Psalm 80
Sunday, 05 November 2023
“Restore us, LORD God Almighty;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.” -Psalm 80:19
Psalm 80 is a cry to the Lord Almighty for His restoration. The people of God had sinned and strayed away from God and were suffering the consequences of their sin. In the time of distress, they cry out to the Lord God Almighty for restoration and revival. The key verse is a refrain repeated thrice in the Psalm that points to us the thrust of the Psalm.
Though the Psalm does not provide the right circumstance of its composition, from the history of Israel, we can relate it to a time when the nation was devastated by the attack of the enemy. God seems to have turned away from their cries and they had become the object of scorn from the enemy (Vs.4-6). As the Psalmist reflects on the plight of the nation, he recalls how the Lord like a gardener had planted Israel in the land and it had prospered once but now the walls were breached and they were ravaged by the enemy (Vs.8-13). The pleading by the Psalmist can be seen under these headings:
· Return to us, God Almighty! (V.14)
This is a persuasive heart cry for the Lord to look back on them as they had felt forsaken by Him in the time of their distress. I
· Revive us and we will call on your name (V.18)
The wayward nation was reeling under the devastation the enemy had sowed such that without God reviving them, there was no hope.
· Restore us, LORD God Almighty (V.19)
This repeated refrain in the Psalm shows a desperate plea to restore the nation once more. They realized they had done wrong and the Psalmist makes a pledge that they would not turn away from God.
What does the Psalm speak to us today? If you are someone who has never received Salvation from God and understand the wreck/mess your life is in, it’s time to plead to the Lord to show His mercy that you may be saved. God is good and kind, but He hates sin. In His goodness and mercy, He makes it possible for a sinner to repent. If we turn from our rebellious ways and seek Him, He will forgive us and give us a new life. Jesus assures us, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10). Christ Jesus who knew no sin became sin for you and me that we might have the right standing with God (cf. 2Cor.5:21). Receive your salvation through Christ Jesus that your life will find meaning and restoration.
To those who have backslidden and you are affected by the consequences of sin, it’s time to repent and ask Him to revive you again. For the restoration of a sinner, God first deals with the sins of the sinner. The realization of one’s wrongdoing is to be sincerely confessed to the Lord who is able to forgive and cleanse us. 1 John 1:9 NLT says: “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” When we repent thus, the Lord promises, “I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, And like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.” (Isaiah 44:22)
When you seek the Lord, if your cry is from the heart, the light of Jesus will shine upon you, because Jesus is the true light that gives light and life to everyone: In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind (John 1:4). Today, if you allow this light to shine upon you through Jesus Christ, you can receive eternal restoration from GOD.
Quote for the Day: “God is a God of restoration. When we place the broken pieces of our lives in His hands, He restores them to a beauty that far outshines the former!” ~ Anon
Listen: 'I Thank GOD'
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