Psalm 80 (79):2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

For if the Cherubim is God's throne, pay heed to what Scripture conveys: the soul of a righteous person is the seat of wisdom. How, you may wonder, can I attain this fullness of knowledge? Who will accomplish it? You possess the key to fulfilling it: the essence of the Law is love (Rom. 13:10). Do not pursue excessive things, nor exhaust yourselves. The grandeur of the branches may intimidate you: cling to the root and do not dwell on the size of the tree. Manifest love within you, and the fullness of understanding will undoubtedly follow. For what is there that someone who knows love does not comprehend? As stated previously, "God is love" (1 Jn. 4:8). Appear. For we have strayed, as You have not manifested Yourself. Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh (Ps. 79:2). I implore You to reveal Yourself before the Jewish people, before the nation of Israel. Behold, there is Ephraim, there is Manasseh, there is Benjamin. Let us examine the meaning: Ephraim represents fruitfulness, Benjamin symbolizes the son of the right hand, and Manasseh signifies forgetfulness. Yet, You shall present Yourself before the fruitful one, before the son of the right hand; You shall reveal Yourself to the forgetful, that he might no longer be so, but that You may enter into his heart, the one whom You have rescued.... You appeared weak when it was said, "If He were the Son of God, let Him come down from the cross" (Matt. 27:40). You seemed powerless: the accuser wielded authority over You; and You have demonstrated this before, for even Jacob prevailed in the struggle against the angel. Would the angel have acted differently had he not willed it? The man prevailed, and the angel was subdued; the man who triumphed held the angel and declared, "I will not let you go until you bless me" (Gen. 32:26). What a profound mystery! He is both vanquished and yet blesses the conqueror. Vanquished because it was His will; weak in flesh, yet mighty in glory.... Crucified in frailty, arise in strength (2 Cor. 13:4). Lift up your might, and come to rescue us.

Since the esteemed Moses had placed representations of them in the Holy of Holies, along with a purifying element from which a Divine revelation was made to the high priests, the Prophet aptly calls attention to the Cherubim and petitions that He who is seated upon them manifest Himself.

This metaphor of God as shepherd and His people as sheep subtly underscores the predators that threaten them, prompting a cry for divine protection. See also the commentary on Psalms 76:20. The words of Theodoret convey: To You, O Lord, in the capacity of a shepherd who nurtures his flock, I present my supplication. You who guided Joseph, likened to a sheep, who was ensnared by his brothers akin to wolves, and after rescuing him, brought him to Egypt, establishing him above his detractors. He instructed Joseph much like a shepherd tends to his sheep. The phrase "Instructing—leading" replaces "leading" through a shift from present to past tense. Joseph can be seen as a reference to himself, as he was directed through every circumstance, paralleling a shepherd's guidance of his flock; hence it is written, "And the Lord was with Joseph," (Gen. 26:21) or it can denote Joseph representing the entire nation, considering he is viewed as a patriarchal figure. Thus, in Psalms 76:16, the reference includes the Jews: the sons of Jacob and Joseph, where further insight can be found regarding these words. He who is enthroned upon the Cherubim revealed Himself. God instructed Moses to create two golden cherubim and place one at each end of the purifying altar, stating, "I will manifest My presence to you there and speak to you from above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are on the Ark of the Testimony." Therefore, O Lord, who dwells upon the Cherubim, appear and show Yourself, affirming that You have come to aid those Jews who survived the Babylonian threat. For You have summoned them: Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.

Thus, the prophet now beseeches God to pay attention, imploring that He, recognizing our entire humanity ensnared by spiritual foes (not just himself, the prophet entreats, but broadly, representing all), may arise for our salvation and come in the flesh soon, for we greatly require His advent for our redemption; indeed, it is through the Incarnation that humanity could receive Him who dwells among the cherubim.

However, they are not universally designated by the same name so that each rank can be identified by the specific duty it undertakes. For example, we describe the Seraphim as a flame, yet collectively they radiate with profound love for the Creator. Likewise, we identify the Cherub as embodying the fullness of wisdom, but who does not possess knowledge when all behold God Himself, the source of understanding? Moreover, the Thrones refer to those hosts where the Creator is said to dwell. Nevertheless, who can be deemed blessed if the Creator does not reside within their soul? Consequently, what each spirit possesses in part is specifically named for those who have fully embraced their distinct responsibility. Although some may possess certain qualities that others cannot, as in the case when the Lord and the Begotten Ones are given unique titles, all that exists there is still the shared heritage of the heavenly spirits, communicated through their mutual love.

This psalm is attributed to Asaph, the chief of singers, who was entrusted with it to declare a prophetic message about the impending destruction of Jerusalem and the establishment of the Holy Church, enduring by the grace of Christ the Savior, such that even the gates of hell will not overcome it (Matthew 16:18). Shepherding Israel is none other than Jesus Christ, who declared, ‘I am the good shepherd’ (John 10:11). Israel symbolizes all who are faithful to Christ, Joseph represents the virtue of those who live chastely, and Cherub signifies the multitude of reasoning or the fulfillment of divine wisdom, where God resides incomprehensibly.