Psalms 80

When the pipes are cut off that used to bring us comfort, can we live upon God, in whom are all our fresh springs? When we have no bread to eat but the bread of carefulness (Ezekiel 19:8), when we have no waters to drink unless tears (Psalm 80:5): You give them tears to drink in…

If Adam, says Bernard, had a downfall in Paradise, what shall we do that are cast forth to the dunghill? Let us therefore often come to a serious consideration of our own weakness, and follow withal the practice of David, who being privy to himself touching his own corruption, p…

The carnal offer thousands of rams, and rivers of oil, and the fruit of the body for the sin of their soul (Micah 6:6-7). They would give anything for a sufficient sin-offering; indeed the renewed and pardoned have not so firm a peace as to be able always to look upon themselves…

For that which is the end of God's laws, must also be the end of all good laws in all commonwealths and kingdoms, namely, to shut up the people into the unity of one faith. The Church of the Jews, is called a fountain sealed, a garden enclosed (Song of Songs 4:12), a vineyard he…

For they could not be ignorant of the benefits which they had received from God. You (says the Psalmist) brought a vine out of Egypt, and having driven out the nations, did plant them in (Psalm 80:9). Isaiah follows not all the parts of the similitude, neither was it needful: it…

But while the familiar intercourse between God and the people depended on a Mediator, what had not yet fully taken place was shadowed out by symbols. His seat and residence is placed "between the Cherubim," (Psalm 80:1,) because the ark was the figure and visible pledge of his g…

By the breath of his nostrils they are consumed (Job 4:9). Indeed, he can look you to death: They perish at the rebuke of your countenance (Psalm 80:16). Are you able to contend with this God; are you a fit match for the Almighty?

Your months will be months of vanity, they will fly away and see no good (Job 7:3). If he will but quicken you again, then you must call upon his name (Psalm 80:18). But in a dead and languishing condition, you are no more fit for any work of God, than a sick man is for manual l…

1. The renewing of comfort, Quicken me, revive me, or restore life to me again; and this either by outward deliverance, so quickening is used, Psalm 71:20. You who has showed me great and sore troubles, shall quicken me again, and shall bring me up again from the depths of the e…

Quicken me after your loving kindness, so shall I keep the testimonies of your mouth. Then we do good to good purpose indeed, it is not enough for us to pray, but we must pray with life and vigor, Psalm 80:18. Quicken me, and I will call upon your name, so we should hear with li…

But religion is an irksome thing when we are dead-hearted. For particular duties, it is not enough to pray, but it must be with life (Psalm 80:18). Quicken us, and we will call upon your name.

Therefore this is the desire and earnest prayer of all God's people in common, that God would cause his face to shine upon them. (Psalm 80:17). You who dwell between the Cherubim, shine forth: that is, that sit upon the mercy seat, O that he would be good to them in Christ, for…

David was forsaken to be humbled and bettered; but Saul was forsaken utterly to be destroyed. Says Theophylact, God may forsake his people so as to shut out their prayers (Psalm 80:4), so as to interrupt the peace and joy of their heart, to abate their strength; the spiritual li…

Consider the poor — behold their tears, their sighs, their dying groans; look upon the deep furrows made in their faces and consider if there is not reason why you should scatter your seed of mercy in these furrows. The poor man feeds upon sorrow, he drinks tears (Psalm 80:5); l…

The Lord has planted us in rich soil; he may say to us as to his vineyard (Isaiah 5:1): my beloved has a vineyard in a very fruitful hill — he fenced it and planted it with the choicest vine, and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. Hill…

Our turning away our eye from the Covenant is the cause why we succumb; Christ, under his sorest assault with hell and hell's pursuivants and officers, devils, and the felt anger of a forsaking God, doubles his grips on the Covenant, my God, my God (Psalm 22:1) (Matthew 27), O m…

From whom as all things take their beginning, so is it fitting that they have also their end appointed and directed to him. There is no man (I say) but he ought to be seized to embrace the lawmaker, to the keeping of whose commandments, he is taught that he is peculiarly chosen:…

Every branch, says the second verse, that is, every one that has born fruit in any age, bears all its fruit in him: branches in him fear no drought (Jeremiah 17:8). Thirdly, for largeness of spreading, no such vine as this: He (as the Psalmist says, Psalm 80:11-12) sends out his…

When the church is in any distress or misery, go to him that is the husbandman; such is the usual condition of this his vine, spread over the face of the earth. Complain as they, Psalm 80:12: 'Why have you broken down her hedges, so as all they which pass by do pluck her?', 'the…

Suppose a man have a willing mind, to pray in the power of God's Spirit, to confer fruitfully, etc., that he might build up his soul in his holy faith, now all that comes from him is a lively fruit of grace, be it otherwise never so weak (Psalm 103:14). God knows what we are mad…