Psalm 80 (79):12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This necessitates the role of the interpreter, as merely reading and praising is insufficient; I urge you to engage attentively. The reference to this vine in the psalm often leaves the inattentive in obscurity. Nonetheless, this vine initially represented the Jewish nation. The Israelites had dominion reaching the sea and extending to the river. The sea, as indicated in Numbers 34:5, was in close proximity; and to the east lay the Jordan River. A portion of the Jewish populace inhabited the land beyond the Jordan, while the entirety of the nation remained within its banks.

Lower the blooms of His people to the ocean. 'Blooms' and vine branches represent the entire assembly of the people who settled throughout the land stretching from the Euphrates River to the Indian Sea.

In using the metaphor of grapes, the Prophet progresses with this symbolism. The mountains represent the strongholds of neighboring nations, while the hay blanketing those mountains symbolizes Israel's dominion over them. The cedars of God denote the esteemed leaders of the people, appointed by divine authority, and the branches that shade the cedars correspond to the kingdom of Israel, which has attained greater glory than the leaders themselves. Historically, this was fulfilled in the reigns of the blessed David and Solomon; David extracted tribute not only from the Philistines, Edomites, Ammonites, and Moabites but also from Syria. Furthermore, the queen of Sheba came to Solomon, thus establishing his fame far and wide. The fruit of the vine represents the vast multitude of the people, while the branches signify the Gentiles who embraced the knowledge of God. In all of this, we are reminded of the earlier prosperity experienced by the people.

Theodoret, Athanasius, and Cyril identify the vine's branches with Israel, referring to the tribes that originated from the Jewish people. The term "sea" denotes the Indian Ocean, as the boundaries of the Jewish kingdom reached it. The descendants referred to as foreigners are those who joined the Jewish community from among the Gentiles, embracing the knowledge of God and becoming integrated into the Jewish fold. The Euphrates rivers in Mesopotamia are mentioned with the plural form, a reflection of the Hebrew language's characteristics. This is analogous to the statement in another scripture that "The Lord brought water out of the rock, and brought down waters like rivers" (Psalm 77:16). In contrast, 2 Samuel mentions it in the singular form (2 Sam. 8:3).

The sea symbolizes baptism, while the rivers represent individual purifications. The branches from which fruit emerges signify the courageous individuals among the Jewish community. They reached out not into the sea, but towards it, as their virtues brought them close to the grace found in baptism. Those who were merely like branches, lacking true connection, and only imitated the branches while pursuing the righteousness of the law, positioned themselves at the rivers—seeking private purifications. However, they failed to attain genuine purification, contenting themselves instead with mere thoughts of being cleansed.

In the likeness of grapes, the Prophet emphasizes the unique favor God has shown towards the people of Israel by liberating them from Egypt, so that they might fulfill His desires and receive blessings from Him. This divine favor is rooted in the covenant established with Abraham four centuries prior to the Exodus. The Prophet asserts that it is undignified for God to neglect the grapes He Himself has carefully nurtured, allowing them to be ravaged by wild animals, particularly since the covenant was not recently formed or temporary; God chose the descendants of Abraham for their eternal preservation and protection.

Ultimately, this represents the realization of prophecy, particularly in relation to Christ the Lord, within this psalm that was inspired by the Holy Spirit and written by David. It speaks of the Jews who have transitioned from righteousness to the sorrow of repentance against God, and others who have moved from iniquity to belief, from sinfulness to holiness. This transformation especially pertains to those faithful believers who have turned away from their sinful ways to follow their Good Shepherd, Christ, the true God.