5.28.2025 Prayer Room – Psalm 80

PSALM 80 – Psalm 80 is a communal lament, where the people of Israel pray for God’s restoration and favor after experiencing hardship. The psalm uses the imagery of a vine to describe Israel, once thriving under God’s care, but now suffering. The central refrain being, “restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.”

1 Listen, Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; you who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine 2 on Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Rally your power and come to save us. 3 Restore us, God; make your face shine on us, so that we may be saved.

4 Lord God of Armies, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? 5 You fed them the bread of tears and gave them a full measure of tears to drink. 6 You put us at odds with our neighbors; our enemies mock us.7 Restore us, God of Armies; make your face shine on us, so that we may be saved.

8 You dug up a vine from Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. 9 You cleared a place for it; it took root and filled the land.10 The mountains were covered by its shade, and the mighty cedars with its branches.11 It sent out sprouts toward the Sea and shoots toward the River.

12 Why have you broken down its walls so that all who pass by pick its fruit?13 Boars from the forest tear at and its creatures of the field feed on it.14 Return, God of Armies. Look down from heaven and see; take care of this vine,15 the root your right hand planted, the son that you made strong for yourself.16 It was cut down and burned; they perish at the rebuke of your countenance.17 Let your hand be with the man at your right hand, with the son of man you have made strong for yourself.18 Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name.19 Restore us, Lord, God of Armies; make your face shine on us, so that we may be saved.

HEAR:

Listen to the Holy Spirit. You may specifically think about:

• Reflect on areas in your life where you feel lost or uncertain. Ask God to lead you like a shepherd guides his sheep (v.1).

• Are there areas where you feel broken or dry (v.16)? Confess these things to the Lord and ask for restoration and fruitfulness.

• What other names are you calling that don’t really save (v.18)? See that it is the Lord who saves.

RESPOND:

Respond to the Lord in prayer:

• Ask God to “rally [his] power and come to save” our city (v.2). Pray that unbelievers (friends, classmates, coworkers, family members…) would see that God’s face shines towards them (v.3).

• Intercede on the broken things that need restoration – broken systems, relationships, hearts and minds, etc.

• Pray that we would remain in the true vine and bear true fruit (John 15:5; vv.14-16).