What does Psalm 80:6 mean?
ESV: You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves.
NIV: You have made us an object of derision to our neighbors, and our enemies mock us.
NASB: You make us an object of contention to our neighbors, And our enemies laugh among themselves.
CSB: You put us at odds with our neighbors; our enemies mock us.
NLT: You have made us the scorn of neighboring nations. Our enemies treat us as a joke.
KJV: Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.
NKJV: You have made us a strife to our neighbors, And our enemies laugh among themselves.
Verse Commentary:
Verse Context:
Psalm 80:1–6 records a prayer to God as Israel's Shepherd. The psalmist refers to various tribes, asks for the Lord's favor, and pleads for salvation. The nation is suffering some defeat or trouble. The people grieve as if God has become angry with them. Other nations—enemies of Israel—are mocking God's people because of this situation.
Chapter Summary:
The psalmist calls for God's rescue during a time of defeat. The refrain "Restore us…that we may be saved" is repeated several times. The song expresses grief that the Lord has allowed Israel to suffer defeat and embarrassment. Though Israel was brought out of slavery and established in the Promised Land, it is being attacked by some force or foreign power. The psalmist appeals to God to restore His chosen people.
Chapter Context:
This is not clearly associated with a specific event, as are some other chapters in this part of the book of Psalms. Scholars have suggested the conquest of the northern kingdom, the fall of the entire nation of Israel, and harassment by foreign nations during the early days of the monarchy. An unlikely possibility is that the psalm mourns spiritual decay in the nation. The wide range of eras which might apply makes exact authorship uncertain, as well.
Book Summary:
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
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