Matthew Poole and continuators on Psalms 80

Thou who hast undertaken to seed and govern thy people of Israel, as a shepherd doth his flock, now perform thine Office, and rescue thy [illegible: 1+ letters]ock from those grievous Wolves which devour and destroy them.

Or, didst lead formerly, though now▪ thou hast forsaken them.

(i. e.) The Children of Ioseph, or of Israel, as he now said, this Clause being but a repetition of the former in other words. Compare Psal. 77. 15. And the name of Ioseph, the most eminent of the Patriarchs both for his dignity and piety and the right of primogeniture transferred upon him from Reuben, 1 Chron. 5. 1. is elsewhere put for all the ten Tribes, as Ezek. 37. 16, 19. Amos 5. 6, 15. and 6. 6. Zech. 10. 6. And for all the Tribes, as Psal. 81. 5. Obad. v. 18.

Which were the Mercy-seat above the Ark. By which title he prudently and piously minds the ten Tribes of their revolt from God, and of the vanity of their superstitious Addresses to their Calves at Da[illegible: 1+ letters] and Bethel, and of the necessity of their returning to the true worship of God before the Ark at Ierusalem, if they desired or expected any relief from him. And by this title it seems more than probable that this Psalm was not made upon occasion of the Babylonish Captivity, in and after which time there was no Ark nor Cherubims, nor do I remember that David or any Prophets did then apply themselves to God by that Title. See Dan. 9.

Out of the clouds wherein thou seemest to hide thy self. Shew forth thy power and goodness to and for thy poor oppressed people in the face of thine and their Enemies.

(i. e.) Before all the Tribes of Israel; for whom he mentions onely these three Tribes, either 1. Because of their special relation to Ioseph here named, Vers. 1. Ephraim and Manasseh being his Sons, and Benjamin his Brother, both by his Father and Mother: Or 2. Because these were eminent Tribes, Ephraim the Head of the Kingdom of the ten Tribes; Manasseh was planted and powerful on both sides of Iordan; and Benjamin, because the greatest part of Ierusalem and the Temple was in it's lot. Or 3. With respect and allusion to the ancient sci[illegible: 1+ letters]uation of the Tabernacle in the wilderness, where these Tribes were placed on the West-side of the Tabernacle, Numb. 2. 18, &c. in which the Ark was, which consequently was before them. So the sence is, O thou who didst of old go forth before these Tribes, &c. do so again at this time. Or, 4. Because these Tribes had a greater share of the Calamities here designed than others; which might be very true, though it be not expressed in the sacred History, in which we have onely the substance of things, and such circumstances are commonly omitted.

Which seems now to be asleep, or idle and useless.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] for [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word].

Or, the root, or stock or plant, as others render it.

Which thou hast planted or fixed with thy might and power; whereof the right hand is both a sign or symbol and an instrument.

Heb. the son (i. e.) either 1: The son of man, as it is more fully expressed, Vers. 17. Or rather, 2. The branch; for as yet he continues the metaphor; which is called the son, to wit, of the root or stock mentioned in the former clause, as the Branches are called Daughters in the Hebrew Text, Gen. 49. 22▪

Either 1. By supporting it with stakes or walls upon which the vine groweth up: Or rather, 2. By causing it to grow in bulk and thickness, and consequently in strength.

For thy own especial delight and service and honour.

Marginal references: Heb. son.

To protect and strengthen him.

Whom thy right hand planted, Vers. 15. whom thou hast loved and respected even as thy right hand, which is very dear to us, Mat. 5. 30. and 18. 8. Comp. Zech. 13. 7. thy Benjamin whom he mentioned, Verse 2. to whose name he seems to allude, which signifies the son of the right hand (i. e.) a dearly beloved son, as Benjamin was to Iacob.

By man and son of man he understands either 1. The Messias, oft called in Scripture the son of man, let him come, and let his Kingdom be established, and so thine Israel shall be saved and delivered out of all its troubles. Or 2. The Royal Family, the House of David, in whose safety and wellfare the happiness of the whole nation was wrapt up. Or rather, 3. The people of Israel who are oft spoken of as one person, as God's son and first-born, Exod. 4. 22. and here as one vine: And seeing all the foregoing complaints have been concerning the calamities of the people of Israel, it seems most reasonable to understand this prayer to be made for them; the rather because the following clause here applyed to the man and son of man, whom thou madest strong for thy self, is used of the root or branch of the vine, Vers. 15.

Marginal references: Psal. 89. 21.