Psalms 80:3

"Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up your might! Come to save us!"

Key Reflection

In the context of Psalms 80:3, the king and his people are addressing God as their divine leader and savior. The mention of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh—two tribes from Joseph’s lineage and one of Judah’s brothers—emphasizes that this plea for divine intervention is not just an individual request but a call on behalf of the entire nation of Israel. The original audience would have understood this verse as a powerful appeal to God's historical role in protecting and delivering His chosen people, invoking the strength and might associated with His past interventions.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Turn us again -This phrase in our translation would seem to mean, “Turn us again from our sins,” or, “Bring us back to our duty, and to thy love;” and this idea is commonly attached to the phrase probably by the readers of the Bible. But this, though in itself an appropriate prayer, is not the idea here. It is simply, Bring us back; cause us to return; restore us. The idea thus suggested would be either (a) restore us to our former state of prosperity; that is, Cause these desolations to cease; or (b) bring us back, as from captivity, to our own land; restore us to our country and our homes, from which we have been driven out.

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