Psalm 80 (79):5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

O Lord, Your servant comes before You. Though You were displeased with the entreaties of Your adversary, will You remain displeased with those of Your humble servant? You have transformed us, and we have come to know You; will You continue to be wrathful toward the prayers of Your servant? It appears that You may indeed be displeased, yet this anger is that of a father guiding his child, not the judgment of a condemning judge. Thus, it is evident that Your displeasure exists, as it is written, "My son, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for temptation" (Sirach 2:1). Do not assume that God’s anger has subsided simply because you have been redeemed. Although His wrath has been diverted from you, it serves to shield you from everlasting condemnation.

How long, O Lord, will You turn away from my pleas due to Your wrath over my sins? Yet, He refers to the people as the servant of God; some other interpreters replace the phrase, On the prayer of Thy servant, with On the prayer of Thy people.

The term for being displeased was chosen in place of the phrase you do not see, conveying by this choice the idea that anger leads to a refusal to acknowledge the requests of those who have wronged them. He asks, How long, O Lord, Sovereign of hosts, will You disregard the petitions of the prayers we present to You?

The prophet's words were not without purpose; rather, they served to highlight his own honor while beseeching God to intervene. He addresses the Almighty not just as God, but also as the Lord of Hosts, denoting the celestial powers. Yet, inspired by the Holy Spirit, he recognizes that the fulfillment of Christ's incarnation has been postponed, experiencing this as divine displeasure that his supplications have not yet borne fruit. He understands the extent of this divine wrath, which compels him to express further: "Will you feed us with the bread of tears, and give us drink in measure with tears?"

Recognizing the profound anger of God directed towards the sinful people, the Prophet understood that their chances of being heard were slim, prompting him to pray with increased fervor for all humanity. He implored, "Lord God of Hosts, how long shall Your wrath be kindled against the prayer of Your servants?" The original Hebrew conveys this sentiment more emphatically: "How long shall Thy anger be fuming against the prayer of Thy servants?" Here, an implicit contrast is drawn between the smoke of divine wrath and that of the sacrificial offerings outlined in the law. The imagery suggests that while the latter serves to purify the atmosphere, the former obscures it, hindering the pleas and supplications of mankind from reaching God.

Ultimately, this represents the completion of prophecy, particularly regarding Christ our Lord, as articulated in this psalm, divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit through David. It reflects the transformation of the Jews from a state of goodness to a fallen state of repentance against God, alongside others who have turned from evil to faith and from iniquity to righteousness. This includes those verbose sheep who have shifted from the error of sin to the guidance of their good shepherd, Christ, the true God.