1. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel. The name is full of tenderness: broken hearts delight in
names of grace. We may be quite sure that he who deigns to be a shepherd to his
people will not turn a deaf ear to their complaints. Thou that leadest
Joseph like a flock. The people are called here by the name of that
renowned son who became a second father to the tribes, and kept them alive in
Egypt; possibly they were known to the Egyptians under the name of “the family
of Joseph.” Thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. The
Lord’s especial presence was revealed upon the mercy-seat between the cherubim,
and in all our pleadings we should come to the Lord by this way: only upon the
mercy-seat will God reveal his grace, and only there can we hope to commune
with him. Let us ever plead the name of Jesus, who is our true mercy-seat, to
whom we may come boldly, and through whom we may look for a display of the
glory of the Lord on our behalf. Our greatest dread is the withdrawal of the
Lord’s presence, and our brightest hope is the prospect of his return.
2. It is
wise to mention the name of the Lord’s people in prayer, for they are precious
to him. Jesus bears the names of his people on his breastplate. Just as the
mention of the names of his children has power with a father, so is it with the
Lord. The prayer is that the God of Israel would be mighty on behalf of his
people, chasing away their foes, and saving his people. Oh that in these days
the Lord may be pleased to remember not our own denomination only, but all
sections of the one church.
3. Turn us again, O God.
It is not so much said, “turn our captivity,” but turn us. All will
come right if we are right. When the Lord turns his people he will soon turn
their condition. It needs the Lord himself to do this, for conversion is as
divine a work as creation; and those who have been once turned unto God, if
they at any time backslide, as much need the Lord to turn them again as to turn
them at the first. The word may be read, “restore us.” And cause thy face
to shine. Be favorable to us; smile upon us. This was the high priest’s
blessing upon Israel: what the Lord has already given us by our High Priest and
Mediator we may right confidently ask of him. And we shall be saved. All
that is wanted for salvation is the Lord’s favor. No matter how fierce the foe,
or dire the captivity, the shining face of God ensures both victory and
liberty. This verse is a very useful prayer, since we too often turn aside.
4. How long
will the smoke of thy wrath drown the smoking incense of our prayers? Prayer
would enter thy holy place, but thy wrath battles with it, and prevents its
entrance. That God should be angry with us when sinning seems natural enough;
that he should be angry even with our prayers is a bitter grief.
5. Thou feedest them with the bread of tears. Their meals, which were once such pleasant seasons of
social merriment, are now like funeral feasts to which each person contributes
a bitter morsel. And givest them tears to drink in great measure. Not
because their enemies have them in their power by force of arms, but because
their God refuses to interpose; but it will by divine love be turned into a
greater blessing by ministering to our spiritual health.
6. Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbors. A neighbor’s jeer is ever most cutting, especially if we
have been superior to them, and claimed to possess more grace. And our
enemies laugh among themselves. They find mirth in our misery, comedy in
our tragedy, salt for their wit in the brine of our tears; it is the constant
habit of the world to make merry with the saints’ tribulations.
7. Turn us again, O God of hosts. The prayer rises in the form of its address to God. He is
here the God of Hosts. The more we approach the Lord in prayer and
contemplation, the higher will our ideas of him become.
8. Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt. There it was in unfriendly soil: the waters of the Nile
were as death to its shoots, while the inhabitants of the land despised it and
trampled it down. Glorious was the right hand of the Lord when with power and
great wonders he removed his pleasant plant from the teeth of those who sought
its destruction. Thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. Seven
nations were digged out to make space for the vine of the Lord; the old trees,
which long had engrossed the soil, were torn up root and branch. The chosen
vine was securely placed in its position with divine prudence and wisdom. Small
in appearance, very dependent, exceeding weak, and apt to trail on the ground,
yet the vine of Israel was chosen of the Lord, because he knew that by
incessant care, and abounding skill, he could make of it a goodly fruitbearing
plant.
9. Thou preparedst room before it. The weeds, brambles, and huge stones were cleared; the
Amorites, and their brethren in iniquity, were made to quit the scene, their
forces were routed, their kings slain, their cities captured, and Canaan became
like a plot of land made ready for a vineyard. And didst cause it to take
deep root, and it filled the land. Israel became settled and established as
a vine well rooted, and then it began to flourish and to spread on every side.
This analogy might be applied to the experience of every believer in Jesus. The
Lord has planted us, we are growing downward, “rooting roots,” and by his
grace we are also growing visibly bigger. The same is true of the church, for
at this moment through the goodwill of the dresser of the vineyard her branches
spread far and wide.
10. The hills were covered with the shadow of it. Israel dwelt up to the mountains’ summits, cultivating
every foot of soil. The nation multiplied and became so great that other lands
felt its influence, or were shadowed by it. And the boughs thereof were like
the goodly cedars. The nation itself was so great that even its tribes were
powerful and worthy to take rank among the mighty. A more correct rendering
describes the cedars as covered with the vine, and we know that in many lands
vines climb the trees, and cover them. In Solomon’s time the little land of
Israel occupied a high place among the nations. There have been times when the
church of God also has been eminently conspicuous, and her power has been felt
far and near.
11. She sent out her boughs unto the sea. Along the Mediterranean and, perhaps, across its waters,
Israel’s power was felt. And her branches unto the river. On her eastern
side she pushed her commerce even to the Euphrates. Those were brave days for
Israel, and would have continued, had not sin cut them short. When the church
pleases the Lord, her influence becomes immense, far beyond the proportion
which her numbers of her power would lead us to expect; but alas, when the Lord
leaves her she becomes worthless.
12. Why hast thou then broken down her hedges? Thou hast withdrawn protection from her after caring for
her with all this care; wherefore is this, O Lord? A vine unprotected is
exposed to every form of injury: such was Israel when given over to her
enemies; such has the church often been. So that all they which pass by the
way do pluck her. Her cruel neighbors have a pluck at her, and marauding
bands, like roaming beasts, must need pick at her. With God no enemy can harm
us; without him none are so weak as to be unable to do us damage.
13. The boar out of the wood doth waste it. Such creatures are famous for rending and devouring vines.
Fierce peoples, comparable to wild swine of the forest, warred with the Jewish
nation, until its was gored and torn like a vine destroyed by greedy hogs. And
the wild beast of the field doth devour it. First one foe and then another
wreaked vengeance on the nation, neither did God interpose to chase them away.
Ruin followed ruin. See what evils follow in the train of sin, and how terrible
a thing it is for a people to be forsaken by God.
14. Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts. Turn thyself to us as well as us to thee. Thou hast gone
from us because of our sins; come back to us, for we sigh and cry after thee.
Or, if it be too much to ask thee to come, then do at least give us some
consideration and cast an eye upon our griefs. Look down from heaven, and
behold, and visit this vine. Do not close thine eyes; it is thy vine; at
least note the mischief which the beasts have done, for then it may be thy
heart will pity, and thy hand will be outstretched to deliver.
15. And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted. Thou hast done so much, wilt thou lose thy labor? With thy
power and wisdom thou didst great things for thy people, wilt thou now utterly
give them up? And the branch that thou madest strong for thyself. A
prayer for the leader whom the Lord had raised up, or for the Messiah whom they
expected. Though the vine had been left, yet one branch had been regarded of
the Lord, as if to furnish a scion for another vine. Let us pray the Lord, if
he will not in the first place look upon his church, to look on the Lord Jesus,
and then behold her in mercy for his sake.
16. It is burned with fire. The vineyard was like a forest which has been set on fire;
the choice vines were charred and dead. It is cut down. The cruel axe
had hacked after its murderous fashion, the branches were lopped, the trunk was
wounded, desolation reigned supreme. They perish at the rebuke of thy
countenance. God’s rebuke was to Israel what fire and axe would be to a
vine. His favor is life, and his wrath is as messengers of death.
17. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand. Give a commission to some chosen man by whom thou wilt
deliver. Honor him, save us, and glorify thyself. There is no doubt here an
outlook to the Messiah, for whom believing Jews had learned to look as the
Saviour in time of trouble. Upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for
thyself. Send forth thy power with him whom thou shalt strengthen to
accomplish thy purposes of grace. It is by the man Christ Jesus that fallen
Israel is yet to rise, and indeed through him, who deigns to call himself the
Son of Man, the world is to be delivered from the dominion of Satan and the
curse of sin. O Lord, fulfill thy promise to the man of thy right hand, who
participates in thy glory, and give him to see the pleasure of the Lord
prospering in his hand.
18. So will not we go back from thee. Under the leadership of one whom God had chosen the nation
would be kept faithful, grace would work gratitude, and so cement them to their
allegiance. It is in Christ that we abide faithful: because he lives we live
also. There is no hope of our perseverance apart from him. Quicken us, and
we will call upon thy name. If the Lord gives life out of death, his praise
is sure to follow. The Lord Jesus is such a leader that in him is life, and the
life is the light of men. When he visits our souls anew we shall be revivified,
and our praise will ascend to the name of the Triune God.
19. Turn us again, O Lord
God of hosts. Here we have another advance in the
title, and the incommunicable name of Jehovah, the I AM, is introduced. Faith’s
prayers grow more full and mighty. Cause thy face to shine; and we shall be
saved. Even we who were so destroyed. No extremity is too great for the
power of God. He is able to save at the last point, and that too by simply
turning his smiling face upon his afflicted. People can do little, but God can
do all things with a glance. Oh, to live forever in the light of his
countenance.
Excerpt from:
The Treasury of David
By Charles H Spurgeon
