- (A psalm by Asaph for the music leader. To the tune "Lilies of the Agreement.") Shepherd of Israel, you lead the descendants of Joseph, and you sit on your throne above the winged creatures. Listen to our prayer and let your light shine
- for the tribes of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Save us by your power.
- Our God, make us strong again! Smile on us and save us.
- LORD God All-Powerful, how much longer will the prayers of your people make you angry?
- You gave us tears for food, and you made us drink them by the bowlful.
- Because of you, our enemies who live nearby laugh and joke about us.
- But if you smile on us, we will be saved.
- We were like a grapevine you brought out of Egypt. You chased other nations away and planted us here.
- Then you cleared the ground, and we put our roots deep, spreading over the land.
- Shade from this vine covered the mountains. Its branches climbed the mighty cedars
- and stretched to the sea; its new growth reached to the river.
- Our Lord, why have you torn down the wall from around the vineyard? You let everyone who walks by pick the grapes.
- Now the vine is gobbled down by pigs from the forest and other wild animals.
- God All-Powerful, please do something! Look down from heaven and see what's happening to this vine.
- With your own hands you planted its roots, and you raised it as your very own.
- Enemies chopped the vine down and set it on fire. Now show your anger and destroy them.
- But help the one who sits at your right side, the one you raised to be your own.
- Then we will never turn away. Put new life into us, and we will worship you.
- LORD God All-Powerful, make us strong again! Smile on us and save us.
This psalm is in much the same vein as the previous psalm, written under the duress of being overpowered by a formidable foe. A couple of occasions are often referred to as the possible inspiration of this psalm. The Babylonian captivity and that of the Assyrians under Nebuchadnezzar in particular. But Israel had several times of duress in its history and it could have been any one of them. The recurring appeal of the psalmist is to "Restore us, God; look on us with favor, and we will be saved." As with its companion psalms it questions how long God will be angry with Israel, describing the grief she has already been through. And, as with other psalms, it recounts how God brought the people out of Egypt and planted them in the land. Now the psalmist asks why God has broken down Israel's walls "so that all who pass by pick its fruit?" Verse 17 is undoubtedly a reference to Christ, "Let Your hand be with the man at Your right hand, with the son of man . . ." If Israel should be revived by the Son of Man, says the psalmist, she will call on the name of the Lord and not turn away.
Is God worthy of our worship only if He delivers us from our calamities? Only if He blesses us? Israel had been abundantly blessed by God and over time it did not seem to serve as a motivation for her to be loyal to God. Time and time again God had delivered her from calamities and yet she always went back to her rebellious ways. So why, on this occasion, should God respond to a promise that Israel will not turn away from Him if He will only deliver her from this problem? Is our relationship with God one of bargaining for His pleasure? Speaking for myself, I hope not. God has blessed me over and over. He has cared for me and guided me and delivered me from multiple situations. If I were to fall into trouble and He would choose not to deliver me, He has blessed me sufficiently in the past to be worthy of my worship and praise, and of my faithfulness.
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