Turn us again, O God of hosts ... - This verse is the same as Psalms 80:3, except that here the appeal is to the “God of hosts;” there, it is simply to “God.” This indicates greater earnestness; a deeper sense of the need of the interposition of God, indicated by the reference to his attribute as the leader of hosts or armies, and therefore able to save them. read more
Psalms 80:4-6. How long wilt thou be angry, &c. Thou art so far from answering our prayers, whereby we seek thy favour, that, by thy continuing and increasing our miseries, thou seemest to be more incensed against us by them. But the words may be rendered, How long dost thou preserve thy wrath during the prayer of thy people? Thou feedest them with the bread of tears With tears instead of bread, which they either want, or cannot eat because their grief hath taken away their appetites:... read more
Psalms 79-80 Cries from a conquered peopleLike a previous psalm of Asaph, Psalms 79:0 is from the time of Jerusalem’s destruction and the taking of the people into captivity. (For an outline of events see introductory notes to Psalms 74:0.) The historical setting for Psalms 80:0 is not clear. Both psalms, 79 and 80, are cries to God for salvation after Israel has suffered defeat and desolation.The scene around Jerusalem is one of horror. The temple has been destroyed, the city is in ruins, and... read more
O LORD God of hosts. Hebrew. Jehovah. Elohim Zebaioth. See note on 1 Samuel 1:3 . Not common in the Psalms, but occurring in Psalms 59:6 and Psalms 84:8 . How long . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 . read more
laugh among themselves. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "have mocked at us". read more
to shine. Compare Numbers 6:25 . read more
Psalms 80:4. How long wilt thou be angry? &c.— How long dost thou preserve thy wrath during the prayer of thy people? Mudge. read more
4. be angry—(Compare Margin.) read more
5. bread of tears—still an Eastern figure for affliction. read more
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Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 80:6
Thou makest us a strife - An occasion of strife or wrangling; that is, of strife among themselves, to see who will get the most of our spoils; or of contention, to see which could do most to aggravate their sufferings, and to bring disgrace and contempt upon them. They were emulous with each other in the work of desolation and ruin.Unto our neighbors - The surrounding nations. See Psalms 79:4.And our enemies laugh among themselves - Over our calamities. They exult; they glory; they triumph in... read more