Psalm 80 14

Psalm 80:14 kjv

Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;

Psalm 80:14 nkjv

Return, we beseech You, O God of hosts; Look down from heaven and see, And visit this vine

Psalm 80:14 niv

Return to us, God Almighty! Look down from heaven and see! Watch over this vine,

Psalm 80:14 esv

Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine,

Psalm 80:14 nlt

Come back, we beg you, O God of Heaven's Armies.
Look down from heaven and see our plight.
Take care of this grapevine

Psalm 80 verses

Psalm 80 14 Meaning

Psalm 80:14 is an urgent cry from the afflicted people of Israel, personified as a vine. It is a desperate plea for God to reverse His apparent judgment, to look with favor upon His suffering people, and to actively intervene for their restoration. The verse specifically requests God, the Almighty, to gaze down from His heavenly abode and paqad—to attend to, inspect, care for, and consequently deliver—His vine, which symbolizes Israel in its devastated state. It expresses the people's belief that only God's personal attention and powerful action can rescue them from their plight.

Psalm 80 14 Context

Psalm 80 is a fervent communal lament, often attributed to the descendants of Asaph, likely composed during a period of intense national crisis for Israel. The psalm repeatedly pleads with God for restoration, underscored by the thrice-repeated refrain, "Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!" (vv. 3, 7, 19). The earlier verses invoke God as the "Shepherd of Israel" (v. 1) and address Him as "Enthroned above the cherubim" (v. 1), emphasizing His guiding care and sovereign authority.

The core imagery of Psalm 80 revolves around Israel as a "vine" that God Himself brought out of Egypt, clearing the land for it to take root and flourish, extending its branches and luxuriating across the land (vv. 8-11). This depiction establishes God's profound historical care and covenant relationship with Israel. However, the psalm pivots to describe the devastating present reality: the vine's protective walls are broken down, wild beasts devour it, and it lies scorched and cut down (vv. 12-13). This imagery vividly portrays national defeat, destruction, and humiliation, likely referencing the fall of the Northern Kingdom (Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin are explicitly mentioned in v. 2), possibly to Assyria, or other significant invasions.

Psalm 80:14 serves as a climactic appeal within this lament, pleading with God to remember His vine and resume His divine guardianship, effectively asking Him to reverse the curse and restore its former glory. Culturally, the vine symbolized prosperity, fertility, and national identity throughout the ancient Near East, making its devastation a profound representation of national ruin. The psalm subtly opposes the prevailing polytheistic beliefs of surrounding nations by asserting Yahweh alone as the true "God of hosts," possessing the ultimate power and sovereignty over natural forces and the destinies of nations, thus directly appealing to Him for the vine's restoration, rather than any local fertility deity.

Psalm 80 14 Word analysis

• Return (שׁוּב - shuv / הֲשִׁיבֵנוּ - hashivenu - root shuv): This Hebrew verb often implies "to turn back," "to repent," or "to restore." Here, it's a plea for God to turn to His people, to turn back His anger or inattention, and restore His favor. The underlying verb in "we beseech Thee to return us" from the repeated refrain implies God is asked to bring His people back to prosperity, but here in v.14 it is more about God's turning.
• we beseech Thee, O God of hosts: The opening words "Return, we beseech Thee" act as an immediate and humble petition. "O God of hosts" (אֱלֹהִים צְבָאוֹת - Elohim Tzeva'ot): This divine title signifies God as the Lord of armies—celestial, spiritual, and earthly. It emphasizes His supreme power, authority, and ability to command and control all things. The supplicants invoke this title precisely because they need His overwhelming might to rescue their vulnerable "vine."
• look down from heaven (הַבֵּט מִשָּׁמַיִם - habbet mishshamayim): Habbet (from the root nabaṭ) means to gaze, look intently, consider. It's a request for God not merely to observe generally but to fix His attentive gaze upon their desperate situation from His transcendent dwelling place in shamayim (heaven).
• and behold (וּרְאֵה - u're'eh): From the verb ra'ah, meaning "to see," "to perceive," "to regard." This reinforces the plea to "look down," adding a layer of recognition and understanding of their plight. It's a plea for divine empathy and acknowledgment.
• and visit (וּפְקֹד - u'fqod): The verb paqad is multifaceted. In this context, it carries the strong sense of actively attending to, inspecting with purpose, and intervening on behalf of someone for care and blessing. It is not mere observation but a consequential engagement, usually implying positive intervention when spoken in a plea from the distressed. It means "to take account of," and often to "appoint," "muster," or "deal with." Here, it signifies divine care and effective action.
• this vine (וְגֶפֶן זֹאת - v'gefen zot): "Vine" (גֶּפֶן - gefen) is a rich biblical metaphor for Israel, symbolizing its status as God's chosen and carefully cultivated people. The demonstrative "this" (זֹאת - zot) personalizes the appeal, highlighting the specific and present distress of Israel, the very vine God planted. This imagery underscores the covenant relationship God has with His people.

Psalm 80 14 Bonus section

• The appeal to "look down from heaven" links to numerous biblical accounts where God intervenes directly after "seeing" or "hearing" the affliction of His people (e.g., Ex 3:7, where God sees the affliction of Israel in Egypt and resolves to deliver them).
• The progression from "look down" to "behold" and then to "visit" reflects an intensifying desire for God's engagement, moving from mere observation to empathetic understanding and culminating in active intervention.
• The title "God of hosts" is notably repeated in Psalm 80, forming part of the crucial refrain. This insistence highlights that the supplicants understand the nature of their calamity to be beyond human remedy, necessitating the intervention of the highest authority, commander of all creation.
• The concept of paqad (visit) can carry implications of both divine blessing/care and divine judgment, depending on context. Here, it is clearly pleaded for as an act of saving care, seeking God's restorative hand upon His weakened vine.
• The vine metaphor itself often prefigures the New Testament concept of Jesus as the "true vine" (Jn 15:1-8), signifying a continuation of God's covenantal care for His people, now realized in a new way through Christ and His church, the spiritual Israel.

Psalm 80 14 Commentary

Psalm 80:14 stands as a poignant entreaty within a broader national lament. It shifts the burden of Israel's devastation directly back onto God, asking why the vineyard He carefully cultivated is now exposed to ruin. The request to "Return" underscores the perception of divine abandonment, a turning away of God's favor. By invoking "God of hosts," the psalm appeals to His omnipotence, acknowledging that only He possesses the power to intervene against overwhelming forces and restore what seems irrevocably lost. The anthropomorphic pleas to "look down," "behold," and "visit" from heaven are expressions of deep trust that God's sight is not merely observational but brings about compassionate intervention. Specifically, "visit" implies not just a glance but an active, transformative presence – God remembering His covenantal commitment to nurture His people. The "vine" metaphor encapsulates Israel's chosen identity and former prosperity under divine care, making its present ravaged state all the more grievous. The verse articulates a profound truth: when God’s people face overwhelming distress, their ultimate hope lies in His active and benevolent attention, drawing on His infinite power and unchanging nature. For Christians, this echoes the continued need for God's merciful visitation in times of individual and communal despair, trusting that He, the great Gardener, will tend to His people.