2. A lament due to divine discipline 80:4-7

The title "Lord of hosts"suggests God's ability to deliver His people whenever He chooses to do so. The Lord's silence in response to the people's cries for deliverance implied that He was angry with them. As a shepherd God had fed His people, but He had given them tears to eat and to drink rather than nourishing food. Their condition led their neighbor nations to mock them. This pericope also closes with the refrain (cf. vv. 3, 19).