July 11, 2023 — Psalm 80

“Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved. O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure. You make us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies laugh among themselves. Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved. You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches; it sent out its branches to the sea, and its shoots to the River.” Psalm 80:1-11

As we read the cries of the Psalmists, like: “…O God, how long must we wait to see your face and live…? O that you would tear the heavens asunder! Come down to us, O God…come…” we soon realize that ourcries and needs are just as relevant today as were those original people who wrote and sang these same concerns somany centuries ago. We can’t help but feel that maybe G-d is not hearing our prayers;or that we don’t pray the right words; or even that G-d is angry. After a while we begin to fear that perhaps G-d does not care about us anymore; that G-d does not care anymore if we are faithful ornot.

But we soon realize that through all the laments of the people of G-d, like the Psalmists and the Israelites, we are comforted in knowing that their and our past experiences of G-d assures us that we are wrong. The G-d weworship is compassionate and holy, generous and gracious towards us – whoever we areand whatever are our circumstances. We need to hold on to that reminder and trust that G-d is slow to anger and abounds in steadfast love for all people.

Prayer

Lord God, you so tend the vine you planted that now it extends its branches throughout the world. Keep us in Christ as branches on the vine, that, grafted firmly in your love, we may show the whole world your great power and bear the fruit of righteousness; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.