Matthew Poole and continuators on Psalms 80:1

1 GIve ear, O shepherd of Israel , thou that leadest Ioseph like a flock, thou that dwellest between the cherubims , shine forth .

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.