The Meaning of Psalms 80:1 Explained

Psalms 80:1

KJV: {To the chief Musician upon ShoshannimEduth, A Psalm of Asaph.} Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.

YLT: To the Overseer. -- 'On the Lilies.' A testimony of Asaph. -- A Psalm. Shepherd of Israel, give ear, Leading Joseph as a flock, Inhabiting the cherubs -- shine forth,

Darby: {To the chief Musician. On Shoshannim-Eduth. Of Asaph. A Psalm.} Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that sittest between the cherubim, shine forth.

ASV: Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that sittest above the cherubim, shine forth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

{{To the chief Musician  upon Shoshannimeduth,  A Psalm  of Asaph.  }} Give ear,  O Shepherd  of Israel,  thou that leadest  Joseph  like a flock;  thou that dwellest  [between] the cherubims,  shine forth. 

What does Psalms 80:1 Mean?

Study Notes

Shoshannim
See title note; .
king
This great psalm of the King, with Psalms 46-47, obviously looks forward to the advent in glory. The reference in Hebrews 1:8 ; Hebrews 1:9 is not so much to the anointing as an event Matthew 3:16 ; Matthew 3:17 as to the permanent state of the King. Cf. Isaiah 11:1 ; Isaiah 11:2 .
The divisions are:
(1) The supreme beauty of the King ( Psalms 45:1 ; Psalms 45:2 );
(2) the coming of the King in glory Psalms 45:3-5 ; Revelation 19:11-21 .
(3) the deity of the King and character of His reign Psalms 45:6 ; Psalms 45:7 ; Hebrews 1:8 ; Hebrews 1:9 ; Isaiah 11:1-5 .
(4) as associated with Him in earthly rule, the queen is presented, Psalms 45:9-13 and in that relation the King is not called Elohim (See Scofield " Genesis 1:1 ") as in Psalms 45:6 , but Adonai, the husband name of Deity See Scofield " Genesis 15:2 ".
(5) the virgin companions of the queen, who would seem to be the Jewish remnant. (See Scofield " Romans 11:5 ") . Revelation 14:1-4 are next seen Psalms 45:14 ; Psalms 45:15 and
(6) the Psalm closes with a reference to the earthly fame of the King.
See Psalms 68, next in order of the Messianic Psalms.
Shoshannim, "lilies," and so, the spring; the Shoshannim Psalms were probably connected with the Passover season, and hence reminders of redemption out of bondage, and of the origins of Israel.
king
This great psalm of the King, with Psalms 46-47, obviously looks forward to the advent in glory. The reference in Hebrews 1:8 ; Hebrews 1:9 is not so much to the anointing as an event Matthew 3:16 ; Matthew 3:17 as to the permanent state of the King. Cf. Isaiah 11:1 ; Isaiah 11:2 .
The divisions are:
(1) The supreme beauty of the King ( Psalms 45:1 ; Psalms 45:2 );
(2) the coming of the King in glory Psalms 45:3-5 ; Revelation 19:11-21 .
(3) the deity of the King and character of His reign Psalms 45:6 ; Psalms 45:7 ; Hebrews 1:8 ; Hebrews 1:9 ; Isaiah 11:1-5 .
(4) as associated with Him in earthly rule, the queen is presented, Psalms 45:9-13 and in that relation the King is not called Elohim (See Scofield " Genesis 1:1 ") as in Psalms 45:6 , but Adonai, the husband name of Deity See Scofield " Genesis 15:2 ".
(5) the virgin companions of the queen, who would seem to be the Jewish remnant. (See Scofield " Romans 11:5 ") . Revelation 14:1-4 are next seen Psalms 45:14 ; Psalms 45:15 and
(6) the Psalm closes with a reference to the earthly fame of the King.
See Psalms 68, next in order of the Messianic Psalms.

Context Summary

Psalms 80:1-7 - "turn Us Again, O God"
The ten tribes were in captivity, and the hearts of their brethren, still living at Jerusalem under the reign of David's line, seem to have turned with great longing toward them. This psalm is full of intercession on their behalf. Three times, at the turning-points of the psalm, the refrain is repeated that God would turn them again and cause them to be saved, Psalms 80:3; Psalms 80:7; Psalms 80:19. Note the ascending climax: God; God of Hosts; Jehovah, God of Hosts.
In Jacob's blessing of Joseph, God is appealed to as Shepherd, Genesis 48:15; Genesis 49:24. To sit enthroned above the cherubim is an emblem of omnipotence. Notice how the gentleness of the Shepherd blends with His almightiness. In the Wilderness march the three great tribes of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh immediately followed the Ark, which was borne by the priests. This ancient litany surely befits the present condition of the Church, when she is rent by internal divisions, or infected with a spirit of skepticism and unable to exorcise the demons that possess society. Let us plead with God to enlighten us by His face and quicken us by His Spirit.' God must defend His cause, else there is no help for it. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 80

1  The psalmist in his prayer complains of the miseries of the church
8  God's former favors are turned into judgments
14  He prays for deliverance

What do the individual words in Psalms 80:1 mean?

To the Chief Musician Set to the Lillies a Testimony of Asaph A Psalm Shepherd of Israel Give ear You who lead like a flock Joseph You who dwell the [between] cherubim shine forth
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ אֶל־ שֹׁשַׁנִּ֑ים עֵד֖וּת לְאָסָ֣ף מִזְמֽוֹר רֹ֘עֵ֤ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל ׀ הַאֲזִ֗ינָה נֹהֵ֣ג כַּצֹּ֣אן יוֹסֵ֑ף יֹשֵׁ֖ב הַכְּרוּבִ֣ים הוֹפִֽיעָה

לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ  To  the  Chief  Musician 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָצַח  
Sense: to excel, be bright, be preeminent, be perpetual, be overseer, be enduring.
אֶל־  Set  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
שֹׁשַׁנִּ֑ים  the  Lillies 
Parse: Noun, common plural
עֵד֖וּת  a  Testimony 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שׁוּשַׁן 
Sense: instruction in the title of Psalm 60 and Psalm 80.
לְאָסָ֣ף  of  Asaph 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָסָף  
Sense: the father of Hezekiah’s secretary.
מִזְמֽוֹר  A  Psalm 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְמֹור  
Sense: melody, psalm.
רֹ֘עֵ֤ה  Shepherd 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל ׀  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
הַאֲזִ֗ינָה  Give  ear 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: אָזַן  
Sense: to hear, listen.
נֹהֵ֣ג  You  who  lead 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָהַג 
Sense: to drive, lead, guide, conduct.
כַּצֹּ֣אן  like  a  flock 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
יוֹסֵ֑ף  Joseph 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄוסֵף  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel.
יֹשֵׁ֖ב  You  who  dwell 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
הַכְּרוּבִ֣ים  the  [between]  cherubim 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כְּרוּב  
Sense: cherub, cherubim (pl).
הוֹפִֽיעָה  shine  forth 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: יָפַע  
Sense: to shine, shine forth or out, cause to shine, send out beams.