Psalm 80 (79):19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

You will bring sweetness to our hearts, You will restore us. For in the past, we cherished the earth over You, yet You have put to death our earthly desires. (Col. 3:5) The Old Testament, with its promises tied to this world, appears to call us to love God, not merely for what He provides in the physical realm, but for His very essence. What is it that you love apart from loving God? Tell me, can you genuinely love everything not crafted by Him? Look across all of creation; is there not an enticing allure somewhere that keeps you from fully loving the Creator, except through the very things He has made, which you often take for granted? Why do you treasure these creations if not for their beauty? Can they truly match the beauty of their Creator?

May we not turn away from You, O Lord, as those who share in Your life and are named after You, that is, Christians.

Consumed by flames and unearthed. This clearly shows that the psalm predicts the fate of the Babylonian king, rather than Antiochus as some have suggested; for the Babylonian ruler set the temple and much of the city ablaze. It is stated that the adversaries not only departed after harvesting the crops but also uprooted and destroyed the vines with fire. Because of Your hidden face, they shall perish. Your hand shall rest upon the one at Your right hand, and the son of man whom You have fortified. And we will not turn away from You. For as we declare this beginning, all mankind will come to know the true God and will rejoice in the love that has been revealed to them. Revive us, that we may call upon Your name. Thus, the power of death shall be shattered, and we will enjoy eternal life, giving worship to You, O Savior God.

We will remain close to You. The Jewish people, led by Zerubbabel, assert their steadfastness to God; however, we as Christians claim that, guided by Christ, we have not strayed from Him but have been united with Him. David articulated these sentiments for the sake of Christians. The esteemed Athanasius declares that we, who share in Your life and bear the name of Christians, will never part from You. Revitalize us, and let us invoke Your name. The Lord states that He will restore the Jewish people through the reconstruction of their city; similarly, He will renew us Christians by elevating the dignity of our souls through holy baptism. Just as the Jews faced destruction at the hands of the Babylonians, we Christians have suffered at the hands of the spiritual foes, the demons.

promising that if it is fulfilled, we will no longer stray from Him, for we have turned away on numerous occasions. ‘Revive us, and we will call on your name.’ Restore us with the living water of baptism. Then, we, too, will invoke His name, being known as Christians, bearing the name of Christ.

The prophet reiterates, in straightforward language, the prayer previously articulated in the context of grapes, beseeching God to shelter with His hand the individual at His right hand and the Son of Man, whom He has empowered for His purpose. It remains ambiguous whether this pertains solely to the king or extends to the entire people. Although Jeroboam was anointed as king, he did not attain this honor legitimately, as indicated by God's own words in Hosea: "I will give you a king in My wrath" (Hosea 13:11). Therefore, it is more appropriate to interpret these words as referring to the entire body of the Church, especially its head, Christ, the promised Messiah, who is justly referred to as the man at God’s right hand and the Son of Man.

Ultimately, this represents the culmination of prophecy, particularly regarding Christ our Lord, as articulated in this psalm, which the Holy Spirit inspired David to compose. It speaks to the Jews who have turned from righteousness to the decline of repentance against God, and to others who have transitioned from unrighteousness to faith, from wickedness to holiness, notably those verbose sheep who have moved from the confusion of sin to following their benevolent shepherd, Christ, the true God.