Welcome to Day 2697 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Day 2697 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 80:14-19 – Daily Wisdom

Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script – Day 2697

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2697 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Gardener’s Return, The Leader’s Hand – Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 80:14-19

Today, we reach the powerful and ultimately hope-filled conclusion of our trek through Psalm 80 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its final verses, 14 through 19.

In our journey through Psalm 80, we’ve heard the poignant cry of a people reeling from national turmoil. In verses 1-6, the psalmist, Asaph, lamented God’s prolonged anger, asking “How long, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, will you be angry with our prayers?” He spoke of being fed with sorrow and drinking tears by the cupful, all while being the public scorn of his neighbors. Then, in verses 7-13, the lament intensified through a magnificent agricultural metaphor: Israel as a vine that God Himself had rescued, planted, and nurtured, but whose walls had been broken down, leaving it vulnerable to wild animals and devastation. The central plea was for God to “restore us” and to “smile on us and save us.”

Now, in these concluding verses, the lament culminates in a final, desperate appeal. The psalmist pleads for the divine Gardener to return to His vineyard and to act on behalf of His people. He then introduces a powerful, messianic plea for God’s hand of favor to rest upon a specific leader, “the man of your right hand,” a chosen leader who will bring about this restoration. The psalm concludes with a final, three-fold repetition of the central prayer, signifying a persistent, unwavering hope in God’s ultimate salvation.

So, let’s step into this prayer of deep longing and resolute hope, as we witness a people entrusting their future into God’s sovereign hands.

• The Plea for the Gardener’s Return

(Reads Psalm 80:14-16 NLT)Come back, we beg you, O God of Heaven’s Armies.Look down from heaven and see our plight.Take care of this grapevine,this shoot you have planted with your own strong hand!For your enemies have cut it down and burned it.May they be destroyed by your rebuke.Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins this section with an urgent, heartfelt plea for God’s return: “Come back, we beg you, O God of Heaven’s Armies. Look down from heaven and see our plight.” The phrase “Come back” is a desperate cry for God to reverse His apparent absence. The lamenting community understands their dire situation, but they need God to see it, to “look down from heaven and see our plight” (literally, “our suffering” or “our affliction”). This is an appeal for God to witness their devastation firsthand, a hope that seeing their ruin will compel Him to act. The title “O God of Heaven’s Armies” is a reminder that this is not a cry to a helpless deity, but to the commander of all celestial forces, the very one capable of intervening with overwhelming power.

The plea for God’s attention is then specified to the metaphor of the vine: “Take care of this grapevine, this shoot you have planted with your own strong hand!” This is a plea to God’s heart as the divine Gardener. “Take care of” (Hebrew: paqad) can also mean “visit” or “attend to.” They are begging God to visit His vineyard and tend to it again. The psalmist reminds God that this is not just any vine; it is “this shoot you have planted with your own strong hand!” This emphasizes the divine origin of Israel. This vine is a product of God’s personal labor and power. It’s a reminder of God’s investment in them, a powerful argument for Him to not allow it to be utterly destroyed.

The lament then details the current, horrifying state of the vine, contrasting its past glory with its present ruin: “For your enemies have cut it down and burned it. May they be destroyed by your rebuke.” The phrase “cut it down” suggests a deliberate and systematic destruction, while “burned it” signifies its utter ruin, leaving only scorched remains. The enemies are not just thieves; they are agents of destruction.

The psalmist then offers a renewed imprecatory prayer against these enemies: “May they be destroyed by your rebuke.” A “rebuke” (Hebrew: ga’ar) from God is a powerful, authoritative word of judgment that can bring utter ruin, as we saw in Psalm 76 when God’s roar left chariots and horses still. This is a plea for God to simply speak, for His rebuke to be enough to annihilate their oppressors. The psalmist’s hope is that God will not need to engage in a long battle, but that His powerful word alone will be sufficient to bring an end to their enemies’ reign of terror.

This section vividly portrays a people clinging to the identity that God once gave them, even as their present reality seems to be the very antithesis of that glorious past. They beg the Gardener to return to His ruined garden, trusting that His own hand of power can restore what enemies have destroyed.

• The Hope for a Chosen Leader

(Reads Psalm 80:17-19 NLT)Strengthen the man you love,the Son of Man you have raised up for yourself.Then we will never abandon you again.Give us life again, and we will call on your name.Restore us, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.Smile on us and save us.Guthrie Chamberlain: After pleading for God to return to the vine, the psalmist introduces a new, and deeply significant, plea for a chosen leader: “Strengthen the man you love, the Son of Man you have raised up for yourself.” This is a powerful, messianic prayer. “The man you love” (literally, “the man of your right hand”) and “the Son of Man” are titles that would have immediately pointed the ancient Israelite to their ideal king, the anointed one. The right hand was the place of power and favor. To be the “man of God’s right hand” was to be divinely appointed and empowered, the one through whom God would execute His will. The title “Son of Man” (Ben Adam) is a profound name that would later be used by Jesus to describe Himself, linking His humanity to His divine purpose (Daniel 7:13). The psalmist is asking for God’s hand of power to be placed on a divinely chosen human leader, a king, to bring about this needed salvation and restoration.

The psalmist’s reasoning for this plea is a solemn promise of renewed faithfulness: “Then we will never abandon you again. Give us life again, and we will call on your name.” This is a profound commitment from a people whose history, as Asaph so vividly recounted in Psalm 78, was a tragic cycle of continuous rebellion and abandonment of God. They are essentially saying, “If you act now, Lord, through this chosen leader, it will break the cycle. We will be restored to such an extent that we will no longer turn away from you.” “Give us life again” is a prayer for revival, for a new beginning, for a restoration of national and spiritual vitality. The promise is that this renewed life will lead to perpetual worship: “and we will call on your name.” Their deliverance will be the catalyst for their faithfulness.

The psalm then culminates in a third and final repetition of the central refrain, bringing the prayer full circle with a sense of urgency and enduring hope: “Restore us, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies. Smile on us and save us.” This three-fold repetition throughout the psalm (verses 3, 7, and 19) is a powerful literary and theological device. It signifies a profound, persistent, and unyielding prayer. It is a prayer that does not give up in the face of despair, a cry that knows the only real salvation comes from God’s favor, and that His restoration is the single most important need of the people. This final repetition carries all the weight of the vine’s glorious past, its present devastation, and the hope for a future under the leadership of a chosen man.

Psalm 80, in its entirety, is a masterfully crafted lament, moving from a cry for a Shepherd to a plea for a Gardener, and culminating in a prayer for a divinely appointed leader to bring about ultimate restoration. It gives voice to the anguish of a people living under God’s anger, while simultaneously affirming their profound and enduring hope in God’s saving power.

What profound wisdom can we draw from these concluding verses for our Wisdom-Trek today?

Firstly, the psalmist’s plea for God to return to His vineyard and to care for the “shoot” He planted reminds us of God’s deep investment in our lives. Even when our lives feel cut down and burned, we can appeal to God’s heart as the ultimate Gardener, trusting that He has not forgotten the work of His own hands.

Secondly, the prayer for God’s hand of favor to be upon the “man of your right hand” highlights the deep human longing for a righteous leader, a savior who is divinely empowered to bring about true restoration. This prayer finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, the one God has raised up to bring us life again.

Thirdly, this psalm teaches us a profound lesson in persistent prayer. The three-fold refrain of “Restore us, O God… smile on us and save us” is a powerful model for us. When our world is in ruin, we don’t give up on prayer; we repeat our plea with unwavering hope, trusting that our steadfast God hears us.

Finally, the promise that renewed life will lead to renewed faithfulness is a powerful motivation for us. When God restores us, it should be the catalyst for a life of unyielding praise, a life where we never abandon Him again, but continually call on His name.

Let us, like the psalmist, cry out for God to return, to care for the work of His hands, and to strengthen us through His divine power, so that our lives may become a testament to His restoring grace and we may never turn away from Him again.

Guthrie Chamberlain: Thank you for joining me on this powerful trek through the conclusion of Psalm 80. I trust that this exploration of lament, restoration, and enduring hope has deeply resonated with your own journey today. Join me again next time as we begin a new segment of Wisdom-Trek, continuing to uncover the timeless truths of God’s Word. Until then, keep moving forward, enjoy the journey, and create a great day! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to Live Abundantly, Love Unconditionally, Listen Intentionally, Learn Continuously, Lend to others Generously, Lead with Integrity, and Leave a Living Legacy each day.

Welcome to Day 2696 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Supernatural Intent” – Supernatural

Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script – Day 2696

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2696 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Today, we continue with the 11^th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book “Supernatural,” written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter eleven: “Supernatural Intent.”

In the last chapter, we saw how the Old Testament presents the messiah by hiding him in plain sight. The key to God’s plan to restore Eden and redeem humanity was for the messiah, Jesus, to die on the cross and then rise from the dead.

Only by becoming a man could God ensure that a human king from the line of David would rule over his people without falling into sin and straying spiritually. Only if that king died in the place of his people and rose from the dead could God rightly judge sin and provide salvation all at the same time. Only by the messiah’s death and resurrection would fallen people still have a place in God’s family council, ruling in that renewed Edenic kingdom, as originally planned.

But think about all that required: Jesus had to somehow make sure the supernatural powers of darkness manipulated men to kill him—without understanding what they were really doing. As Paul had said to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 2:6–8), if they really knew what the results were going to be, they never would have crucified the Lord.

The life and ministry of Jesus may make more sense when viewed against that backdrop. It’s easy for readers of the New Testament, for instance, to get the impression that Jesus’ ministry leading up to the cross was somewhat random. After all, the Gospels don’t always present the same episodes—for example, the birth of Jesus is found in only two of them (Matthew and Luke), and only one mentions the wise men (Matt. 2). Sometimes scenes appear in a slightly different order in different gospels. But those acts of Jesus recorded in the Gospels leading up to the crucifixion—healing the sick, preaching about the kingdom of God, forgiving sinners, confronting hypocrisy​—were more than the random acts of a traveling wise man who occasionally did miraculous things. There’s more going on in the gospel stories than meets the eye. There’s an important subtext to what Jesus was doing.

Outwitting Evil

The event that marked the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry was his baptism. It was there that God publicly identified Jesus as his Son (Mark 1:11), and there that John the Baptist identified him as the one who “takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). When we read those words from John, we think immediately about the crucifixion. But John’s disciples weren’t thinking about that. Frankly, no one was. When, close to the end of his ministry—over three years after his baptism—Jesus began to speak of his death, his own disciples rejected the idea (Matt. 17:22–23; Mark 9:30–32). The last thing they expected to hear from their Lord was that he was going to die soon. That was crazy talk. They didn’t understand Jesus’ death on the cross had been the plan from the beginning. Why didn’t they? Because, as we discussed in the previous chapter, the plan wasn’t presented in the Old Testament with open clarity.

After Jesus’ baptism, he was driven into the wilderness by the Spirit to confront Satan (Matt. 4:1; Mark 1:12; Luke 4:1–13). That the Devil came to tempt Jesus tells us Satan knew who Jesus was—he was the messiah on a mission to re-install God’s “home rule” on earth. After all, the “anointed one” (messiah) would be a king in the line of David. Satan, the “ruler of this world” (John 12:31), understood Jesus would set his sights on Satan’s dominion​—the nations God had cast aside at the Tower of Babel before creating Israel (Deut. 4:19–20; 32:8–9).

Most of us recall the scene between Jesus and Satan. Satan tempted Jesus three times (Matt. 4:3–11). Satan’s third strategy for getting Jesus to violate his relationship with God was to offer the Son of God the nations of the world (Matt. 4:8–9), the very thing he presumed Jesus had come to reclaim:

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” (Matt. 4:8–9)

Satan’s proposal was a clever altering of God’s plan. It would produce the result God desired—retrieval of the nations he had disinherited from being his people. Mission accomplished. All Jesus had to do was worship Satan instead of God.

Satan’s offer reveals that he hadn’t yet realized God’s plan required Jesus’ death. Jesus didn’t tip him off, either. He didn’t explain his refusal. He simply told Satan to get lost. God would take back what was his when and how he wanted. The mission of Jesus wasn’t just about ruling all the nations. It was about rebuilding a family. Including in that family people from all nations, not just Israel, meant that sin must be atoned for. As he’d originally planned, God’s rule would involve his children. The cross was essential to redeeming humanity and therefore to putting God’s plan into place. Jesus wasn’t going to be tricked—but the Devil would be, in due time.

A Taste of Eden

Immediately after the temptation in the desert, Jesus did two things: called his first disciples (Peter, Andrew, James, and John) and healed a demon-possessed man (Mark 1:16–28; Luke 4:31–5:11). Both the calling of disciples and healing continued, forming the beginning of a pattern. As he called more disciples, he gave them power to cast out demons and heal people of every disease, handicap, and condition (Luke 9:1–5).

Jesus initially called twelve disciples. The number isn’t accidental. It corresponds to the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus began the kingdom plan with Israel in view. They are, after all, God’s portion, chosen above all the other nations (Deut. 32:8–9). Paul would later view the spread of the gospel the same way—start with the Jews, then go to the Gentiles (Rom. 1:16–17). Jesus didn’t stop with the Twelve. In Luke 10 he commissioned seventy more people to heal and cast out demons (Luke 10:1, 9, 17). That number wasn’t accidental. It’s the number of nations listed in Genesis 10—the nations God cast aside at the Tower of Babel event and placed under the dominion of lesser gods (Deut. 4:19–20; 32:8–9). Some translations have seventy-two, rather than seventy, in these verses. That’s because some ancient manuscripts of the Old Testament present the names of the nations in Genesis 10 in such a way that they add up to seventy-two. Either way, the point is the same—the sending of these men corresponds to the number of the nations in Genesis 10. Just as the calling of the Twelve was a sign that the kingdom had come to Israel, so the sending of the seventy signaled that the kingdom would take back the nations.

When the seventy return (Luke 10:17) Jesus’ response is telling: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18). The messaging is dramatic: The great reversal was underway. Satan would no longer have any claim over humanity once people belonged to Jesus. His access to God to “accuse believers” (Rev. 12:10 gnt) was over. He was a prosecutor without a case.

Come and Get Me

After three years of preaching about the coming kingdom of God, showing people God’s love, and demonstrating what life in an Edenic world would look like, Jesus began to prepare for the end—for his real purpose.

Just before what would become his final journey to Jerusalem, Jesus took the disciples to the far north of Israel. He needed to provoke the crucifixion. He couldn’t have picked a better place to throw down the gauntlet to the supernatural powers.

Jesus brought the disciples to a place called Caesarea Philippi. But that was its Roman name. In Old Testament times the region was called Bashan. We’ve talked about it before, in chapter 9. Bashan was considered the gateway to the realm of the dead—the gates of hell. Caesarea Philippi is situated at the foot of Mount Hermon, the place where, in Jewish thinking, the sons of God came to earth in the rebellion described in Genesis 6:1–4. In a nutshell, in Old Testament times Bashan and Hermon were ground zero for the evil cosmic powers.

It was at this place that Jesus asked his well-known question, “Who do you say that I am?” (Matt. 16:15). Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (v. 16). Jesus commended him and added:

Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (vv. 17–18)

The identification of the “rock” Jesus referred to has been debated for centuries. The key to understanding the term is the area’s geography. Caesarea Philippi sits in the far northern region of Bashan. In Old Testament times, this area was thought to contain gateways to the realm of the dead. Caesarea Philippi sits at the foot of a mountain. The “rock” is that mountain. The “gates of hell” marks the very place where Jesus and his disciples were standing.

Jesus was challenging the powers of darkness. At the fall, humanity lost eternal life with God and earned instead a fate of death and eternal separation from God. The lord of the dead—the Serpent, known as Satan and the Devil—had claim over humanity. Every human would join him in the realm of the dead. But God had other ideas. The secret plan to send Jesus to pay the penalty for humanity’s sin would be a frontal assault on the gates of hell. The lord of the dead and his forces would not be able to withstand the kingdom of God. In essence, in that passage in Matthew 16, Jesus goes to the Devil’s front door and challenges his claim. Jesus wanted to provoke Satan. Why? Because it was time for Jesus to die to propel God’s secret plan into motion.

As if that verbal challenge wasn’t enough, Jesus went one step further. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all agree that the next event in the ministry of Jesus was the transfiguration. Mark 9:2–8 reads:

Six days later Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain, where they were alone. As they looked on, a change came over Jesus, and his clothes became shining white—whiter than anyone in the world could wash them. Then the three disciples saw Elijah and Moses talking with Jesus. Peter spoke up and said to Jesus, “Teacher, how good it is that we are here! We will make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He and the others were so frightened that he did not know what to say. Then a cloud appeared and covered them with its shadow, and a voice came from the cloud, “This is my own dear Son—listen to him!” They took a quick look around but did not see anyone else; only Jesus was with them. (gnt)

The transfiguration takes place on Mount Hermon. Jesus picked this very spot to reveal to Peter, James, and John exactly who he was—the embodied glory of God. He was putting Satan and the powers of darkness on notice: I’ve come to earth to take back what is mine. The kingdom of God is at hand. In effect: “I’m here—now do something about it.”

It’s no accident that immediately after the transfiguration Jesus turned toward Jerusalem and began telling his disciples he was going to die there. They didn’t want to hear it. But Jesus had baited Satan and the rest of the evil powers into action. There would be a sense of urgency to get rid of him. And that’s just what Jesus wanted. His death was the key to everything.

Why This Matters

Jesus’ ministry was intentional. He had a clear view of his role in reviving the kingdom of God on earth so it would progress until the day he returned, a day that would usher in a global Eden.

Our lives are not as pivotal as his, but each of us, like the disciples, has a true role to fulfill. We need to live as if we believe that. Believers brought into God’s family council are brought in to be not observers but participants (Col. 1:13).

Among the intentions of Jesus was to show people what Eden had been like, and what life with God would be. In God’s family and God’s rule, there will be no disease and physical imperfection. There will also be no hostile powers. God’s ultimate kingdom is bigger than a garden, wider than Israel. The kingdom will be global. It will include all nations. And it will be everything Eden was—heaven on earth.

Our task is to imitate Jesus. We can, like him, care for both body and soul of our fellow imagers, leading them to faith in the King and strengthening their resolve to be loyal to him. It doesn’t necessarily take supernatural power to “bind up the brokenhearted” and “proclaim liberty to the captives” in the steps of the messiah (Isa. 61:1), but these are supernatural acts at the core. They demand resistance to darkness and strategic vision. No act of kindness will fail to be used by the Spirit to direct someone’s heart. No articulation of the gospel will be fruitless. Jesus’ kindness was congruent with his message. Neither diminished the other. This is a pattern any believer can imitate—and it is the job description for kingdom vision.

Last, we are reminded again that intelligent evil not only has limitations, but it is vulnerable to kingdom vision and action. Jesus is already seated “at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him” (1 Pet. 3:22). We are “already but not yet” co-rulers with him (Col. 3:1; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 2:26; 3:21). The gates of hell will not withstand the progression and completion of the Church as God’s kingdom on earth. The decision to participate in the great reversal is ours.

Join us next time on Theology Thursday as we explore ‘The Cloud Rider.’

Reflect…

If you found this podcast insightful, subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this Trek together, let us always:

1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
2. Love Unconditionally
3. Listen Intentionally
4. Learn Continuously
5. Lend to others Generously
6. Lead with Integrity
7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to’ Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday! See you next time for more daily wisdom!

Welcome to Day 2695 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Day 2695 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 80:7-13 – Daily Wisdom

Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script – Day 2695

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2695 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Vine from Egypt – A Garden Left to Ruin – A Trek Through Psalm 80:7-13

Today, we continue our deeply moving trek through Psalm 80 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 7 through 13.

In our last conversation, we heard a desperate communal lament from the psalmist, Asaph. We felt the anguish of a people crying out to God as their Shepherd, questioning, “How long, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, will you be angry with our prayers?” (Psalm 80:4). We saw the bitter reality of their lives: feeding on sorrow and drinking tears by the cupful, becoming the public “scorn of our neighbors.” Their primary plea was for God to “restore us” and to “smile on us and save us” (Psalm 80:3).

Now, as we move into this next section, the psalmist continues this prayer for restoration, but he does so through a magnificent and poignant agricultural metaphor. He portrays Israel as a vine, one that God Himself rescued, planted, and tenderly cared for, a vine that once flourished and covered the earth. He then contrasts that glorious past with the vine’s present state of ruin and desecration, all to intensify his plea for God, the divine Gardener, to return and care for His vineyard once again.

This metaphor would have resonated deeply with the ancient Israelites, a people whose identity and heritage were intrinsically linked to the land and its fruitfulness. It’s a powerful picture of a relationship that has fallen into disrepair, and the desperate hope for its renewal.

So, let’s immerse ourselves in this beautiful and heartbreaking metaphor of a vine planted by God.

• A Glorious Vine Planted by God

(Reads Psalm 80:7-11 NLT)

Restore us, O God of Heaven’s Armies. Smile on us and save us. You brought a vine from Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it here. You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shade; the mighty cedars with its branches. The vine spread its branches west to the Mediterranean Sea and east to the Euphrates River.

Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins this section by reiterating the central plea, a refrain that will run throughout the psalm: “Restore us, O God of Heaven’s Armies. Smile on us and save us.” This repetition serves to reinforce the gravity and single-mindedness of their desire for a complete reversal of their fortunes. They are begging for God’s favor to return, for Him to turn His face back to them, for they know that in His smile is their salvation.

The psalmist then introduces the magnificent vine metaphor, recounting God’s faithful actions toward Israel in the past: “You brought a vine from Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it here.” This metaphor for Israel is powerful and well-established in biblical literature (Isaiah 5, Hosea 10). “A vine from Egypt” refers to God’s miraculous deliverance of the nation from slavery, bringing them out of bondage. This was an act of profound redemption.

“You drove out the nations and planted it here” refers to the conquest of the Promised Land, Canaan. God, the divine Gardener, cleared the land of its previous inhabitants, meticulously preparing the soil for His chosen vine. This was not a passive act of guidance, but an active, sovereign intervention to provide a secure and fertile place for His people to thrive. This highlights God’s meticulous care and profound commitment to His covenant.

The psalmist continues to describe the vine’s glorious, divinely-enabled growth: “You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land.” God prepared the way, and the vine flourished. “Took root” implies that the nation became firmly established and deeply embedded in the land. And it didn’t just grow; it “filled the land,” spreading its influence throughout the entire territory.

The grandeur of this vine’s flourishing is then described with breathtaking imagery: “The mountains were covered with its shade; the mighty cedars with its branches.” This is a hyperbolic but beautiful description of Israel’s growth and dominion. “Mountains” and “cedars of Lebanon” were symbols of strength, majesty, and grandeur in the ancient world. For the vine’s branches to cover these mighty symbols signifies Israel’s profound growth, power, and influence in the land. The vine grew so large and so strong that its shade covered even the highest mountains and its branches intertwined with the tallest, most majestic trees. This was the glorious, divinely ordained destiny for the nation.

And the dominion of this vine was vast, fulfilling the covenant promises of a wide territory: “The vine spread its branches west to the Mediterranean Sea and east to the Euphrates River.” “The Mediterranean Sea” (literally, “the sea”) formed the western boundary of the promised land. “The Euphrates River” was the ideal eastern and northern boundary of the territory God had promised to Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 15:18). This verse describes the glorious fulfillment of that covenant promise, a time when Israel’s influence stretched across the entire land God had given them. This imagery paints a picture of a flourishing, prosperous, and secure people, a stark contrast to their present reality of desolation.

This section masterfully recounts God’s faithful acts of planting, nurturing, and protecting His people, using a powerful metaphor that would have stirred deep longing and memory in the hearts of the ancient Israelites.

• A Plea for a Devastated Garden

(Reads Psalm 80:12-13 NLT)

Why have you broken down our walls? Now anyone can come and steal our grapes. The wild boars from the forest are devouring it; the wild animals from the fields feed on it.

Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm now pivots to a heart-wrenching question, contrasting the glorious past with the devastating present: “Why have you broken down our walls? Now anyone can come and steal our grapes.” This “Why?” is a cry of anguish, a painful question directed at God’s apparent inaction. The “walls” (gader) of a vineyard were a crucial element of protection in the ancient world, designed to keep out wild animals and thieves. By “broken down our walls,” the psalmist is saying that God, the divine Gardener, has removed His protection, leaving the vineyard (Israel) completely vulnerable and defenseless.

The result of this lack of protection is ruin: “Now anyone can come and steal our grapes.” The “grapes” are the fruit of the vine, the result of God’s planting and nurturing. They represent the blessings, the prosperity, and the very identity of God’s people. The psalmist laments that these blessings are now laid bare, open to any passing enemy to “come and steal,” or “pluck” and plunder. This is a powerful metaphor for the current national devastation they are experiencing, where they have been left vulnerable to their enemies.

The psalmist then vividly describes the creatures of destruction that now prey on God’s once-glorious vine: “The wild boars from the forest are devouring it; the wild animals from the fields feed on it.” “Wild boars” (chazir) were known for their destructive, ruinous foraging, trampling and tearing up vines. “Wild animals” (ziz) from the fields are any untamed creatures that would feast on the vine’s precious fruit. This imagery represents the vicious, brutal, and uninhibited attacks of their enemies, who are now “devouring” and feeding on the once-glorious nation of Israel, now left defenseless because God has removed His protective hedge.

This section is a profound lament, a raw expression of a people who feel that God, their Gardener, has abandoned His garden to ruin. The shame of a once-glorious vine now left to be trampled and devoured by wild animals would have been immense. It captures the depth of their desperation, for they know that without God’s protection, they are completely vulnerable to the relentless attacks of their enemies.

Psalm 80:7-13 is a masterful lament, moving from a prayer for restoration to a powerful, historical recount of God’s covenant faithfulness, only to contrast it with the painful, desolate reality of a people suffering God’s judgment and left without His protective hand. It’s a desperate cry for God to return to His garden.

What profound wisdom can we draw from these verses for our Wisdom-Trek today?

Firstly, the metaphor of Israel as a vine reminds us that our identity as God’s people is not self-made; it is a result of His choice, His rescue, and His planting. Our flourishing is entirely dependent on His careful nurture and protection.

Secondly, the lament over the “broken walls” and the vulnerability of the vine is a sobering reminder that God’s protection is not automatic. When we, as His people, turn away from Him, we can leave ourselves vulnerable to the attacks of our spiritual enemies. God’s protective hand can be withdrawn as a consequence of unfaithfulness.

Thirdly, this psalm gives us a sacred language for when we feel abandoned or vulnerable. We can ask God “Why have you broken down our walls?” and “Why have you left your garden to ruin?” It’s a valid cry of the heart, a way of expressing our pain while still appealing to God as our divine Gardener.

Finally, this psalm serves as a powerful reminder that our ultimate hope for restoration and protection lies in God’s return. The psalmist’s only hope is for the Gardener to come back, to see the destruction, and to once again tend to His garden with His hand of power and His face of favor. This sets the stage for the next section of the psalm, where the plea for God’s return intensifies.

Let us heed the wisdom of this lament, remembering that our well-being is found in God’s care, and let us continually pray for Him to “restore us,” to “smile on us,” and to rebuild the walls of protection around His people.

(Outro Music: Somber, contemplative theme fades in)

Guthrie Chamberlain: Thank you for joining me on this profound trek through Psalm 80:7-13. I trust that this exploration of a vine planted by God and a garden left to ruin has resonated with your own journey and equipped you to bring your deepest pleas for restoration to our compassionate God. Join me again next time as we continue to seek and apply the timeless truths of God’s Word. Until then, keep moving forward, enjoy the journey, and create a great day! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to Live Abundantly, Love Unconditionally, Listen Intentionally, Learn Continuously, Lend to others Generously, Lead with Integrity, and Leave a Living Legacy each day.

Welcome to Day 2693 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Day 2693 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 780:1-6 – Daily Wisdom

Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script – Day 2693

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2693 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Shepherd’s Hidden Face – A Cry for Restoration – A Trek Through Psalm 80:1-6

Today, we begin a powerful and deeply moving trek through Psalm 80 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its opening verses, 1 through 6.

Psalm 80 is a communal lament, a desperate and repeated cry for God to restore His people. Like the lament psalms we’ve recently explored, such as Psalms 74 and 79, it is steeped in national tragedy and the anguish of God’s apparent absence. However, this psalm is unique in its focus on God’s identity as a Shepherd and its use of agricultural and shepherding metaphors to articulate the nation’s pain and their fervent desire for revival. The psalmist pleads for God, the Shepherd of Israel, to remember His flock, to turn His face back to them, and to act with His saving power.

This psalm gives voice to that difficult, often-long season of suffering when God’s anger feels prolonged, and our pleas seem to go unanswered. It’s a prayer for a fresh start, a powerful yearning for divine intervention to reverse a season of national turmoil and public disgrace.

So, let’s immerse ourselves in this desperate plea for divine restoration, feeling the weight of a people crying out from the wilderness of God’s silence.

• The Shepherd’s Call to Action

(Reads Psalm 80:1-3 NLT)

Please listen, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead the descendants of Joseph like a flock. O God, enthroned above the cherubim, display your glory and power! Stir up your mighty power! Come to our rescue and save us. Restore us, O God of Heaven’s Armies. Smile on us and save us.

Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm begins with a tender and intimate plea to God as the Shepherd: “Please listen, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead the descendants of Joseph like a flock.” This imagery is both ancient and deeply personal to the Israelite people. God is not just a distant king; He is a caring Shepherd, and Israel is His flock. This echoes the portrayal of God’s leadership in Psalm 78, where “he led his own people like sheep through the wilderness.” It’s an appeal to God’s paternal, protective, and nurturing nature.

The psalmist specifically mentions “the descendants of Joseph,” which refers to the prominent tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. Given their significance, this might suggest the lament comes from the Northern Kingdom, or it could be a general plea for the entire nation, with Joseph representing all of Israel. Regardless, the appeal is to God’s faithfulness as their leader, a plea for Him to remember His flock and return to His shepherding duties.

The plea for God to act is filled with anticipation and awe: “O God, enthroned above the cherubim, display your glory and power! Stir up your mighty power! Come to our rescue and save us.” This is a profound shift from a gentle Shepherd to a powerful King. “Cherubim” were the angelic beings whose wings formed the very throne of God on the Ark of the Covenant, located in the Holy of Holies. For God to be “enthroned above the cherubim” signifies His supreme, transcendent glory and holiness.

The psalmist is asking this glorious, holy God to actively and visibly intervene. The phrases “display your glory and power” and “stir up your mighty power” are urgent calls for a divine manifestation. They are not asking God to be something He isn’t, but to reveal what He already is. They are begging for a demonstration of the same power that split the sea and defeated their enemies, a power that has been dormant or hidden. The cry to “Come to our rescue and save us” is a direct, desperate plea for divine deliverance from their current plight.

This section culminates in a powerful and repeated prayer for restoration: “Restore us, O God of Heaven’s Armies. Smile on us and save us.” This prayer becomes a refrain throughout the psalm, a central theme of their lament. “Restore us” (shuv) is a cry for a complete reversal of their fortunes, for God to bring them back from their current state of ruin and despair.

“O God of Heaven’s Armies” (Yahweh Sabaoth) is a title for God that emphasizes His power as the commander of the angelic hosts, a warrior king. The plea is for this powerful military God to bring about their restoration. And the method of that restoration is simple yet profound: “Smile on us and save us.” This echoes the ancient priestly blessing from Numbers 6:25, “May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.” A smiling face from a king or a god in the ancient world indicated favor, acceptance, and a desire to bless. They are asking God to turn His face back to them, to show them His favor, knowing that His smile is what brings true salvation and security.

This opening trio of verses sets the stage for a lament that is both deeply personal (a Shepherd for His flock) and powerfully cosmic (a King enthroned above the cherubim), all centered on a desperate plea for God’s saving restoration.

• The Anguish of God’s Anger

(Reads Psalm 80:4-6 NLT)

How long, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, will you be angry with our prayers? You have fed us with sorrow and made us drink tears by the cupful. You have made us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies mock us to their hearts’ content.

Guthrie Chamberlain: After pleading for restoration, the psalmist expresses the deep anguish of what they are currently experiencing: God’s prolonged anger. He asks the quintessential lament question: “How long, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, will you be angry with our prayers?” This is a profound and heart-wrenching question. It’s not just a cry about suffering; it’s a lament that their prayers, the very means of seeking God’s favor, seem to be met with anger or a deaf ear. This suggests a deep spiritual crisis—they are trying to reach God, but His face is hidden, and His anger seems to be a barrier. The psalmist is questioning the very effectiveness of their devotion and lament. It’s a feeling of being completely cut off from God.

The result of this prolonged anger is a life of sorrow and tears: “You have fed us with sorrow and made us drink tears by the cupful.” This is a vivid, powerful metaphor for their daily suffering. Food and drink are essential for life, but for the psalmist, they are replaced with sorrow and tears. They are not just experiencing grief; they are being “fed” it, suggesting it is a constant, unavoidable part of their sustenance. And they are not just shedding tears, they are drinking them “by the cupful,” signifying an overwhelming, unending amount of grief.

This language connects to the laments in Psalm 79, where the people’s “blood has been poured out like water” (Psalm 79:3). Here, the internal consequence of that devastation is being described—a life so full of sorrow that tears have become their sustenance. This is a powerful, intimate portrait of a people in deep spiritual and emotional anguish.

The psalmist then describes the public, national disgrace that accompanies their suffering: “You have made us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies mock us to their hearts’ content.” This directly ties back to the national shame lamented in Psalm 79:4, where they were “mocked by our neighbors, scoffed at by those around us.” The pain here is not just internal; it’s external, public, and relentless. “Scorn” and “mock” mean they have become an object of ridicule, a public spectacle of God’s apparent displeasure. Their enemies do this “to their hearts’ content,” signifying malicious, uninhibited glee over their downfall.

This public humiliation served as a profound theological challenge. If Israel’s God was truly as powerful as they claimed, why did He allow them to be humiliated so completely by the nations who did not know Him? This psalm, like others, implicitly argues that this public shame must be a temporary phase, and that for the sake of His own honor, God must act and restore them, turning their disgrace into glory.

Psalm 80:1-6 is a deeply moving communal lament that gives voice to a people longing for divine restoration. It encapsulates the tension between a God who is a loving Shepherd and a God whose anger seems prolonged, resulting in national suffering and public disgrace. The psalmist’s prayer is for God to act as He has in the past, to turn His face back to them, to restore them, and to silence the taunts of their enemies with His saving power.

What profound wisdom can we draw from these opening verses for our Wisdom-Trek today?

Firstly, this psalm validates the experience of feeling that God’s anger is against us, or that our prayers are not being heard. It shows that it’s permissible to bring these raw, difficult questions directly to God, asking “How long?”

Secondly, it reminds us of God’s dual nature as both a tender Shepherd and a mighty King. When we are suffering, we can appeal to His compassion, while also trusting in His supreme power to act on our behalf. His identity is our greatest hope.

Thirdly, the imagery of sorrow as our food and tears as our drink resonates with the reality of grief and distress. It shows that God understands our deepest anguish and provides a sacred language for our suffering.

Finally, this psalm serves as a powerful reminder that our ultimate hope for restoration rests on God’s favor. We must continually pray for God to “smile on us,” to show us His face, and to turn His anger into grace, knowing that His saving presence is the source of all peace and security.

Let us, like the psalmist, cry out for God’s saving restoration, trusting that even in the midst of sorrow, He is still our Shepherd and our King.

Guthrie Chamberlain: Thank you for joining me on this profound trek through the opening verses of Psalm 80. I trust that this exploration of lament and restoration has resonated with your own journey and equipped you to bring your deepest pleas to our compassionate God. Join me again next time as we continue to seek and apply the timeless truths of God’s Word. Until then, keep moving forward, enjoy the journey, and create a great day! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to Live Abundantly, Love Unconditionally, Listen Intentionally, Learn Continuously, Lend to others Generously, Lead with Integrity, and Leave a Living Legacy each day.