Psalm 80 is a lament for the Northern Kingdom of Israel that in
722 BCE was conquered by the Assyrians. It started as a family feud between
Judah and Israel but after Israel allied with Aram and threatened Jerusalem
King Ahaz of Judah sold his soul to Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria and Israel was
history. Of course the psalmist thinks God had something to do with it but the
truth is this story is repeated throughout the history of the human race. The
pride of kings inevitably leads to the bread of tears for common folk. It’s the
poets and the prophets who give voice to the people’s pain pleading “Restore
us, O God” and promising “then we will never turn back from you.” Sad to say
Israel never does come back and Judah will eventually meet the same fate at the
hands of the Babylonians. Not a very happy psalm but then laments are meant to
name the pain and not shy away from the reality of suffering albeit from the
perspective of faith that holds onto the hope that the God who is angry with the
people’s prayers will hear their plea none-the-less and regard their plight with pity. That
is how not so happy songs can still be hopeful for laments give voice to faith
in the face of sorrow and suffering, so that when scorned and derided by
circumstances beyond our control, fed on a diet tears, we pray none-the-less “Restore
us, O God!” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
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