Psalm 80:12

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 80:8-19

The psalmist is here presenting his suit for the Israel of God, and pressing it home at the throne of grace, pleading with God for mercy and grace for them. The church is here represented as a vine (Ps. 80:8, 14) and a vineyard, Ps. 80:15. The root of this vine is Christ, Rom. 11:18. The branches are believers, John 15:5. The church is like a vine, weak and needing support, unsightly and having an unpromising outside, but spreading and fruitful, and its fruit most excellent. The church is a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 80:12

Why hast thou then broken down her hedges ,.... After having done all this for her; which signifies the Lord's removing his presence, power, and protection, from Israel; which were the hedge he set about them, and by which they were secured and defended from their enemies; but these being gone, they became an easy prey to them; see Job 1:10 , the hedge about the church and people of God are the angels that encamp about them; salvation, which is as walls and bulwarks to them; and the Lord... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 80:12

Why hast thou broken down - read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 80:12

Verse 12 12Why then hast thou broken down its hedges? This is the application of the similitude; for nothing seems more inconsistent than that God should abandon the vine which he had planted with his own hand, to be rooted up by wild beasts. It is true that he often threatened and forewarned the people by his prophets that he would do this; but what constrained him to inflict upon them so strange and dreadful a species of punishment was, that he might render their ingratitude the more... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 80:1-19

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 80:1-19

God's redemption. "It is not a bringing back out of exile that is here prayed for, for the people are still on the soil of their own country; but in their present Feebleness they are no longer like themselves, but stand in need of Divine intervention, the shining forth of the hidden countenance of God, in order again to attain a condition that is in harmony with the promises." Suggests— I. GOD HAS MADE A GLORIOUS REDEMPTION POSSIBLE FOR US . ( Psalms 80:8 .) Has... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 80:3-18

A cry of weakness, a prayer of faith, "Turn us … we shall be turned." The life of the individual, of the Church, of the nation, depends not on means, methods, forms, institutions. With God is the fountain of life. These words are a cry of weakness, helplessness, humiliation; but also a prayer of faith, hope, joyful expectancy. I. A CONFESSION OF WEAKNESS , DANGER , SIN . 1 . In ordinary affairs a sense of weakness, helplessness, despondency, is the forerunner of failure,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 80:8-15

The vine of God. These verses may be taken— I. AS A SYMBOLIC HISTORY OF ISRAEL . 1 . For God ' s people were as a vine. Designed for fruit; carefully tended; highly esteemed; thoroughly cleansed; diligently guarded. 2 . Israel had been brought out of Egypt. 3 . The nations of Canaan were driven out. 4 . Israel became a settled nation. 5 . Strong. 6 . Populous. "Filled the land;" coveting the hills and the plains. 7 . Dominion... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 80:8-19

The poet, to excite God's compassion, proceeds to depict Israel as it was and as it is. He adopts the figure of a vine, perhaps suggested to him by the description of Joseph in the dying speech of Jacob ( Genesis 49:22 ), and carries out his metaphor, in nine consecutive verses, with great beauty and consistency. Isaiah's description of Israel as a vineyard ( Isaiah 5:1-7 ) is somewhat similar. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 80:12

Why hast thou then broken down her hedges? or, her fences. Vineyards in the East were fenced round with walls (see Isaiah 5:5 ). So all they which pass by the way do pluck her; i.e. "pluck off her grapes"—ravage her and plunder her (comp. Psalms 89:40 , Psalms 89:41 ). read more

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