Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

very king and kingdom that had viciously destroyed the nation of Judah. “Sevenfold” denotes the ratio of God’s wrath towards the unbeliever versus his chastising hand upon his people. It is seven times worse to be under God’s judgment than his correction. III GOD’S PEOPLE - 13 • Your greatness- “Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will thank you forever and ever, praising your greatness from generation to generation.” (13) There have been distinct petitions from the heart of the psalmist; “…do not hold us guilty…”(8), “Help us…”(9), “Oh, save us…”(9), “Show us your vengeance against the nations…”(10) . God always responds to the petitions and spiritual desires of his people because of his merciful nature. Thanksgiving and praise is the echo of grateful hearts back to him. Asaph reverts to his favorite analogy; the people of God are his sheep. Psalm 77 ends with Moses and Aaron leading God’s flock, Psalm 78 ends with David shepherding them with integrity of heart and skillfulness of hand. Psalm 79 ends with God’s flock giving their Shepherd eternal thanksgiv- ing and perpetual praise in every generation. Asaph’s song still resonates in our time.

PSALM 80: TURN US AGAIN TO YOUR SELF Revival of the Nation

This psalm compares the people of God to a vine that had been planted in the land of Israel and it is a cry for the restoration from their now fallen estate. It is filled with messianic undertones that ties it to the gospel of John and lets us know that only the Son of God who is the Shepherd and Vine of Israel can truly restore his people. It has a repeating chorus that grows in intensity: “Turn us again to yourself, O God…”(3) ; the second time it declares: “Turn us again to yourself, O God Almighty”(7) and its last use is the triune name: “Turn us again to yourself, O Lord God Almighty.”(19) It is thought to have been com- posed after the invasion of the northern Kingdom of Israel by Assyria in 721 B.C. as “the boar from the forest” that is devouring the vine is the animal that symbolized that nation 1 . It is outlined as:

I SHEPHERD OF ISRAEL - Christ the Shepherd- 1-3 (He leads us!) II SHINE DOWN UPON US - Christ the Light- 4-7 (He illumines us!) III SPREAD OUR BRANCHES - Christ the Vine- 8-13 (He lives in us!) IV SON OF YOUR CHOICE - Christ the Son- 14-19 (He loves us!)

INTRODUCTION:

“For the choir director: A psalm of Asaph, to be sung to the tune ‘Lilies of the Covenant.’”

This is the fourth ‘Lilies of the Covenant’ psalm the others being 45, 60 and 69. The lily is always symbolic of the bride of Christ, his chosen people. In the Song of Solomon the woman sings: “I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valley.” (Song 2:1) The groom sings back: “…my beloved is like a lily among thorns.” (Song 2:2) In this psalm the ‘lily’ is among the thorns of her enemy and the prophet in- tercedes passionately for God to restore her through his covenant love.

I SHEPHERD OF ISRAEL - 1-3

“Please listen, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Israel (Joseph) 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!”(1,2) Jesus tells us: “I am the good shepherd…My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they fol- low me.”(Jn. 10:14, 27) Revival and restoration comes by following the great shepherd. It is his light shin- ing through the wings of mercy that dispels the spiritual darkness over his people. In these verses the children and grandchildren of Rachel and Jacob are mentioned; (Joseph, his two sons Ephraim and Manassesh, and his little brother Benjamin.) These were the tribes that represented the Northern King- dom of Israel in contrast to Judah, the Southern Kingdom. Rachel was the beloved ‘lily’ of Jacob’s heart and now his children are in desperate need of revival. They cry out for demonstrations of God’s power to rescue them from their helpless condition.

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