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Psalms 80:14

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Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;

Return {H7725}{H8798)}, we beseech thee, O God {H430} of hosts {H6635}: look down {H5027}{H8685)} from heaven {H8064}, and behold {H7200}{H8798)}, and visit {H6485}{H8798)} this vine {H1612};

God of armies, please come back! Look from heaven, see, and tend this vine!

Return, O God of Hosts, we pray! Look down from heaven and see! Attend to this vine—

Turn again, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: Look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine,

Commentary

Psalm 80:14 is a poignant plea within a communal lament, crying out for God’s divine intervention and restoration. The verse captures the deep distress of the people and their earnest desire for God to re-engage with them.

Context

Psalm 80 is a prayer for restoration, likely composed during a period of national calamity or severe decline for Israel. It opens with an appeal to the "Shepherd of Israel" and repeatedly uses the refrain, "Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved." The entire Psalm uses the vivid metaphor of Israel as a vine that God brought out of Egypt, planted, and nurtured, but which is now suffering and exposed to its enemies. Verse 14 intensifies the call for God to "return" and "visit" this struggling vine, emphasizing the urgency of their need for divine attention and action.

Key Themes

  • Divine Restoration: The central theme is the fervent desire for God to restore His people to their former glory and favor. It's a recognition that only God's active presence can reverse their fortunes.
  • God's Sovereignty and Power: Addressing God as "O God of hosts" (Hebrew: Yahweh Sabaoth) highlights His immense power and authority over all creation and armies. This title underscores the belief that He is fully capable of delivering them.
  • Israel as God's Vine: This powerful metaphor depicts God's chosen people, Israel, as a plant carefully cultivated by Him. It reflects His covenant relationship and past faithfulness, contrasting with their current desolate state. This imagery is found elsewhere, such as in Isaiah 5:1-7, where Israel is also portrayed as a vineyard.
  • Earnest Intercession: The language "we beseech thee" and the triple appeal to "look down," "behold," and "visit" convey a desperate, humble, and persistent prayer for divine attention and action.

Linguistic Insights

The title "God of hosts" (Hebrew: Yahweh Sabaoth) is significant. It portrays God as the commander of heavenly armies and all cosmic forces, signifying His absolute power and ability to intervene decisively in earthly affairs. The word "visit" (Hebrew: paqad) in this context implies not merely observing, but actively intervening with care and protection, much like a shepherd tending to his flock or a gardener to his vine. It's a plea for beneficial, restorative engagement.

Practical Application

Psalm 80:14 offers timeless lessons for believers today:

  • Persistence in Prayer: Even in dire circumstances, believers are encouraged to cry out to God with earnestness and persistence, knowing He hears and can intervene.
  • Reliance on God's Sovereignty: Recognizing God as the "God of hosts" reminds us that no situation is too difficult for Him. Our hope for restoration, whether personal or corporate, rests in His omnipotence.
  • God's Care for His People: Just as God lovingly cultivated Israel as His vine, He cares for His Church today. When we face challenges, we can appeal to His covenant faithfulness and His deep concern for His people, knowing He desires to nurture and restore His spiritual vine.
  • The Need for Revival: This verse can be a prayer for spiritual revival within communities or nations, asking God to "look down" and "visit" His people with renewed presence and power, turning hearts back to Him, as seen in Lamentations 5:21.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Isaiah 63:15 (8 votes)

    ¶ Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where [is] thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?

  • Daniel 9:16 (3 votes)

    O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people [are become] a reproach to all [that are] about us.

  • Daniel 9:19 (3 votes)

    O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

  • Psalms 90:13 (3 votes)

    Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

  • Isaiah 63:17 (3 votes)

    O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, [and] hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

  • Malachi 3:7 (3 votes)

    ¶ Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept [them]. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

  • Psalms 33:13 (2 votes)

    The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.