Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 80:17
Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man [whom] thou madest strong for thyself.
17. A repetition of Psa 80:15, dropping the metaphor. Extend Thy hand, put forth Thy power to protect the people which Thy right hand made into a nation and delivered from Egypt. The son of man describes it as affected by human frailty and therefore needing divine help. The personification of Israel as Jehovah’s son underlies the language of the verse. Possibly there is an allusion to Benjamin = ‘son of the right hand.’
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand – Luther renders this, Let thy hand guard the folks of thy right hand, and the people whom thou hast powerfully chosen. The right hand is the place of honor; and the phrase the man of thy right hand means one who occupies such a position of honor. The phrase Let thy hand be upon is ambiguous. It may denote either favor or wrath; let it be upon him either to protect him, or to punish him. The connection, however, evidently demands the former interpretation, for it is in reference to the man whom God had made strong for himself. The allusion is either
(a) to some individual man whom God had raised up to honor, as a prince or ruler of the people; or
(b) to the people as such – as Luther understands it.
Most probably the former is the correct interpretation; and the prayer is, that God would interpose in behalf of the ruler of the people – the king of the nation – whom he had exalted to so high honor, and whom he had placed in such a position of responsibility; that he would now endow him properly for his work; that he would give him wisdom in counsel, and valor in battle, in order that the nation might be delivered from its foes. It is, therefore, a prayer for the civil and military ruler of the land, that God would give him grace, firmness, and wisdom, in a time of great emergency. Prof. Alexander strangely supposes that this refers to the Messiah.
Upon the son of man – This means simply man, the language being varied for the sake of poetry. Compare the notes at Psa 8:4. It is true that the appellation the Son of man was a favorite designation which the Lord Jesus applied to himself to denote that he was truly a man, and to indicate his connection with human nature; but the phrase is often used merely to denote a man. Here it refers to the king or civil ruler.
Whom thou madest strong for thyself – The man whom thou hast raised up to that exalted station, and whom thou hast endowed to do a work for thee in that station. A magistrate is a servant and a representative of God, appointed to do a work for him – not for himself. See Rom 13:1-6.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 80:17
Let Thy hand be upon the man of Thy right hand.
Christ made strong for God
Of Jesus only can it be unreservedly said, that He is the man of Gods right hand, and that He hath made Him strong for Himself. Of all the terms in the passage, we may indeed say that they are peculiarly emphatic, and embody views of character and position which could only be realized in the person and work of Christ.
I. The import of the designations herein given to Christ.
1. The Man of Gods right hand. Inasmuch as a seat at the right hand among men is esteemed the place of honour and power, so the act of elevating to dignity and authority by Jehovah is spoken of as a placing at His right hand; and accordingly Jesus is referred to as sitting at His right hand, or as described in one instance, the right hand of power. This leads us at once to perceive that the personal and official dignity of the Saviour are eplicity alluded to in our text, in His being called the Man of Gods right hand.
2. The Son of Man. Whilst the title in question implies the doctrine of Christs perfect manhood, it equally implies that He was more than a mere man. Differing hence in these respects from all the sons of men–though still a man in His creature existence–with much expressiveness could He be called the Son of Man.
II. The appointment of Jesus to the office of redeemer. Such appointment is expressly involved, if not explicitly stated, in the words, whom Thou hast made strong for Thyself; for God is thus represented as having chosen or designated the Son of Man to the office He thus holds. In this sense He made Him or appointed Him for Himself, to the office of Redeemer.
III. The peculiar fitness of the Man of Gods right hand to discharge the duties of the office to which He was appointed. It is impossible for any created intelligence to say what strength, or amount of spiritual power, was required on the part of Jesus–the Man of Gods right hand–to accomplish the work of redemption; but it behoves us not the less to direct our attention as closely as possible to the specific difficulties we know He had to encounter, that we may arrive at a fair estimate of His endurance; and hence of the greatness of that love and mercy by which these were animated.
IV. What is implied in this petition, requesting God to let His hand be upon the Man of His right hand.
1. A perception of danger.
2. A consciousness that mans help is not to be found in himself.
3. A willingness to rely for salvation on the means appointed by God, through the Son of His love.
4. Full persuasion of Gods willingness to confer the blessing thus sought. (J. Allan.)
A prayer for the Messiah
1. In all ages the saints have greatly longed for their Saviour. Abraham saw His day afar off, and rejoiced that a child was to be born unto him, in whom all nations of the earth should be blessed. And the godly in this verse long for Him, and pray for His coming.
2. He is here shortly three ways described.
(1) First, He is called the Son of Gods right hand, for three causes: first, in respect of His marvellous generation in both His natures: in the one, without a father; in the other, without a mother. Secondly, He is called the Son of Gods right hand, for that singular love and favour which the Father carries toward Him; for the right hand of God signifies His power, or His favour and love. It is true every Christian man is also the son of Gods right hand; by nature his name is Ben-oni, the son of sorrow; but his father hath changed his name with his estate, called him Ben-jamin, the son of his right hand. But in a more special sense doth this title belong to the Lord Jesus. Thirdly, He is the Son of the Fathers right hand in respect of his most perfect obedience and ready willingness to do in all things the will of His Father.
(2) They call Him the Son of Man; He is in such sort the Son of God, that He is also the Son of Man, not begotten by man, yet formed, and conceived of the seed of man; He is the companion of Jehova; He is also, as Job calleth Him, our Goel or kinsman. Doubtless this is a strong bulwark of our faith, since we see that the Son of God is become the Son of Man, clothed with all the infirmities of our nature, except sin; since we see the God of glory humbled to the ignominy of the cross, why should we doubt that the sons of men shall also be made the sons of God, and that these vile bodies of ours shall be changed, and fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ, especially since for no other end became He the Son of Man, but to make us the sons of God?
(3) Whom Thou hast made strong for Thyself; this respecteth His threefold office, and His unction to them all (Isa 61:1; Joh 6:27; Joh 1:14; Joh 3:34). Of all these it is plain how the Father is said to have made His Son strong for Himself; that is, He anointed Him, He sealed Him, He put His Spirit into Him, not in a measure, but communicated the fulness of grace to Him, that He might be strengthened to do unto us the office of a king, to deliver us from our enemies, or a prophet, to teach us the whole counsel of God, and of a priest, to offer Himself in a propitiatory sacrifice for us. In all these appeared His wonderful strength; when He suffered like a weak man, then He wrought like a valiant man. Every way the mighty strength of our strong Redeemer is to be admired, but specially His conquests by suffering, there did appear the weakness of God stronger than man; yea, then all these principalities, powers, and spiritual wickednesses that were opposite to Him. (Bp. Cowper.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 17. The man of thy right hand] The only person who can be said to be at the right hand of God as intercessor, is JESUS the MESSIAH. Let him become our Deliverer: appoint him for this purpose, and let his strength be manifested In our weakness! By whom are the Jews to be restored, if indeed they ever be restored to their own land, but by JESUS CHRIST? By HIM alone can they find mercy; through HIM alone can they ever be reconciled to God.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Upon the man, to protect and strengthen him.
Of thy right hand; whom thy right hand planted, Psa 80:15; whom thou hast loved and respected even as thy right hand, which is very dear to us, Mat 5:30; 18:8; compare Zec 13:7; thy Benjamin, whom he mentioned
Psa 80:2, to whose name he seems to allude, which signifies
the son of the right hand, i.e. a dearly beloved son, as Benjamin was to Jacob. Son of man: by man, or son of man, he understands either,
1. The Messias, oft called in Scripture the Son of man: let him come, and let his kingdom be established, and so thine Israel shall be saved and delivered out of all its troubles. Or,
2. The royal family, the house of David, in whose safety and welfare. the happiness of the whole nation was wrapt up. Or rather,
3. The people of Israel, who are oft spoken of as one person, as Gods son and first-born, Exo 4:22, and here as one vine. And seeing all the foregoing complaints have been concerning the calamities of the people of Israel, it seems most reasonable to understand this prayer to be made for them; the rather, because the following clause here applied to the man and son of man,
who thou madest strong for thyself, is used of the root or branch of the vine, Psa 80:15.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. thy hand . . . uponthatis, strengthen (Ezr 7:6; Ezr 8:22).
man of . . . handmayallude to Benjamin (Ge 35:18).The terms in the latter clause correspond with those of Ps80:15, from “and the branch,” &c., literally, andconfirm the exposition given above.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand,…. Which some understand of the people of Israel in general, beloved, supported, and strengthened, by the Lord: and others of the then king of Israel, or Judah, the vinedresser, or keeper of the vineyard under God; praying that he might be directed, supported, and protected, by the Lord; but it seems better to understand it with R. Obadiah on the place, and Abarbinel x of the Messiah; and so Aben Ezra interprets it either of Israel, or of Messiah the son of Ephraim. Christ is called the “man”, though as yet he was not really man, because it was purposed and promised that he should; and he had agreed to become man, and had appeared often in an human form; and it was certain that he would be incarnate: and also the man of God’s “right hand”, which is expressive of the power of God, because by him, who, in time, became man, even the Son of God, the world, and all things in it, were made; and by him all things are upheld in their being; by him his people were to be redeemed, and have been redeemed from all their enemies; and by him they are upheld, kept, and preserved from a final and total falling away, and will be raised at the last day: and the phrase may design the support and strength the human nature of Christ, which was weak in itself, was to have, and had, not only from its union in the Son of God, but from God the Father; who promised and gave support and strength to it, under all the sufferings endured in it: to which may be added, that this phrase is expressive of love and affection; so Benjamin had his name, which signifies the son of the right hand, from the great affection of his father; so Christ is the Son of God’s love, his dear and well beloved Son; as appears by hiding nothing from him, by putting all things into his hands, and appointing him the Head and Saviour of his people, and the Judge of the world; and his love to him is a love of complacency and delight, is everlasting and unchangeable: moreover, he may be so called, because he was to be, and now is, exalted at the right hand of God, in human nature, as a Prince and Saviour, above angels, authorities, and powers, and above every name whatever: and the prayer is either that the hand of vindictive justice might not be upon the vine, or the church of God, but upon Christ their surety, who was able to bear it, and had engaged to do it; or the hand of divine power and support might be upon him, to strengthen him for the work of redemption and salvation, that so that might prosper in his hand; and the hand of love, grace, and mercy, might be turned upon his people: it is added,
upon the son of man, whom thou madest strong for thyself; for the accomplishment of his purposes, promises, and covenant, for the bringing about the salvation of his own people, and for ends of his own glory: the same person is here meant as before; and his being called “the Son of Man”, which is a very usual phrase for Christ in the New Testament, and which seems to be taken from hence, and from Da 7:13, shows that he could not be really from eternity, since he was to be the Son of Man, as he was, of Abraham, David, &c.
x Mashmiah Jeshuah, fol. 81. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
17 Let that hand be upon the Man of thy right hand. Here the Psalmist repeats in plain words the prayer which he had expressed under the figure of a vineyard, pleading that God would defend, under his hand, the Man of his right hand, and the Son of man whom he hath strengthened for himself It is uncertain whether he speaks of the king alone, or whether the people also are included. Although Jeroboam was anointed to be king, yet he did not come to the possession of the royal dignity in a lawful way; and God never so approved of any of his successors, as to divest the posterity of David of the right and power of dominion. God, as we have seen in Psa 78:67, did not choose the tribe of Ephraim. on the contrary, the scepter, by his immutable decree, was given to the house of Judah, as is plainly taught in the prophecy of Jacob, (Gen 49:10.) It was therefore a base and wicked dismembering of the body, when the majority of the people revolted from the house of David, and submitted themselves to Jeroboam as their king. Such being the ease, why then, it may be said, is the king of Israel prayed for in this manner? For removing this difficulty, let it be observed, that although that kingdom had an untoward commencement, and God, as is stated in Hos 13:11, gave them a king in his anger, yet he was afterwards pleased to tolerate its continuance; and the anointing of Jeroboam testified that he had ratified what had been unadvisedly and wickedly done by the tumult and rebellion of the people. The nation of Israel might therefore say that their king was created and established by God, who, with the view of remedying the rupture which had been made, added him as a sharer in the royal dignity to the children of David. By that rent the state of the people was greatly impaired; but, to prevent an entire overthrow, the erection of the ten tribes into a separate kingdom, under the sovereignty of Jeroboam, was, as it were, a pillar put under it by the secret counsel of God to uphold it.
I have, however, no hesitation in considering the whole body of the Church as comprehended under the expressions, the Man of God’s right hand, and the Son of man The similar number is very properly made use of, it having been the Divine will that the chosen people should be as one man. For the same reason, the Apostle Paul also, in Gal 3:16, lays great stress upon the words, one seed; for Ishmael, Esau, and others, were separated and scattered when God redeemed arm gathered together the seed of Abraham. Thus, by the Son of man is to be understood the people whom God had adopted to himself, that they might be as one man. (400) But as this oneness depended upon the head, I readily admit that the phrase has a particular reference to the king, who preserved the greater part of the people from being involved in utter destruction. Here again the Prophet, in seeking to obtain the Divine favor, founds his argument and hope only upon the benefits which God had formerly conferred upon them. “Lord,” as if he had said, “since it belongs to thee to perfect that which thou hast begun, preserve the king whom thou hast given us!”
(400) Muis, Walford, and others, in like manner, suppose these titles, The Man of thy right hand, and The Son of man, to belong to the people of Israel. Walford translates the 15 and 17 verses thus: —
“
The scion, which thy right hand planted; Even the branch, which thou madest strong for thyself.
Let thy support be extended to the Man of thy right hand; To the Son of man, whom thou madest strong for thyself.”
And he observes on the 17 verse, “The Psalmist here quits the figurative representation, and speaks literally of the people of Israel, whom God had chosen, and so greatly favored.” “From comparing 2Ch 36:22; Isa 44:26, and Jer 25:12,” says Dimock, “with this verse, might not Jeremiah, or whoever was the author of this psalm, mean Cyrus, by these titles, who was prophesied of as the restorer of Israel, by name, above a hundred years before his birth?” It has been thought by others, and it is highly probable, that the phraseology here employed contains a mystic allusion to the Messiah. The pious Israelites were accustomed, in times of great calamity, to look forward with longing desire to the days of Him who should reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of whose kingdom there should be no end. These striking expressions, The Man of thy right hand, and The Son of man, apply in the fullest and most perfect sense to Christ. If the Man of God ’ s right hand be the man placed there, to whom can the title apply but to him? for, “to which of the angels said God at any time, Sit on my right hand?” (Heb 1:3😉 and much less has he said this of any Jewish king. As to the other appellation, The Son of man, it is one of Christ’s most definite titles, being given to him in Scripture no less than seventy-one times; in sixty-seven instances by himself; once by Daniel; once by the martyr Stephen; and twice by the Apostle John in the Revelation. He it is, too, whom the Father has made strong for the salvation of his Church, and who will yet turn away iniquity from the chosen people, and restore them to a place in the Church, so that henceforth they “will not go back from God.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(17) Man of thy right hand.This is manifestly a continuation of Psa. 80:15, and should follow it:
Protect what thy right hand hath planted,
The branch which thou hast made strong for thyself:
Let thy hand be over the man of thy right hand,
Over the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.
A fine instance of the mode in which the thought can pass naturally from the figurative to the literal. The man of Gods right hand is evidently the man protected by the right hand, but the expression introduces such a tautology that we suspect a misreading.
In the words son, son of man, some see a reference to the Messiah. But the parallelism and context show that the poet is thinking of Israel as a community, of which the vine is the emblem.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand That is, upon the man thou hast chosen for the first place of honour and confidence. The allusion is to the ancient custom of placing the first in honour at the right hand. 1Ki 2:19; Psa 45:9. As to the supposed doubtfulness whether the Hebrew phrase “thy hand be upon the man,” etc., is to be taken in a good or in an evil sense, the connexion clearly shows the former, which is not unusual, as in such passages as Ezr 7:9; Ezr 8:22; Neh 2:8; Neh 2:18; Isa 1:25. Some have taken , the man of thy right hand, to refer to Christ.
Upon the son of man The same as the man of thy right hand. The words “right hand” and “son,” in these two members of the verse, put together, make the Hebrew name Benjamin, ( son of the right hand,) which some suppose was intentional, “on account of the connexion of that tribe with both the rival kingdoms, its central position, its possession of the sanctuary, [Moriah was within its tribal limits,] and its historical relation to the infant monarchy under Saul the Benjamite.” Viewed in this light it is a delicate compliment to the tribe of Benjamin. But the descriptive titles may apply to any person whom God might choose to act in his name as the restorer and saviour of his people, or, as in the preceding figure of the vine, as personifications of the Hebrew nation itself, which ranked as a prince at the right hand of God. The imagery is explained in the next verse.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 80:17. Let thy hand be, &c. Let thy hand be over the prince; thy right arm over the young man thou hast invigorated for thyself. Mudge. God is prayed to let his hand be upon or over him; i.e. to support him in his attacks from the enemies of his country, to influence his counsels with his almighty wisdom, and to enable him to vindicate the honour of his nation.
REFLECTIONS.1st, The eyes of the Lord are ever upon his faithful people, and his ears open to their prayers; to him therefore in every distress they look, and find him ever near to help in time of need.
1. The Psalmist begs God’s gracious regard and powerful deliverance. He addressed him as the shepherd of Israel, whose tender care towards the sheep of his pasture had been proved by long experience. Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; who had done so in time past, and was still ready to manifest the same regard towards them: thou that dwellest between the cherubims, exalted on a throne of grace, to receive the petitions of them that seek him, give ear to our prayers; shine forth, to dispel the gloom which thickens round us: Before Ephriam, and Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up thy strength, these tribes on their march, Num 17:13 immediately following the ark; and come and save us from the power of our enemies, who are too mighty for us. This may be considered as the prayer of the church for the appearance of Christ in the flesh, the Sun of righteousness, whose rising with healing in his wings was the great object of their desire, and his spiritual salvation the great hope of their souls.
2. He humbly expostulates with God on their afflictions. How long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people? appear so at least, by refusing them an answer; or be really displeased with them, because they asked amiss; were insincere, or lukewarm? Thou feedest them with the bread of tears, and givest them tears to drink in great measure: so abundant were their sorrows, that even they did not eat or drink, but tears mingled with their repast. Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours, who divide our spoil; and our enemies laugh among themselves, at the easy prey they have gotten, and the disappointment of our hopes. Note; (1.) When we pray, it becomes us well to consider what we say, and in what manner we approach God; lest, by our formality and unbelief, our prayers should be turned into sin. (2.) The way to join the everlasting songs of angels lies frequently, in this world, through the vale of tears. (3.) The people of God will be often the derision of their enemies. But woe to those who laugh now; for they shall mourn and weep, when blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted.
3. In order to obtain the salvation that he desired, the Psalmist begs the conversion of their souls to God. Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine, in token of reconciliation, and then he is sure their hope shall not be delayed, we shall be saved. And thus is repeated, as the great burden of their prayer; for, this being obtained, every other request would be granted. Note; (1.) The soul has already begun to turn to God, on whom this spirit of prayer and supplication is poured out. (2.) The great desire of the awakened sinner is, to obtain reconciliation with God.
2nd, The former favours of God to his Israel are here pleaded as an argument for his present regard towards them in their distress. The church is compared to a vine, of which Jesus is the living root; and to a vineyard, of which God is the husbandman.
1. By the divine mercy and providence they had been brought out of Egypt: the Canaanites dispossessed to make room for them; and they planted in their stead. Deep-rooted and vigorous, they multiplied exceedingly, and extended their branches unto the sea and the river.
2. They had experienced a sad reverse of state, and inquire into the cause. Why hast thou then broken down her hedges? withdrawn his defence and protection, in consequence of which they were become desolate; so that every traveller, every enemy, now made inroads upon them, to spoil and lay their vineyard waste. Fierce and cruel as the beasts of the desert, their foes devoured them without pity or remorse: Their cities were burnt with fire; their land wasted; and the inhabitants slaughtered: being under God’s rebuke, they fell an easy prey to their invaders, Note; (1.) If God corrects, surely there is a cause: sin, sin, breeds all our misery. (2.) The strongest nation becomes an easy prey, the moment God withdraws his protection.
3. They earnestly intreat a return of the divine favour; that God would from heaven cast a favourable look towards them, and, as he was so able to rescue them, would graciously visit them with his salvation; nor suffer the vineyard, the planting of his own hands, and therefore dear to him, to be destroyed; and the branch he had made so strong for himself, the people separated for his service and designed for his glory, to be broken down. Therefore, let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, which may be applied to the king of Israel, but in a higher sense belongs to the Lord Jesus, the great repairer of the breaches of his church, who in the fulness of time should become incarnate, the son of man, the object of his Father’s regard, and made strong for all the arduous work of redemption; and for thyself, because by his undertaking, and the accomplishment of his mediatorial office, glory was given to God in the highest. Note; There is help laid on one mighty to save; we may therefore boldly trust, and not be afraid.
4. They engage heartily to cleave to God. So will not we go back from thee: the all-sufficiency of Jesus would encourage their faith and hope; and God’s love, herein manifested, attach them to his service. Quicken us, and we will call upon thy name: so dead and lifeless often are our hearts, that we have no power to pray with any fervency, till the Lord pours out a spirit of prayer and supplication, and then our drooping souls revive. Note; (1.) Though we can do nothing as of ourselves, we can do all things through Christ strengthening us. (2.) Prayer is the daily employment of every one who is truly alive to God.
5. The Psalmist, in behalf of the people of Israel, concludes with reiterating his former supplication for converting grace; and addressing his prayer to the Lord God of hosts, so able to save all that come to him, expects in faith the salvation for which he so ardently pleads. Note; Repetition in our prayers is not always vain, but often speaks the language of most importunate desire. Lord, have mercy upon us! Christ, have mercy upon us! Lord, have mercy upon us!
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
DISCOURSE: 636
THE EFFICACY OF PRAYER
Psa 80:17-19. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself. So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. Turn us again, O Lord God of Hosts; cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
THIS psalm appears to have been written about the time when Sennacherib had invaded the land of Judah, and threatened the two remaining tribes of Judah and Benjamin with the same utter destruction as had already been inflicted on the ten tribes or Israel. The writer, whoever he was, addresses Jehovah in nearly the same terms as Hezekiah did on that occasion, even as the Lord of Hosts that dwelt between the cherubim [Note: ver. 1. with Isa 37:15-17.]. And when he says, Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up thy strength, and come and save us; he merely desires that God would afford them now the same protection as he had formerly afforded to all his people in the wilderness; which protection these three tribes had better opportunities of discovering than others; because, whilst three tribes preceded the ark, and three marched on either side, these three brought up the rear, and consequently were in a better situation for noticing the various interpositions of Jehovah in their behalf. The disconsolate state of the country at that time is set forth by the Psalmist under the figure of a vine, which had been planted there by Jehovah himself, and had flourished so as to fill the whole land; but now it was exposed to all the rage of the enemy, who wasted and destroyed it; and it would shortly be entirely rooted out, if God did not speedily interpose for its protection [Note: ver. 816.]. By the man of Gods right hand, and the Son of Man whom God had made strong for himself, I suppose the Psalmist intended to specify king Hezekiah, whom he entreated God to make his instrument for effecting the desired deliverance: and in the latter verses of my text he promises, in behalf of the nation at large, that the mercy shall not be lost upon them, but shall be requited by them in the way which God will approve, even by greater steadfastness in their future adherence to him, and a more entire obedience to his commands.
In this view, I conceive, the psalm may properly be applied either to the Church, or to any individual Believer in a season of deep distress: and the Son of Man, whom Jehovah has made strong for himself, may be understood as designating the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the King of Israel, and whom in that capacity Hezekiah especially prefigured.
Let the afflicted Believer then see in this passage,
I.
How to approach God in a season of trouble
We are especially invited to go to God in a time of trouble. But in what way shall we approach him?
The Lord Jesus Christ is the appointed Head of Gods Church and people
[Even whilst he was yet on earth, all power in heaven and on earth was given to him [Note: Mat 27:18.]: and, on his ascension to heaven, he was constituted Head over all things to the Church [Note: Eph 1:22.], and had all fulness committed to him [Note: Col 1:19.], that he might fill all things [Note: Eph 4:10.], and be the one source of light and life to the spiritual world, as the sun in the firmament is to this material globe on which we live. To this the Psalmist bears testimony, when he says, Thou spakest in vision to thy Holy One, and saidst, I have laid help upon One that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found David my servant: with my holy oil have I anointed him: with whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him [Note: Psa 89:19-21.]. In this passage there is no doubt but that the Lord Jesus Christ is spoken of precisely in the view in which I suppose him to be spoken of in the psalm before us. He is that David whom God has anointed to rule over his Church and people, and through whom he will shew himself at all times mighty to save.]
Through Him, then, we must seek for Gods effectual help
[Through him must we look for the acceptance of our prayers; and from him must we expect those communications which God has promised to his believing people. God has made him strong, not for us only, but for himself also; seeing that in this mode of dispensing his blessings he is particularly glorified. This is the account given us by an inspired Apostle: Him hath God highly exalted, and given him a name above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father [Note: Php 2:9-11.]. And to the same effect our Lord himself also says, Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son [Note: Joh 14:13.]. Let not any one, then, hesitate to look thus to Christ, from an apprehension that, in so honouring the Son, he should dishonour the Father: for God would have all men to honour the Son even as they honour the Father: and he declares, that he who honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father who hath sent him [Note: Joh 5:23.]. Be it remembered, then, that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life; and that no man cometh unto the Father, but by him [Note: Joh 14:6.].]
From the passage before us we may further learn,
II.
What we should seek for at His hands
Doubtless we are permitted to ask for deliverance from trouble. But there are other things which we are far more concerned to ask, even things for the production of which affliction itself is sent us. We should seek,
1.
The communications of Gods grace
[These are of infinitely more importance than any temporal deliverance. With these, every affliction is light: without them, no enjoyment whatever is of any real value. Whatever be our state as it respects ease or trouble, we are dead, and need to be quickened; we are rebellious, and need to be turned. The first thing, then, that we should seek, should be quickening and converting grace. Every creature in the universe stands in need of these; and on the attainment of it depends our everlasting welfare. Let every one, then, pray, Quicken me, O Lord! Oh! turn me, for thy mercys sake! Turn thou me, and I shall be turned.]
2.
The manifestations of his favour
[We should never rest without an evidence in our own souls that we are the Lords. While our interest in his favour is doubtful, what happiness can we enjoy? There must always be a secret fear and misgiving, that ere long we may become monuments of his righteous indignation. We should therefore entreat of God to lift up the light of his countenance upon us, and to give us a spirit of adoption, testifying that we are his. It is not the sun of outward prosperity that we are to desire, but that inward light, by which we can discern our adoption into his family, and our title to his glory. This will make every yoke easy, and every burthen light.]
But the text itself leads us to consider,
III.
The fruit and consequence of accepted prayer
These blessings once obtained, we shall assuredly, possess,
1.
Stability in Gods ways
[Thousands there are who run well only for a season, and who, by turning back from God, make their latter end worse than their beginning. But real conversion, especially when it issues in a peaceful walk with God, produces a decision of character which nothing can shake. I mean not to say that any man has strength of his own, whereby he can stand: even St. Paul himself needed incessant care and watchfulness, lest, after having preached to others, he himself should become a cast-away. But a sense of Gods love in the soul confirms our confidence in him; and enables us, in dependence on his grace, to hurl defiance at all the enemies of our salvation, and to rest assured that none shall ever prevail to separate us from his love.]
2.
The everlasting enjoyment of his favour
[Thrice is this repeated, and each time with increasing earnestness: Turn us again, O God, and we shall be saved: turn again, O God of Hosts, and we shall be saved: turn us again, O Lord God of Hosts, and we shall be saved [Note: ver. 80:7, 19.]. If we commit ourselves truly to the Lord Jesus Christ, none shall ever pluck us out of his hands; but that promise shall be fully verified, Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation; ye shall not be ashamed or confounded world without end [Note: Isa 45:17.].]
Hence we may See,
1.
How little reason there is for any man to despond
[Who can be in a more desperate state than that depicted in the psalm before us? Yet for them was relief solicited and obtained. And is there not the same help for us? Is not the Saviour as mighty as ever? Is his hand shortened at all, that it cannot save? or his ear heavy, that it cannot hear? Let, then, the same means be used, and the same result may assuredly be expected. I will suppose that the enemy has overflowed even to the neck, and is even now exulting in his triumphs. Spread but your case before the Lord, as Hezekiah did, and you may adopt the language which was put into his mouth; The virgin, the daughter of Israel, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee [Note: Isa 37:22.]. Sooner shall heaven and earth pass away, than one praying and believing soul be left to perish.]
2.
How little ground there is for any one to glory
[I will suppose that any one of you is now flourishing like the vine, of which the Psalmist speaks, in all its glory. Whence came you? Know that you were once in Egypt, and were brought out thence to the place in which you stand. And who has kept you from being trodden down and devoured by the beasts of the field? It is God alone who has kept you, even to the present hour. It is He who gave you his converting grace; He who infused peace into your soul by the light of his reconciled countenance. And when you shall arrive at the realms of glory, it is to Him that you must ascribe your salvation, from first to last. If any man be disposed to glory, I would ask, Who made thee to differ? And what hast thou, which thou hast not received? Whilst you are building on the true foundation here, you must say continually, By the grace of God, I am what I am [Note: 1Co 15:10.]: and when the headstone shall be brought forth with shoutings, you must spend eternity in crying, Grace, grace unto it [Note: Zec 4:7.]!]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 80:17 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man [whom] thou madest strong for thyself.
Ver. 17. The man of thy right hand ] i.e. Israel, or the Messiah.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
upon: or over.
man. Hebrew ‘ish. App-14.
son of man = son of Adam. Hebrew. ‘adam. App-14. See note on Eze 2:1.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 80:15, Psa 89:21, Psa 110:1, Isa 53:5, Dan 7:13, Dan 7:14, Joh 5:21-29
Reciprocal: Gen 35:18 – Benjamin Psa 8:4 – son Psa 50:2 – perfection Eze 19:11 – she had Luk 1:66 – And the
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE DIVINE MAN
Let Thy hand be upon the Man of Thy right hand.
Psa 80:17
In New Testament days I know the name of this transcendent and Divine Man. He is my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
I. See in Him my God, my Redeemer.He charged Himself with my iniquity. He stood condemned in my place, and to-day there is no condemnation awaiting me.
II. Hearken to Him, too, my God, as my Advocate.He pleads for mepleads His own fulfilment of all laws. He appears on my behalf in Thy heavenly place. Thou wilt bend and bow to me in condescension, in grace, in liberality, when I have such a Representative and Friend.
III. Consider Him also, my God, as my Hope and Goal.I disappoint Thee often and sorely meantime. I fall lamentably short of the standard to which Thou wouldst have me aspire. But in Him, Who is without spot and blemish, Thou seest what I shall one day be. By and by I shall be pure as He is pure. And then I shall content Thy soul.
So, for me and my salvation, let Thy hand be upon the Man of Thy right hand.
Illustration
The Man of Thy right hand may either be, the Man Whom Thy power has raised up, or the Man who occupies the post of honour at Thy right hand. That the words were intended to suggest both ideas, is a supposition perfectly agreeable to Hebrew usage. A more doubtful question is that in reference to the first words of the sentence, let Thy hand be upon him, whether this means in favour or in wrath. The only way in which both senses can be reconciled is by applying the words to the Messiah as the ground of the faith and hope expressed. Let Thy hand fall not on us, but on our substitute. Compare the remarkably similar expressions in Act 5:31.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Psa 80:17-18. Let thy hand Thy power, to protect and strengthen him; be upon the man of thy right hand That king (whoever he was) of the house of David, that was now to rule and go in and out before them. He calls him the man of Gods right hand, because he was the representative of their state, which was dear to God, as a mans right hand is dear to himself, and as Benjamin, whose name signifies the son of the right hand, was dear to his father Jacob; and because he was president in their affairs, and an instrument in Gods right hand of much good to them, defending them from themselves, and from their enemies, and directing them in the right way; and was under-shepherd to him who was the great Shepherd of Israel. Upon the son of man That king of Davids race, just mentioned, in whose safety and prosperity he considered the welfare and happiness of the whole kingdom as being involved; whom thou madest strong for thyself That is, to serve the interest of thy kingdom among men. So will we not go back from thee This glorious favour of thine will oblige us to love and serve thee, and trust in thee so long as we have a being, and will preserve us from relapsing into idolatry and wickedness, as we have too often done. Quicken us Revive and restore us to our former tranquillity and happiness; revive our dying interests, and our drooping spirits, and we will call upon thy name We shall be encouraged, and will continue to do so upon all occasions, having found, by experience, that it is not in vain. But many interpreters, both Jewish and Christian, apply this to the Messiah, the Son of David, the protector and Saviour of the church, and the keeper of the vineyard. He is the man of Gods right hand; to whom he has sworn by his right hand, as the Chaldee interprets it; whom he has exalted to his right hand, and who is indeed the right hand and arm of the Lord, invested with all power in heaven and on earth. And he is that Son of man whom the Father made strong for himself for the glorifying of his name, and the advancing of the interests of his kingdom among men. Gods hand was upon him throughout his whole undertaking, to support and strengthen, to protect and animate him, that the good pleasure of the Lord might prosper in his hand. And the stability and constancy of believers, in his work and service, are owing to his grace upholding and strengthening them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
80:17 Let thy hand be upon the {n} man of thy right hand, upon the son of man [whom] thou madest strong for thyself.
(n) That is, on this vine or people, whom you have planted with your right hand, that they should be as one man or one body
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Psa 80:17 refers again to the present generation of Israelites as "God’s son." There is a play on words since Benjamin (Psa 80:2) means "son of my right hand." The psalmist called on God to support with His strong hand the son of His right hand (i.e., the nation God used as His powerful right hand). He promised that the Israelites would follow God faithfully and call on Him for their needs if He would revive His vine. The psalm ends with a repetition of the refrain.
God’s people are similar to a grapevine, in that God has called them to be a blessing to others. However, if we who are God’s people do not walk in trust and obedience, God may prune us back and limit our fruitfulness, with a view to increasing our ultimate productivity. The vine experiences blessing itself as it becomes a blessing to others. If we depart from God, we need to call on Him to restore our fruitfulness and commit ourselves to Him again. The figure of Israel as an olive tree in Rom 11:17-24 teaches similar lessons.