Psalms 80:8

80:8 You uprooted a vine from Egypt;

you drove out nations and transplanted it.

Psalms 80:14-15

80:14 O God, invincible warrior, come back!

Look down from heaven and take notice!

Take care of this vine,

80:15 the root your right hand planted,

the shoot you made to grow!


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

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 vv. 4, 7 for a similar construction.

tn The Hebrew noun occurs only here in the OT. HALOT 483 s.v. III כֵּן emends the form to כַּנָּהּ (kannah, “its shoot”).

tn Heb “and upon a son you strengthened for yourself.” In this context, where the extended metaphor of the vine dominates, בֵּן (ben, “son”) probably refers to the shoots that grow from the vine. Cf. Gen 49:22.