Psalms 80:15

And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch [that] thou madest strong for thyself.

And the vineyard {H3657}{H3661}{H8798)} which thy right hand {H3225} hath planted {H5193}{H8804)}, and the branch {H1121} that thou madest strong {H553}{H8765)} for thyself.

Protect what your right hand planted, the son you made strong for yourself.

the root Your right hand has planted, the son You have raised up for Yourself.

And the stock which thy right hand planted, And the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.

Psalms 80:15 is a poignant plea within a communal lament, where the psalmist appeals to God to look upon and restore His people, Israel. The verse uses powerful agricultural imagery to describe God's intimate relationship with His chosen nation.

Context

Psalm 80 is a fervent prayer for divine restoration, likely uttered during a period of national distress, possibly after the Assyrian invasion that devastated the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The psalm repeatedly cries out, "Restore us, O God; cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved." The preceding verses (8-14) vividly portray Israel as a vine brought out of Egypt, planted by God, and allowed to flourish, but now broken down and exposed to its enemies. Verse 15 continues this imagery, reminding God of His original investment and care.

Key Themes and Messages

  • God's Ownership and Investment: The phrase "the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted" underscores that Israel is not merely a people group, but God's personal, deliberate creation. It emphasizes His sovereign choice and the immense care He poured into establishing them as His own.
  • Divine Strength and Purpose: The "branch [that] thou madest strong for thyself" highlights God's power in nurturing His people. He strengthened them not for their own glory, but for His divine purposes and to bear fruit for Him. This suggests a foundational relationship where Israel's strength and existence derive directly from God.
  • A Plea for Revival: By recalling God's past faithfulness in planting and strengthening, the psalmist implicitly pleads with God to intervene once more, to protect and revive what is inherently His. It's an appeal based on God's character and prior actions.

Linguistic Insights

The metaphor of the "vineyard" (Hebrew: kerem) is a recurring motif in the Old Testament, symbolizing Israel's unique relationship with God (e.g., Isaiah 5:7, Jeremiah 2:21). It conveys the idea of careful cultivation and expected fruitfulness. The "right hand" (Hebrew: yamin) of God consistently denotes His power, authority, and active intervention, as seen in the Exodus narrative (Exodus 15:6). The "branch" (Hebrew: ben, meaning 'son' or 'shoot') can refer to the nation as a whole, or prophetically point towards a future leader or the Messiah, often called "the Branch" in other prophetic texts, such as Isaiah 11:1 and Jeremiah 23:5, indicating divine lineage and strength.

Practical Application

This verse offers powerful insights for believers today. Just as God meticulously planted and strengthened Israel, so too does He establish and sustain His people, the Church, and individual believers. We are His "vineyard," called to bear spiritual fruit (John 15:5). When facing trials or feeling weak, we can remember that our strength comes from Him, and His purposes for us are eternal. This verse encourages us to pray for God's continued protection, revival, and the fulfillment of His divine plan for our lives and communities, trusting that He will never abandon what His own hand has planted and made strong.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 80:8

    ¶ Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.

  • Zechariah 3:8

    ¶ Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they [are] men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

  • Jeremiah 2:21

    Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

  • John 15:1

    I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

  • Isaiah 11:1

    ¶ And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

  • Mark 12:1

    ¶ And he began to speak unto them by parables. A [certain] man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about [it], and digged [a place for] the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.

  • Zechariah 6:12

    And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name [is] The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:

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