8 A vine out of Egypt Thou dost bring, Thou dost cast out nations, and plantest it. 9 Thou hast looked before it, and dost root it, And it filleth the land, 10 Covered have been hills 'with' its shadow, And its boughs 'are' cedars of God. 11 It sendeth forth its branches unto the sea, And unto the river its sucklings. 12 Why hast Thou broken down its hedges, And all passing by the way have plucked it? 13 A boar out of the forest doth waste it, And a wild beast of the fields consumeth it. 14 God of Hosts, turn back, we beseech Thee, Look from heaven, and see, and inspect this vine, 15 And the root that Thy right hand planted, And the branch Thou madest strong for Thee, 16 Burnt with fire—cut down, From the rebuke of Thy face they perish.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 80:8-16
Commentary on Psalm 80:8-16
(Read Psalm 80:8-16)
The church is represented as a vine and a vineyard. The root of this vine is Christ, the branches are believers. The church is like a vine, needing support, but spreading and fruitful. If a vine do not bring forth fruit, no tree is so worthless. And are not we planted as in a well-cultivated garden, with every means of being fruitful in works of righteousness? But the useless leaves of profession, and the empty boughs of notions and forms, abound far more than real piety. It was wasted and ruined. There was a good reason for this change in God's way toward them. And it is well or ill with us, according as we are under God's smiles or frowns. When we consider the state of the purest part of the visible church, we cannot wonder that it is visited with sharp corrections. They request that God would help the vine. Lord, it is formed by thyself, and for thyself, therefore it may, with humble confidence, be committed to thyself.