Psalm 80: Restored to God

Well, as we Turn to Psalm 80 this morning, as I said earlier,

we come to the final of our summer Psalms for 2026, and all but

one of these psalms have come from the third book of the Psalms.

And we've been able to see a particular theme that is followed

them all and that is waiting on the Lord.

And for the children of Israel, their waiting on the Lord

was for his deliverance from the trouble that they found themselves

in, trouble that was a result of their unfaithfulness in their

worship of him as the one true God.

But in each psalm, they looked to him for rescue, they looked to

him for forgiveness of sins, and they looked to him to assure

them that indeed, their sins were forgiven.

But as we've seen just now with the girls and boys, as well

as throughout these Psalms, these are a people who, throughout

their generations, quickly forget the promises they had made,

but more importantly, who God is towards them.

See, God didn't deliver or restore them because of their worth

or their good works.

He restored them because of who he is and the covenant promises

he had made to be the God of their salvation.

Now, during the summer, I took this picture of the corn mill, or

certainly at the end of June and into the start of July, thinking

of what this psalm was about.

Waiting.

We've seen this.

If you've been here for 90 years, you've seen this corn mill.

If you're only growing up in this community, you've seen this

corn mill.

You know, it's.

In fact, it is our forefathers who first met in that building before

this building was built.

And so we have before us, as our Presbyterian heritage, a building

that has stood the test of time, a reminder that indeed, as

we wait on the Lord, he remains faithful.

Our forefathers waited in that building for this building to be

constructed.

Generations have met in this place, praising and praying, waiting

on the Lord to hear and to answer and to bless.

And so we remain today a people who wait on the Lord.

Not that he is slow to act, but that in the waiting we know more

of who he is.

He is.

Now, young people, I'm going to tell you something that's going

to blow your mind.

Thirty years ago, if you wanted to get a plumber, a painter,

a book binder, you had to go to a book called the Yellow Pages.

And in the Yellow Pages, you could find any trade you wanted.

You couldn't go to your house phone and type it in and find it.

All of a sudden you went to the Yellow Pages and they told you

the telephone number.

Which was fixed to a wall.

A telephone that was fixed to the wall.

Imagine that.

Come back those days, please.

And you could phone whoever you needed to do a particular trade

in your house.

Now, growing up in the 1980s, there was a TV advert for the Yellow

Pages.

And the scene began with a young man in his teens or early twenties

having a party in his home.

And it was the morning after, while his parents are on their holidays.

And at the end, the phone rings, so we know the parents are

on their way home and they say they're leaving the airport and all

around is a mess.

And so the young man begins tidying up.

And as he lifts a glass from the coffee table, he sees that the

antique coffee table is scratched.

Well, he whips out his copy of the Yellow Pages.

It was this thick.

This thick, by the way, there was a great magic trick that you

could rip a young pages in half.

Did you ever try it?

If you steamed it over a kettle, a book this thick, you could

easily rip it in.

It was a great showpiece for me, but there you go.

And so he whips it out and he finds French polisher and he phones

the gentleman who comes to his house.

You can see in the second picture, you can still find this

advert on YouTube.

The wonders of YouTube.

And here he is on his knees with his little cloth and his little

paintbrush and he's repairing the table.

And just in the nick of time before Mum and Dad phone to say they're

leaving the airport, it's fixed.

Only as he's seeing the gentleman out through the door, another

piece of damage done to the house.

And guess what?

Out comes the Yellow Pages to get someone else to fix that.

Why do I tell you this?

Well, because it's the middle bit of this advertisement.

This advert is for 90 seconds.

And the one striking thing is, as the man is polishing with this

young man the sweat on him, waiting for his parents to come home,

hoping he won't be discovered.

He has to wait.

He has to wait while the work is done.

And like most of us, when we're anxious and waiting for something

to happen, we probably pace.

And that's what he does.

The expert is there before him, fixing the table to restore

it before his very eyes.

And all he can do is wait because it is completely out of his

hands.

And Psalm number 80 has the same premise.

Damage has been done to the people.

They haven't been well treated by their enemies.

And as they call out to God for restoration, they have to wait

for him to deliver them from their enemies.

And there's something unusual about this psalm, and perhaps you

noticed it as we read it earlier, three times it repeats a

refrain or a chorus, exactly word for word.

But there are in fact, four refrains that are in this psalm,

all asking for the Lord to restore.

And so the psalm divides up for us into four sections, and the

first section focuses on the shepherd of Israel in verses one

to three.

Because as this psalm opens, it uses one of the most familiar

images in the Bible of the relationship between God and his

people and that of a shepherd and a sheep.

Of course, we know Psalm 23 is the shepherd psalm and where it communicates

that to us.

And we all know what a shepherd's job is, is.

A shepherd is to look after sheep under their care.

And that from the beginning, is what the people of God want God

to do for them.

Just like a shepherd will lead his sheep from one pasture to another

to make sure that they're safe, so they want God to do the

same.

And this is what they say, hear us this great title, O shepherd

of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock, you who sit enthroned

between the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim, Benjamin and

Manasseh, awaken your might, come and save us.

Now in these opening verses, we're given a perspective that this

is a community psalm that is sung for all of Israel.

When you understand the names that are mentioned here in these

verses, you get to see how this is.

Hopefully.

We know that Joseph was not one of the tribes of Israel.

Instead, his sons Ephraim and Manasseh were given the land portion.

And after King Solomon died, Israel was divided into two, Israel

and Judah.

Ephraim and Manasseh were the two, or were two of the northern

tribes, while Benjamin was one of the southern tribes in Judah.

So we have a psalm that speaks for the whole people, even though

they are a kingdom divided.

So why just these tribes?

Why not name all of them?

Well, I hope you notice what the connection is between them all,

because what we're given here in the line of Jacob are those who

are descendants of Rachel.

And so what the psalmist is using here is using Jacob's true

love, his true love for Rachel that he had for her to demonstrate

just how much God cares for and loves his people by using that

image of the true love of Jacob had for Rachel.

And from her came Joseph and Benjamin.

And then the allotment of the tribes with Ephraim, Manasseh and

Benjamin.

And as these people, as this community of Israel north and south

cry out to the shepherd.

We're given the picture of the throne of God because the image given

to us here depicts God in his sanctuary.

When Moses had the Ark of the Covenant built, figures of the cherubim

occupied the two ends of the mercy seat, that gold cover of the

Ark, and they had outspread wings overshadowing the Ark.

And this was the place where the Lord would meet with Moses and

speak to him so.

And so it came to be seen as the Lord's earthly throne.

And so the Lord is king, as we declared right at the beginning of

our service.

He's king of his people.

And because of his presence sitting amidst the cherubim and the

Ark of the Covenant, he's present there with them in the sanctuary.

And so the people can confidently cry out to him so that

he will manifest his presence by helping his people by his might.

And in verse three, they make it plain what they want.

Restore us, just like that yellow pages advert the restoration

of that antique coffee table.

Make us new, make us afresh, O God, and make your face shine upon

us that we may be saved.

And I hope you recognize this second part.

Where else do we hear of the Lord making His face to shine upon

us?

Well, these are a people who want salvation, and they're using

that great blessing of old, the Aaronic blessing given to us

in number six by Aaron.

They desire the Lord's favor to restore them as his people and

to bless them.

So here we have in this first section, the shepherd of Israel.

Well, now we move on to the second part of this.

And verses four to seven talk about God's smouldering anger.

And this smoldering anger is towards his people, because the people

are not ignorant that their sin has caused distance between them

and God.

These are a people who have ignored him, they've ignored his

way for them, and instead they've gone after false gods.

And they now ask how long it will be before he answers their prayers

again.

The relationship that they once knew is one that they want to

return to.

And verse five tells us how they feel.

You have fed them with bread, with the bread of tears.

You have made them drink tears by the bowlful.

These are our people who are cried out physical tears.

They're weary, they're looking to the Lord, they're trusting in

the Lord.

And verse six goes on to speak of how they have become a source

of contention, a source of mockery to all those around them,

and in this case, the Gentile nations.

And so, rather than being the light of hope.

They have been scorned and at this point we must pause and search

our own souls and our own hearts.

Have you felt as the people do here in this second section of God's

anger is smoldering towards you.

Perhaps you're aware of past and present sins and know that you

haven't fully confessed them.

Or perhaps you don't want to confess them because you enjoy them

too much and their benefits or perceived benefits.

Sin is a serious problem in our lives and it must be dealt with

by God if we're to have any hope of a relationship with Him.

And I used this verse last week and I make no apology for bringing

it before you again.

Because once again, First John, chapter one, verses eight to

nine counsels us if we claim to be without sin, then we deceive

ourselves and the truth isn't in us.

So if you're sitting here today and you think you're okay,

the wake up call is you're not.

Because if we claim to be without sin, then you're deceiving

yourself.

You're selling yourself a lie.

But the council continues.

If we confess our sins, so if we acknowledge them and confess them

before God, well then he is the one who is faithful and he is

just and he will forgive us our sins and he will purify us from

all unrighteousness.

There's a reality that you must know this morning.

We're all in the same boat when it comes to sin.

We can't get away from it on our own.

It's all around us, whether it be our own sin committed that has

far reaching consequences, or whether it be the sin of others that

has impact upon us.

We can't get away from it.

But we do have hope.

We have hope in restoration and deliverance because Jesus is

faithful and just to forgive us our sins.

What is the refrain that we come to again?

Restore us, O God, make your face shine upon us that we may be

saved.

We must confess our sins before him in prayer so that we will

know that forgiveness A song that I've been listening to over

these past few months, has been written by Matt Boswell, Michael

Cochran and Matt Papa.

And this is what it says in the first all we have, like sheep

gone astray.

Each of us has turned our own way.

But God led all our wrongs, our sins, upon the sinless one, his

only son.

And as I was reading Psalm 80, it just fits all we, like sheep,

have gone astray.

And what are we crying out to but the great shepherd, the one who

will Lead us.

We've each turned our own way.

But what has God done for us?

Just as we were thinking, with forgive and forget, God led all our

wrongs, our sins, upon the sinless one, his only Son.

This is what has been done for us so that we can return to the Lord

and know salvation.

So that as that refrain is repeated in verse seven, we can be

restored to the Lord.

We can know his blessing as his face, his goodness, his glory

shines upon us.

Don't you want this?

Don't you?

Why would you want anything else?

Why would you settle for anything else?

Because anything else is less.

This is the only way we can have assurance of salvation and life

eternal.

So we have the shepherd of Israel.

But we also understand God's smoldering anger and, and it's anger

because of our sin.

Well, now we move on to a different image that's presented

to us.

Moving from a shepherd, we come to the idea of a vine.

And so verses 8 to 15 consider the spoiled vine.

Verse 8 reminds the people of how God brought them out of Egypt

to be his people, and how he established them as a nation in the

Promised Land.

And verse nine plays on the horticultural image of a cutting

being taken from a vine that is then planted in soil, the soil

being the land in which they dwell.

Verse 10 then tells us that the arms of this vine were to give

shade to the mighty cedars and were to extend to the sea, either

the Red Sea or the Mediterranean, unto the Euphrates

River.

So what we're having here is that this vine in the Promised land

was to spread to all its borders, therefore it would know

its borders and it would live in those borders as God's people.

And by the way, those borders always included the Gentile nations.

The branches and shoots are therefore an image of the benefits

that come to all who are under the rule of this people.

But a question comes in this image of the vine in verses 12 to

13.

Why have you broken down its walls?

So that all who pass by pick its grapes, boars from the forest

ravage it, and the creatures of the field feed on it.

And here we're told that it is God who has broken down its walls,

which had protected the vine from all who pass by, and from the

boar of the forest, that is, he removed from his people his own

protection against the marauding and empire building Gentiles.

And why?

Because of their rebellion.

God isn't punishing them for no reason.

These are people who made promises and have broken them again

and again and again.

And so they come, knowing all of this, with the question, why?

And it's a question inviting the singers to ponder the answer.

If God has shown such care for this vine, they would ask, would

he likely allow such violence against it?

And that's a reasonable question for them to ask.

And if we actually go back to verse four, well, they've already

admitted that the people's unfaithfulness may be the very reason

for it.

But now in verse 14, we see an appeal to God to look down from heaven,

to have regard, or to consider this vine again, to restore it to

its proper rule the world as being a people who worship him, and

a blessing and a light to the nations.

And so this third refrain, although not a repeat of what we

read in verses three and seven, and then in verse 19, it still

presents the request that the Lord would look favorably again on

his vine and cause it to flourish.

But notice verse 15.

Look at how it points us forward as we read it with New Testament

Understanding.

Verse 15 says, Watch over this vine, the root your right hand has

planted, the Son you have raised up for yourself.

See, God was insistent that his people would flourish, but they

could never have done so if left to their own resources.

Even our girls and boys now understand that as they've traced

the history of the children of Israel out of Egypt, these are a

people who needed deep deliverance, not just from Egyptian

captivity, but from sin's captivity.

And as we read this, the sun you have raised up for yourself,

our alarm bells and light bulbs should be flashing, saying,

well, with New Testament eyes, we know exactly who this Son is.

Because when Jesus Christ came to earth, he called himself the vine.

And we also know him as the Son of God.

In other words, Jesus came to do what Israel failed to do.

He came to spread the shade of his blessing far and wide, the goodness

of his salvation.

And so united to him by faith, we too become part of that life giving

vine.

And we bear fruit.

And so this morning, if you feel forsaken, as if you keep disappointing

God, then consider what God has done for you.

If you are in Christ, he has given you his one and only Son, so

that you can be raised up for his glory.

And Jesus tells us this himself in John 15:5, Jesus says,

John 15:5

I am the vine, you are the branches.

If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit.

And here's another line to pay attention to.

Because apart from me, Jesus says, you can do nothing.

Jesus gives us all we need.

He says, you need to look to me, you need to trust in me.

Don't trust in yourself.

Don't think that all your rituals and all your rites, that

all of your good works will ever cut it, because they won't.

None of us by birth are automatically in the kingdom of God.

For we are all born in sin and we are shaped by it.

And apart from Christ, we can do nothing.

But yet he tells us that if we remain in him, then he remains in

us.

And we will know that blessing of bearing fruit for his name's sake.

You see, all we need is Jesus.

We cannot save ourselves.

And I cannot save you.

But when we know Christ's salvation, then we know that we flourish

as we grow in faith.

And if your faith this morning is weary, and if you're tired, well,

take hope.

Look to Jesus and trust in him to see you through.

As the second verse of the Boswell, Cochrane and Papa Song says,

all who feel the sting of your sin come and lift your eyes once

again.

How great a price was paid to save the souls of those who stray.

Yet still we stray.

Isn't this the reality of who we are?

We still stray.

But there's a solution to our wanderings, and it's Jesus.

The price has been paid to save our souls.

And when we trust in him, he will keep us.

And this brings us to the final section, and we consider the

Savior they seek in verses 16 to 19.

Verse 16 acknowledges that they are facing what they're facing

because of their sin and its consequences.

They know that to face the rebuke of God will mean they perish.

And they don't want to perish.

They want to be restored, to be revived, so that they can call

on the name of the Lord.

And they can do that with joy.

Look at the prophetic language of verse 17 from these old Testament

people.

Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the Son of Man

you have raised up for yourself.

Now, there's a play on words here, and that refers to Benjamin.

And Benjamin's name means man at your right hand.

But we know that there is a greater son of David, a greater son

of Jacob, who would be called the Son of Man, and that is Jesus.

And as the people sing their final refrain in verse 19, they seek

salvation and the Lord's favor to shine upon them.

And for us today, we can only know this through Jesus as we trust

in Him.

And this trust is not just for one moment in time, a trust for every

day.

Every day we ask that he will see us through.

He will keep us from sin and from evil.

And that as we looked at in Revelation 21 last Sunday evening,

we will know there is a day coming where every tear will be wiped

from every eye, where there will be no more sickness or mourning

or sorrow for the old things have passed away.

This is what we need to know.

We need to trust in Jesus to know this, because it is a trust

that leads us to prayer and to praise of who he is to us, so that

we too will sing the words of Numbers 6, 24, 26 the Lord bless

you and keep you.

The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to

you.

The Lord turn his face toward you, give you peace.

I do put my put myself out on a limb here when I say this is potentially

one of the greatest blessings we can read in Scripture, rooted

in the Old Testament, yet fulfilled in Jesus, to know a blessing

of comfort and to know a blessing of peace.

Psalm 80 does four things for us and I hope you appreciate the

work I've gone to because they are all with the letter S. And you

know that doesn't come easily to me because Psalm 80 assures us

that when we turn to the shepherd of Israel and acknowledge

his smouldering anger towards us because of our sin, then we will

know our own past as the spoiled vine so that we can know

the Savior we seek, the only one to deliver us from sin, restore

us to God forever.

Why would you want anything else?

Why would you want anything different?

The Yellow Pages have come and they've gone within 0.3 seconds.

Google tells me I can now find a plumber and a painter and even

a French polisher.

He might have to travel 60 miles, but not 0.3 seconds.

We don't need the Yellow Pages to help us.

We have everything we need in a Savior who loves us so.

Come, let us return to the Lord Come now all his mercies Remember

how wide his love that waits to welcome us.

O come, let us return to the Lord Let us pray.

Our Father God, we thank you for this psalm that perhaps many

of us have never read.

And yet we know and read of its truth as we see it in the light

of Christ.

And so may we know its message of salvation.

May we know its goodness.

And Father, may we know who you are to us as we know you, and

return to you as the God of our salvation.

May we not be ignorant, may we not be so hard hearted or cold to

this truth, but may we return gladly and joyfully and no restoration

to you and we ask it in Jesus name.

Amen.

Sam.