Christian prayer
Psalm 80
Psalm 80 in its original text and with its meaning, a biblical prayer for God's help and restoration.
- 19 verses
- About 1 minute to recite
- From the Bible
- 1
To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim-eduth, 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.
- 2
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.
- 3
Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
- 4
O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?
- 5
Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.
- 6
Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.
- 7
Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
- 8
Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.
- 9
Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.
- 10
The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.
- 11
She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.
- 12
Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?
- 13
The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.
- 14
Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;
- 15
And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.
- 16
It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
- 17
Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.
- 18
So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.
- 19
Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
The Hebrew original
1 לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ אֶל־שֹׁשַׁנִּ֑ים עֵד֖וּת לְאָסָ֣ף מִזְמֽוֹר׃
2 רֹ֘עֵ֤ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל ׀ הַאֲזִ֗ינָה נֹהֵ֣ג כַּצֹּ֣אן יוֹסֵ֑ף יֹשֵׁ֖ב הַכְּרוּבִ֣ים הוֹפִֽיעָה׃
3 לִפְנֵ֤י אֶפְרַ֨יִם ׀ וּבִנְיָ֘מִ֤ן וּמְנַשֶּׁ֗ה עוֹרְרָ֥ה אֶת־גְּבֽוּרָתֶ֑ךָ וּלְכָ֖ה לִישֻׁעָ֣תָה לָּֽנוּ׃
4 אֱלֹהִ֥ים הֲשִׁיבֵ֑נוּ וְהָאֵ֥ר פָּ֝נֶ֗יךָ וְנִוָּשֵֽׁעָה׃
5 יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֣ים צְבָא֑וֹת עַד־מָתַ֥י עָ֝שַׁ֗נְתָּ בִּתְפִלַּ֥ת עַמֶּֽךָ׃
6 הֶ֭אֱכַלְתָּם לֶ֣חֶם דִּמְעָ֑ה וַ֝תַּשְׁקֵ֗מוֹ בִּדְמָע֥וֹת שָׁלִֽישׁ׃
7 תְּשִׂימֵ֣נוּ מָ֭דוֹן לִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּ וְ֝אֹיְבֵ֗ינוּ יִלְעֲגוּ־לָֽמוֹ׃
8 אֱלֹהִ֣ים צְבָא֣וֹת הֲשִׁיבֵ֑נוּ וְהָאֵ֥ר פָּ֝נֶ֗יךָ וְנִוָּשֵֽׁעָה׃
9 גֶּ֭פֶן מִמִּצְרַ֣יִם תַּסִּ֑יעַ תְּגָרֵ֥שׁ גּ֝וֹיִ֗ם וַתִּטָּעֶֽהָ׃
10 פִּנִּ֥יתָ לְפָנֶ֑יהָ וַתַּשְׁרֵ֥שׁ שָׁ֝רָשֶׁ֗יהָ וַתְּמַלֵּא־אָֽרֶץ׃
11 כָּסּ֣וּ הָרִ֣ים צִלָּ֑הּ וַ֝עֲנָפֶ֗יהָ אַֽרְזֵי־אֵֽל׃
12 תְּשַׁלַּ֣ח קְצִירֶ֣הָ עַד־יָ֑ם וְאֶל־נָ֝הָ֗ר יֽוֹנְקוֹתֶֽיהָ׃
13 לָ֭מָּה פָּרַ֣צְתָּ גְדֵרֶ֑יהָ וְ֝אָר֗וּהָ כָּל־עֹ֥בְרֵי דָֽרֶךְ׃
14 יְכַרְסְמֶ֣נָּֽה חֲזִ֣יר מִיָּ֑עַר וְזִ֖יז שָׂדַ֣י יִרְעֶֽנָּה׃
15 אֱלֹהִ֣ים צְבָאוֹת֮ שֽׁ֫וּב־נָ֥א הַבֵּ֣ט מִשָּׁמַ֣יִם וּרְאֵ֑ה וּ֝פְקֹ֗ד גֶּ֣פֶן זֹֽאת׃
16 וְ֭כַנָּה אֲשֶׁר־נָטְעָ֣ה יְמִינֶ֑ךָ וְעַל־בֵּ֝֗ן אִמַּ֥צְתָּה לָּֽךְ׃
17 שְׂרֻפָ֣ה בָאֵ֣שׁ כְּסוּחָ֑ה מִגַּעֲרַ֖ת פָּנֶ֣יךָ יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃
18 תְּֽהִי־יָ֭דְךָ עַל־אִ֣ישׁ יְמִינֶ֑ךָ עַל־בֶּן־אָ֝דָ֗ם אִמַּ֥צְתָּ לָּֽךְ׃
19 וְלֹא־נָס֥וֹג מִמֶּ֑ךָּ תְּ֝חַיֵּ֗נוּ וּבְשִׁמְךָ֥ נִקְרָֽא׃
20 יְה֘וָ֤ה אֱלֹהִ֣ים צְבָא֣וֹת הֲשִׁיבֵ֑נוּ הָאֵ֥ר פָּ֝נֶ֗יךָ וְנִוָּשֵֽׁעָה׃
Wording: The Holy Bible, King James Version, 1611 (standard text of 1769). Copied word for word from the edition named here
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When it is prayed
Many Christians pray Psalm 80 in times of hardship, repentance or concern for their community. It gives words to grief and to the longing for God's presence and help. In some Christian traditions, it is also read during Advent as a prayer of waiting and hope.
Where it comes from
Psalm 80 comes from the Bible's Book of Psalms and was originally written in Hebrew. Its heading associates it with Asaph, a name connected with Israel's tradition of worship and sacred song. The psalm describes God as Israel's shepherd and his people as a vine in need of care.
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Related prayers and texts
- ChristianPsalm 91A biblical psalm of trust in God’s shelter and protection amid danger.
- ChristianPsalm 23A biblical psalm of trust in God, pictured as a caring shepherd and generous host.
- ChristianPsalm 121A biblical psalm of trust in God as the keeper of those who look to him for help.
- ChristianPsalm 35A biblical psalm asking God for protection, justice and deliverance from enemies.
Questions about Psalm 80
How many verses does Psalm 80 have?
Psalm 80 has 19 verses.
What does Psalm 80 mean?
It is a communal plea for God to return, care for his people and restore them. Its repeated request for God's face to shine expresses a longing for his favour and presence.
Who wrote Psalm 80?
Its heading associates it with Asaph. This association places it within the Asaph tradition of sacred song, but does not establish its precise author or date.
How long does Psalm 80 take to recite?
Allow about 1 minute to recite it, though the pace will vary with the reader and any pauses for reflection.
