֑נוּ וְהָאֵ֥ר פָּ֝נֶ֗יךָ וְנִוָּשֵֽׁעָה׃
9 גֶּ֭פֶן מִמִּצְרַ֣יִם תַּסִּ֑יעַ תְּגָרֵ֥שׁ גּ֝וֹיִ֗ם וַתִּטָּעֶֽהָ׃
10 פִּנִּ֥יתָ לְפָנֶ֑יהָ וַתַּשְׁרֵ֥שׁ שָׁ֝רָשֶׁ֗יהָ וַתְּמַלֵּא־אָֽרֶץ׃
11 כָּסּ֣וּ הָרִ֣ים צִלָּ֑הּ וַ֝עֲנָפֶ֗יהָ אַֽרְזֵי־אֵֽל׃
12 תְּשַׁלַּ֣ח קְצִירֶ֣הָ עַד־יָ֑ם וְאֶל־נָ֝הָ֗ר יֽוֹנְקוֹתֶֽיהָ׃
13 לָ֭מָּה פָּרַ֣צְתָּ גְדֵרֶ֑יהָ וְ֝אָר֗וּהָ כָּל־עֹ֥בְרֵי דָֽרֶךְ׃
14 יְכַרְסְמֶ֣נָּֽה חֲזִ֣יר 'l s="H3293"'מִיָּ֑'seg type="x-suspended"'עַ'seg'ר'/l' וְזִ֖יז שָׂדַ֣י יִרְעֶֽנָּה׃
15 אֱלֹהִ֣ים צְבָאוֹת֮ שֽׁ֫וּב־נָ֥א הַבֵּ֣ט מִשָּׁמַ֣יִם וּרְאֵ֑ה וּ֝פְקֹ֗ד גֶּ֣פֶן זֹֽאת׃
16 וְ֭כַנָּה אֲשֶׁר־נָטְעָ֣ה יְמִינֶ֑ךָ וְעַל־בֵּ֝֗ן אִמַּ֥צְתָּה לָּֽךְ׃
17 שְׂרֻפָ֣ה בָאֵ֣שׁ כְּסוּחָ֑ה מִגַּעֲרַ֖ת פָּנֶ֣יךָ יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃
18 תְּֽהִי־יָ֭דְךָ עַל־אִ֣ישׁ יְמִינֶ֑ךָ עַל־בֶּן־אָ֝דָ֗ם אִמַּ֥צְתָּ לָּֽךְ׃
19 וְלֹא־נָס֥וֹג מִמֶּ֑ךָּ תְּ֝חַיֵּ֗נוּ וּבְשִׁמְךָ֥ נִקְרָֽא׃
20 יְה֘וָ֤ה אֱלֹהִ֣ים צְבָא֣וֹת הֲשִׁיבֵ֑נוּ הָאֵ֥ר פָּ֝נֶ֗יךָ וְנִוָּשֵֽׁעָה׃
Psalm 80 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible
The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 79 there.
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1 Unto the end, for them that shall he changed, a testimony for Asaph, a psalm.
2 Give ear, O thou that rulest Israel: thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep. Thou that sittest upon the cherubims, shine forth
3 Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasses. Stir up thy might, and come to save us.
4 Convert us, O God: and shew us thy face, and we shall be saved.
5 O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy servant?
6 How long wilt thou feed us with the bread of tears: and give us for our drink tears in measure?
7 Thou hast made us to be a contradiction to our neighbours: and our enemies have scoffed at us.
8 O God of hosts, convert us: and shew thy face, and we shall be saved.
9 Thou hast brought a vineyard out of Egypt: thou hast cast cut the Gentiles and planted it.
10 Thou wast the guide of its journey in its sight: thou plantedst the roots thereof, and it filled the land.
11 The shadow of it covered the hills: and the branches thereof the cedars of God.
12 It stretched forth its branches unto the sea, and its boughs unto the river.
13 Why hast thou broken down the hedge thereof, so that all they who pass by the way do pluck it?
14 The boar out of the wood hath laid it waste: and a singular wild beast hath devoured it.
15 Turn again, O God of hosts, look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vineyard:
16 And perfect the same which thy right hand hath planted: and upon the son of man whom thou hast confirmed for thyself.
17 Things set on fire and dug down shall perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
18 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand: and upon the son of man whom thou hast confirmed for thyself.
19 And we depart not from thee, thou shalt quicken us: and we will call upon thy name.
20 O Lord God of hosts, convert us: and shew thy face, and we shall be saved.
Psalm 80 in Latin
The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 79.
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1 In finem, pro iis qui commutabuntur. Testimonium Asaph, psalmus.
2 Qui regis Israël, intende; qui deducis velut ovem Joseph. Qui sedes super cherubim, manifestare
3 coram Ephraim, Benjamin, et Manasse. Excita potentiam tuam, et veni, ut salvos facias nos.
4 Deus, converte nos, et ostende faciem tuam, et salvi erimus.
5 Domine Deus virtutum, quousque irasceris super orationem servi tui?
6 cibabis nos pane lacrimarum, et potum dabis nobis in lacrimis in mensura?
7 Posuisti nos in contradictionem vicinis nostris, et inimici nostri subsannaverunt nos.
8 Deus virtutum, converte nos, et ostende faciem tuam, et salvi erimus.
9 Vineam de Ægypto transtulisti: ejecisti gentes, et plantasti eam.
10 Dux itineris fuisti in conspectu ejus; plantasti radices ejus, et implevit terram.
11 Operuit montes umbra ejus, et arbusta ejus cedros Dei.
12 Extendit palmites suos usque ad mare, et usque ad flumen propagines ejus.
13 Ut quid destruxisti maceriam ejus, et vindemiant eam omnes qui prætergrediuntur viam?
14 Exterminavit eam aper de silva, et singularis ferus depastus est eam.
15 Deus virtutum, convertere, respice de cælo, et vide, et visita vineam istam:
16 et perfice eam quam plantavit dextera tua, et super filium hominis quem confirmasti tibi.
17 Incensa igni et suffossa, ab increpatione vultus tui peribunt.
18 Fiat manus tua super virum dexteræ tuæ, et super filium hominis quem confirmasti tibi.
19 Et non discedimus a te: vivificabis nos, et nomen tuum invocabimus.
20 Domine Deus virtutum, converte nos, et ostende faciem tuam, et salvi erimus.
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Psalm 80 at a glance
| Verses | 19 |
| Heading in the text | For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm by Asaph. |
| Attributed to | The heading attributes it to Asaph and sets it to the tune of "The Lilies of the Covenant". |
| Type | Lament and Prayer |
| Number in Greek and Latin Bibles | Psalm 79 |
Read Psalm 80 when you are facing
Psalm 80 in other translations
This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 80 in those translations at Bible Gateway.
Where Psalm 80 belongs
Psalms of AsaphBook 3 of the Psalms
How this page was made
The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.
Sources
- Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
- Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source