A Prayer of Lament and Restoration

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Psalm 79-80

 

Psalm 80:19

Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
Cause Your face to shine,
And we shall be saved!

(NKJV)

 

Times of trouble in one’s life bring feelings of fear, anxiety, depression, and even despair. It would be nice if becoming a disciple of Christ carried with it a life free of trouble, but that is not what Jesus told us would happen (John 16:33). In these two psalms, Asaph provides a pattern for surviving these times of trouble through honest lamentation with the Lord of our feelings and offering a prayer of faith in God’s ability to restore us.

 

Psalm 79, a Psalm of lamentation, begins with Asaph lamenting the state of the inheritance of the Lord, His temple, and Jerusalem (Psalm 79:1). He then provides details of their condition with their dead bodies given as food for the birds, their flesh given to the beasts of the earth, their blood shed like water, and no place to bury them (Psalm 79:2-3). Israel has become a reproach, scorn, and derision to their neighbors around them, lamenting whether the Lord will be angry forever with his jealousy burning like fire (Psalm 79:4-5). Asaph then asks the Lord to pour out His wrath on the nations who do not know Him and the kingdoms that do not call upon His name, because they have devoured Jacob and laid waste to the Lord’s dwelling place (Psalm 79:6-7).

 

Asaph then asks the Lord to forget their former iniquities and for the Lord to meet them with his tender mercies, because they have been brought very low (Psalm 79:8). Asaph then asks the God of his salvation to help Israel for the glory of His name, delivering them and providing atonement for their sins for His name’s sake (Psalm 79:9). Asaph wonders why the nations should be allowed to ask where the God is Israel is but to instead see God avenging the shed blood or His servants (Psalm 79:10). He then asks that the groaning of the prisoner come before Him in accordance with the greatness of His power, preserving those appointed to die (Psalm 79:11). Asaph concludes his lamentation by asking the Lord to return sevenfold upon Israel’s neighbors the reproach they heaped upon them, so they will give Him thinks forever and shot forth His praise to all generations (Psalm 79:12-13)

 

Psalm 80 is a Psalm of Asaph praying for Israel’s restoration. It begins with Asaph addressing the Shepherd of Israel, asking Him to stir up His strength to save His people (Psalm 80:1-2). He then asks the Lord to restore them, causing His face to shine, so they shall be saved (Psalm 80:3). Asaph pleads with the God of hosts, asking how long He will be angry and against the prayer of His people, having fed them the bread of tears with them drinking tears in great measure, making Israel a strife to their neighbors and a laughingstock to their enemies (Psalm 80:4-6). Asaph again asks the Lord to restore them, so that his face may shine and they can be saved (Psalm 80:7).

 

The Lord brought a vine out of Egypt, planting it in the land of Canaan by making room for them by casting out the nations living there, so Israel took deep root and filled the land (Psalm 80:8-9). The vine covered the hills with its shadow and the mighty cedars with its boughs, which extended to the Sea with her branches extending to the River (Psalm 80:10-11). Asaph then wonders why the Lord has broken the vine's hedges so that all passing by pluck its fruit; the boar comes out of the woods and uproots it, and the wild beast devours it (Psalm 80:12-13).

 

Asaph asks the Lord God to return and look down from heaven at the vine, the vineyard which His right hand planted, and the branch He made strong for Himself (Psalm 80:14-15). He asks the Lord to look down and see that the vine is burned with fire and cut down, perishing at the rebuke of the Lord’s countenance (Psalm 80:16). Asaph asks the hand of the Lord to be upon the man of His right hand, upon the son of man whom He made strong for Himself, for then they will not turn back from Him, asking the Lord to revive them so they will call upon His name (Psalm 80:17-18). The psalm concludes with Asaph asking again for the Lord’s restoration, causing his countenance to shine, and they shall be saved (Psalm 80:19).  

 

These psalms of Asaph can be studied together. These psalms do not specify when this time of Israel’s trouble occurred but are the pleading of the heart of a man of God, lamenting the situation and praying for restoration.

 

• Psalm 79 Lamentation: This psalm is a lamentation where Asaph opens his heart, letting the Lord know how he feels about the plight of His people. Granted, the Lord already knows the feelings of our hearts, but He loves us and wants us to be open and honest with Him, letting Him know our feelings. This is not a sign of weakness on the part of Asaph, but indicates his faith and love for the Lord, coming to Him with his concerns.
• Psalm 80 Prayer for Restoration: Upon hearing of the plight of the Jews in Jerusalem, Nehemiah begins praying both a prayer of lament and asking for restoration (Nehemiah 1). Nehemiah’s prayer is a prayer of repentance, reminding the Lord of the promise he made to Moses that if the people of the Lord turn back to Him in repentance, He will return them to their land (Nehemiah 1:8-9). 2 Chronicles 7:14 also reminds us of the mercy and grace of the Lord.

 

Jesus told his disciples that in this world they would experience trouble (John 16:33), but He reminded them that He had overcome the world. It is therefore not a sign of weakness or a lack of faith for a disciple of Christ to open his or her heart when trouble comes, letting the Lord know how he or she feels. Faith is moving on from this lamentation of our troubles and praying to God, trusting in His mercy and grace to save us. This prayer should include repentance for any sin in our lives and faith in God's grace and mercy to save us. This is the prayer of faith (James 5:15).

 

The first prayer of faith one aspiring to become a disciple of Jesus Christ must pray is a prayer of faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, providing salvation from sins (Romans 3:23; 6:23; 10:9-10). If you have never prayed this prayer of faith and want to involve the Lord Jesus, the overcomer, in your current problems, I invite you to pray with me now.

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

If you meant what you just prayed, know that God has forgiven all your sins and that you now have a relationship with God and are a child of God (Romans 8:16). Like any relationship, it grows as we get to know each other. While God already knows all about us, we must study the Bible, the word of God, to learn more about Him. If you just prayed, I encourage you to find a Church that teaches the truth of the Bible so you can learn more about the Lord. May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post.