Psalms 80:7-9

80:7 O God, invincible warrior, restore us!

Smile on us! Then we will be delivered!

80:8 You uprooted a vine from Egypt;

you drove out nations and transplanted it.

80:9 You cleared the ground for it;

it took root,

and filled the land.


tn Heb “O God, hosts.” One expects the construct form אֱלֹהֵי before צְבָאוֹת (tsÿvaot, “hosts”; see Ps 89:9), but יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים (yehvahelohim) precedes צְבָאוֹת (tsÿvaot) in Pss 59:5 and 84:8 as well. See also v. 4 for a similar construction.

tn The idiom “cause your face to shine” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25; Pss 4:6; 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 89:15; Dan 9:17).

tn Heb “cause your face to shine in order that we may be delivered.” After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose/result.

sn The vine is here a metaphor for Israel (see Ezek 17:6-10; Hos 10:1).

tn Heb “you cleared away before it.”

tn Heb “and it took root [with] its roots.”