Psalms 79-80

Psalms 79 and 80, both passionate prayers, apparently were written in response to the havoc brought on by the Babylonian invasion. The descriptions of suffering are graphic. The psalmist reminds God of Babylon’s disdain of Him. They had invaded His inheritance, defiled His temple, and destroyed His city. It was His servants, His godly ones whose bodies they had left for scavengers. “How long, O Lord,?” v5, was their prayer, and is the prayer still prayed in heaven (Rev. 6:10).

Psalm 80, appealing to the shepherd, is probably a song, with each stanza ending with “Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us that we may be saved,” (v3,7,18). We get no answer to “How long?,” but we can be assured: we will be saved.