Psalm 80 (79):9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It has indeed been accomplished. How many nations faced expulsion? The Amorites, the Hittites, the Jebusites, the Gergesites, and the Hivites were driven out. Following their defeat, those who were freed from Egypt entered the Promised Land. We have learned about the vineyard's removal and the place of its planting. Now, let us examine what transpired afterward: how faith took root, how it flourished, and the territories it traversed.

You have produced fruit from Egypt. He knows Israel. You have expelled the nations and established them in their place.

O Lord, You have shattered the unjust reign of the Egyptians, You have brought the Canaanite nations to their ultimate demise, and You have established Your people in the land of the Canaanites like flourishing grapes, guiding them out of Egypt and providing them with every comfort along their journey.

You have brought forth grapes from Egypt. Here, David reflects on the past blessings that God bestowed upon the Israelites; he recounts how the Lord led the people from Egypt into the Promised Land and performed wondrous deeds on their behalf. Through this account, he seeks to persuade God not to reject the Jews, for whom He had previously demonstrated such miraculous power. Additionally, in this psalm, the prophet illustrates the proper approach for seeking God's favor and suggests the appropriate language for such entreaties. He metaphorically depicts the Jewish people as grapes, highlighting their beauty and vibrancy, as vivid representations are more easily retained in the memory. You have driven out nations and planted them as well.

In this passage, the prophet illustrates God's dedication to the salvation of the Jewish people. Just as a farmer, aiming to enhance the quality and abundance of his grapes, cultivates his vineyard multiple times, so too did God lead Israel from the land of the Chaldeans into Canaan through Abraham. Jacob subsequently guided them into Egypt, and ultimately, God brought them into the promised land, which He designated as fertile ground from the outset. God did not simply sow them there but deeply established their roots, indicating that there was no longer a necessity for them to endure hardship. This was accomplished only after He had cleared away the thorns that existed among the nations. Thus, the land flourished, a truth that will become evident in the subsequent details.

Through the allegory of grapes, the Prophet communicates God's unique favor bestowed upon the people of Israel in their deliverance from Egypt. This divine favor was intended to enhance God's joy in His relationship with them and to fulfill the expectations He had set for them. The foundation of this grace is the covenant established with Abraham four centuries prior to their liberation. Thus, the Prophet contends that it is unfitting for God to overlook the grapes He has nurtured and cultivated, allowing them to fall prey to wild beasts, especially considering that this covenant was not newly made, but rather established to ensure the everlasting preservation and safeguarding of Abraham’s descendants.

Ultimately, this represents the realization of the prophecy, particularly regarding Christ our Lord, as articulated in this psalm, inspired by the Holy Spirit and penned by David. It reflects the transformation of the Jewish people, turning from the path of goodness into the fall of repentance against God, and others who shift from wickedness to faith, from sinfulness to righteousness. This includes those wordy sheep who have turned away from the errors of sin to pursue their good shepherd, Christ, the true God.