I’d like to focus on the particular metaphors of psalm 80, but let me get a few preliminaries out of the way. First, we are clearly in a situation that mirrors several preceding psalms: God appears to have forgotten, punished, or rejected his people. It is not clear, but maybe the context is the Assyrian assault on the Northern kingdom. Next, there is a thrice repeated plea: “turn us again God of hosts.” There is in this refrain an urgency and stridency. We might say this psalm exemplifies the importunity that Jesus urges with regard to prayer in the Gospel of Luke. Finally, at the end there is the hope that God would send a “son of man,” a man whom God favors to deliver his people.

When we stand back to pay attention to the controlling images in this psalm we notice two of God’s favorites; plants and sheep. God is depicted as the shepherd of this people and as a gardener tending the vine that is his people. Let’s think about these images a little.

First, note that God chooses real world, everyday pictures from which to teach. While you and I probably don’t have sheep and few of us have grape vines in our backyard, almost anyone in the ancient world would have been very familiar with these pictures. The point is, God uses humble and familiar pictures to communicate; he comes down to our level. Today, he might use car or shopping images.

Next, note the images themselves. First, the shepherd. It does not take long to call to mind the many shepherds and shepherding echoes in the Bible. The patriarchs were shepherds. Moses was a shepherd and this prepared him to lead God’s people. In fact, we might say that Moses became a sub-shepherd or co-shepherd with God. David started life as a shepherd and became a shepherd, that is a king, over all the people. And remember, God promised a king/shepherd in David’s line to rule Israel forever. The prophet Ezekiel railed against the leaders of Israel who ruled for their own gain, not for God’s glory or the welfare of the sheep. Jesus, of course, identifies himself as the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. The sheep, unlike the people of God in prior generations, hear his voice when he calls them by name. And finally, while church leaders are only subordinate to Christ the good shepherd, they, too, are called shepherds or pastors.

Then there is the image of the vine. While the shepherd image points to Israel’s Exodus and time in the wilderness, the vine image points to Israel’s time in the land. If we don’t restrict ourselves to just a vine, we see that this image of a plant is ubiquitous in the Bible. God planted the garden of Eden. The Psalter itself opens with an extended meditation of a healthy tree planted in God’s teaching in contrast to the chaff of the ungodly. Ezekiel has a fascinating image of a gardening eagle which plucks the top of a cedar tree and plants it in the promised land. Jonah had a vine that gave him shade and then was cut down by a worm sent from God. Then there is Jesus. He was practically obsessed with images of gardening, planting, and reaping fruit. Think of all the parables of vines and vineyards. Think of him cursing the fig tree that had no fruit. Remember his description of himself as the vine, his Father as the vinedresser, and ourselves as branches connected to him. Finally, consider Paul’s image of the “fruit of the Spirit.”

So then, a few thoughts on these images. The people of God are his special care and concern. He is our leader and protector. He leads us through the barren wilderness and give us shelter, food, and drink. If he does not lead us, nothing that we can secure for ourselves will ultimately matter. He must truly be our guide and leader.

And fruit; God wants fruit. He alone knows how to cultivate the proper fruit from our lives. He is willing to allow suffering, chastisement, and pain to make that happen. Sometimes he prunes. Sometimes he cuts us down to a stump and binds us with iron. But all he does is aimed at the end of producing character in us like that of his Son. He is a master gardener who can use everything, absolutely everything in our lives toward the end of good fruit. Only he can make the barren soil of our lives produce. And when he does, he gets miraculous yields.

Jesus is the good shepherd who became a lost sheep to redeem his beloved sheep. He is the vine that the Father scourged so that he could bear us as good fruit. Oh, YHWH God of armies, restore us. Shepherd us to good pasture. Bring forth from us fruit pleasing to you.