Chapter Eighty

The psalm was written, probably during the time of David by his contemporary prophet Asaph, and represents a Passover song. This is indicated by the author’s recollection of the exodus from Egypt, on account of which the Passover was established (Ps 80:6), as well as the mention of wheat (Ps 80:17), which recalls the commandment of the Law of Moses, according to which at Passover one was obliged to bring to God the firstfruits of the earth (Lev 23:5-11), since at that time the first harvest ripened. The mention Ps 80:7 of the new moon does not contradict this understanding, because it refers to the first day of the month of Nisan, on which Passover was celebrated, and which, constituting the beginning of the ecclesiastical year, was so celebrated and proclaimed by trumpet as the first day of the month of Tishri, the beginning of the civil year.

Celebrate the festival joyfully and with gladness, the festival which the Lord established when He brought you out of the land of Egypt, performed numerous miracles, and commanded you to serve faithfully only Him (2–11). But the people did not listen to the Lord, did not obey Him. If they had listened to Him, the Lord would have humbled all their enemies and satisfied the Hebrews with the fat of wheat and honey from the rock (12–17).

Psalm 80:3. Take a psalm, give a tambourine, a sweet-sounding harp together with a psaltery; Psalm 80:4. blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the appointed time, on the day of our festival; Music was commonly used by the Hebrews in their worship services (concerning musical instruments, see the introduction to the Psalter).

Psalm 80:6. He established this as a testimony for Joseph, when he came out of the land of Egypt, where he heard a sound of a language that he did not know: “He established this as a testimony.” The festival of Passover was established by God as a testimony of that turning point in the life of the Hebrews which was accomplished by His supernatural power. The celebration of Passover, therefore, was always supposed to remind the Hebrews of God and strengthen their faith in Him as their only and almighty protector.

Psalm 80:8. In distress you called upon Me, and I delivered you; I heard you from the midst of thunder, I tested you at the waters of Meribah. “Out of the midst of thunder I heard you” – one may understand this as the sending by the Lord of a storm with strong hail upon the Egyptians, which destroyed all vegetation (Exod 9:23-25).

Psalm 80:11. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth, and I will fill it. “Open your mouth, and I will fill it.” If the Hebrews, remaining faithful to the Lord, turned to Him with any prayer, it would be heard.

Psalm 80:13. therefore I gave them over to the stubbornness of their hearts; let them walk in their own devices. Psalm 80:14. O, if only My people would listen to Me and Israel would walk in My ways! Psalm 80:15. I would quickly subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their oppressors: Psalm 80:16. those who hate the Lord would submit to Him, and their well-being would last forever; Psalm 80:17. I would feed them with the fat of wheat and satisfy them with honey from the rock. God gave over the Hebrews to “the stubbornness of their hearts,” to their own devices. Since the Hebrews did not wish of their own accord to submit and obey God’s guidance, the Lord allowed their lives to take their natural course. The latter was accompanied by grievous consequences for them – failures in struggle with enemies, weakening of well-being, and crop failures in the fields (15–17). – “Honey from the rock” (17) – honey of bees that nested in the cracks of rocks.