Introduction: A Psalm of Exile
Psalm 80 is a psalm of exile and a plea for redemption. Right from its opening, it bears an obscure heading, and the commentators disagree over its explanation; both from this heading and from the structure of the psalm, we learn what it addresses. Let us first examine the heading, and then proceed through the verses in order.
לַמְנַצֵּחַ אֶל־שֹׁשַׁנִּים עֵדוּת לְאָסָף מִזְמוֹר׃ - For the conductor, on Shoshannim; a testimony, a psalm of Asaph.
Rashi explains that "shoshannim" (lilies/roses) is an allegory for the Jewish people, as in the verse, "Like a lily among the thorns, so is My beloved among the daughters." That is: for the conductor, concerning Israel. And "a testimony, a psalm of Asaph" - a psalm of testimony, in which he hints to them about three exiles and prays on their behalf.
And from where do we know that this refers to three exiles? From the fact that the verse, "O God, restore us, and cause Your face to shine, that we may be saved," repeats three times in the psalm. From this, the commentators deduced that the psalm deals with three exiles. This alludes to the troubles destined to come in the days of Jehu from the kings of Aram, as it is stated, "for the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like dust to be trampled"; and further on we will see that Rashi also explains the psalm regarding the Greek era and the other exiles that came upon Israel.
"Edut" - An Ornament or a Musical Instrument?
The Radak cites an interpretation that "edut" is related to "and you adorned yourself with ornaments" (ve'adit edi), meaning an ornament: the beauty and adornment of the subject. However, the Radak rejects this (this interpretation is also cited by the Ibn Ezra in the name of another sage, and he too does not accept it), stating that, as is frequently noted, the openings of the psalms refer to musical matters that are unknown to us today. "Edut" is like "Gittit": the name of a musical instrument or a melody to which the psalms were sung. In their time this was a familiar term, much as we might speak of a particular musical mode today, and therefore there is no need to seek a thematic meaning.
Indeed, the Metzudat Tzion explains that "shoshannim" was a musical instrument crafted in the shape of a lily. Thus, the heading refers to the musical instrument or the melody with which they would sing the psalm; each psalm had its own specific instrument or melody.
The Background of the Psalm According to the Malbim: The Days of Ezra and Nechemiah
The Malbim likewise applies the psalm to exile, specifying more precisely: the sons of Asaph composed it in the days of Ezra and Nechemiah. Ezra and Nechemiah returned from exile and sought to rebuild the Beit HaMikdash, but the adversaries of Judah - Sanballat and his companions - hampered their steps and prevented them from building, and in that era the returnees were impoverished. The psalm draws a parallel between the return from Babylon and the Exodus from Egypt: how we were when we went up from Egypt, and how we appear now upon our return from Babylon.
The psalm is divided into three sections: in the first, he prays that Hashem deliver them from their adversaries, who obstructed the building of the Temple and prevented them from fulfilling the will of Hashem. In the second, he asks that Hashem expand their borders and grant them tranquility and sustenance. In the third, he pleads that Hashem gather their dispersed - for in the days of Ezra and Nechemiah only a small group went up, fewer than fifty thousand people. Some think that only the Yemenite Jews did not ascend, but in truth, very few from the rest of the nation came up as well. Each section concludes with the plea, "O God, restore us, and cause Your face to shine, that we may be saved" - hence the three times this verse recurs.
Three Titles from Ancient Times
רֹעֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל הַאֲזִינָה נֹהֵג כַּצֹּאן יוֹסֵף יֹשֵׁב הַכְּרוּבִים הוֹפִיעָה׃ - Shepherd of Israel, give ear, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth!
The Malbim explains that the verse introduces three descriptions from earlier eras. "Shepherd of Israel" - in ancient times You guided them and provided for all their needs. "You who lead Joseph like a flock" - You guided them like sheep among wolves, yet they were not afraid but trusted in You, for the sea covered their enemies, and against anyone who pursued them, the Holy One, blessed be He, came forth with fire, naphtha, and sulfur. "You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth" - the third matter: at that time You built for them a Mishkan and a Mikdash, and the Shechinah dwelt between the two cherubim. "Shine forth" (hofi'ah) can be read in the past tense - You who dwell upon the cherubim, Your Shechinah shone forth then; or it can be understood as a supplication - please, Hashem, shine upon us now just as You shone forth back then from between the staves of the Ark.
Why Israel Is Named After Joseph
Rashi explains: "Shepherd of Israel" refers to their leader and provider, and who was that? Joseph. For Joseph was the provider for all of Israel during the famine; he was the purveyor in Egypt. Thus we plead: You, Hashem, lead Your flock like Joseph, who led us, watched over us, and provided our sustenance back then in Egypt.
The Radak explains differently: from the time the kingdom was divided, Israel was referred to as "Joseph" and "Ephraim." As is known, the monarchy split - two tribes remained with Rehoboam son of Solomon, forming the Kingdom of Judah, while ten tribes followed Jeroboam, forming the Kingdom of Israel, which was also called the Kingdom of Samaria after the seat of their rule. The kings of Israel were all, without exception, wicked, whereas among the kings of Judah there were also righteous kings, such as Hezekiah, Josiah, and others. And why were they named after Joseph? Because he took the place of Reuben as the firstborn, in keeping with Jacob's words, "and let my name be named on them" - that Israel would be called by Joseph's name just as Joseph was called by his. The birthright passed from Reuben to Joseph, as the firstborn receives a double portion - two tribes - and Reuben did not receive two tribes, but Joseph did, through Ephraim and Manasseh. Therefore, the verse mentions "You who lead Joseph like a flock," for Joseph is, as it were, the leader of the ten tribes.
And what of Benjamin, who is mentioned in the following verse? The Radak explains that he too is mentioned because Benjamin is a son of Rachel, and Rachel's children are the primary essence of Israel. Note how often, when Scripture refers to Israel, it specifically mentions Rachel's descendants: "Is Ephraim my precious son?" - referring to all of Israel; "Rachel weeps for her children" - where all of Israel are called her children, even though Rachel was the mother of only a minority of the tribes. And why are they considered the primary essence? Because Jacob's original intention was directed toward Rachel, and the initial plan was to marry her first; Reuben became the firstborn only as a consequence of Laban's deception. Even when Jacob was with Leah, having been misled when Laban brought Leah to him in her place, his thoughts were on Rachel. Thus, Rachel's children are considered the primary core of the nation, and for this reason they are mentioned here.
According to this, the meaning of the verse is: You, Master of the Universe, who were the Shepherd of Israel and guided them like a flock - listen to our prayer that we offer to You now in exile; and just as You were "enthroned upon the cherubim," meeting them there and speaking with them from between the cherubim - so too, shine forth upon us as in earlier days, and redeem us from exile.
A Remarkable Midrash on "You Who Lead Joseph Like a Flock"
The sefer Ayil Tzvi cites the Tosafot of Sens on Sotah 13a, who bring a Midrash on "Shepherd of Israel, give ear, You who lead Joseph like a flock": Joseph's bones were placed inside a sheepskin, and a spirit of life entered that skin. This is the meaning of "leading Joseph like a flock" - Joseph was placed inside the hide of a sheep, and the hide took on a form of vitality. He finds a beautiful allusion to this: the gematria of "רועה ישראל האזינה נוהג כצאן יוסף" is equivalent to that of "הושם בעור של כבש" ("placed in the hide of a sheep").
"Rouse Your Might" - Why Might and Not Mercy?
לִפְנֵי אֶפְרַיִם וּבִנְיָמִן וּמְנַשֶּׁה עוֹרְרָה אֶת־גְּבוּרָתֶךָ וּלְכָה לִישֻׁעָתָה לָּנוּ׃ - Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, rouse Your might, and come to our salvation!
Rashi explains: when they are in need of Your salvation, even though they are not worthy, even though they are wicked and undeserving - rouse Your might for them and redeem them. And why? "And come to our salvation" - it is fitting for You and incumbent upon You to save us, whether we are culpable or whether we are deserving. And if one asks, on what basis? We already find regarding Moses in Egypt, "I have surely seen the affliction of My people" (ra'oh ra'iti), which Chazal interpret: Why the double expression "I have surely seen"? I see that they are destined to provoke Me, yet nevertheless I have seen their affliction on account of the oath I swore to Abraham. Thus, already then You stated that even though they would anger Me, I will remember My oath to Abraham and answer them. This is our plea now: we have come to collect on that pledge.
One may ask: when a person seeks salvation, does he ask for Gevurah (might) or Rachamim (mercy)? We ask for mercy! Why, then, does it say here, "Arouse Your might"? A similar difficulty arises in the Selichot, in the piyyut Im Afas Rova HaKen, which states: "Arouse Your might to awaken the slumbering." Some even emended the text to read "Arouse Your mercy," for we certainly do not wish matters to unfold through the attribute of strict justice, but rather through mercy. In truth, however, there is no difficulty: we are not asking that His might be aroused against us, but rather that it be aroused to take vengeance on the nations that oppress us, and that our redemption come about through this.
Proof of this can be found in the blessing Go'el Yisrael in the Shemoneh Esreh: what is the vocalization of the Tetragrammaton there? A sheva. One ought to have proper intention with the Divine Names during prayer. Rav Ovadia Yosef notes that these are basic, straightforward intentions, not esoteric Kabbalistic ones: focusing on the corresponding Sefirah as printed in the prayer books - where there is a segol one directs the mind toward the Sefirah of Chesed, where there is a kamatz toward another Sefirah, and so forth. In each blessing, the Four-Letter Name is vocalized differently, and one intends to draw down divine flow from that Sefirah even without grasping the mystical secret. In the blessing Go'el Yisrael, the vocalization is a sheva, which corresponds among the Sefirot to the attribute of Gevurah. Clearly, then, we ask Hashem to redeem us through Gevurah. This does not contradict Rachamim: the mercy is toward us, but rising up to take vengeance on our enemies and extract us from exile requires the dimension of Gevurah. This is "Arouse Your might" - that He redeem us by directing the attribute of Gevurah against the enemies, leading to "and come to our salvation."
"U-lecha" - An Expression of "For You"
What is the meaning of "u-lecha liyshuata lanu"? This is not a term of motion (going), but rather like u-lecha ("and for you") without the letter heh at the end, even though it is written here with a heh. We find this elsewhere: "And for you (u-lecha), what can I do, my son?" said by Yitzchak to Esav, where the meaning is "and for you." Likewise, "And for you (u-lecha) there is no tidings that will find reward" - said to Achimaatz when he wished to run past the Cushite to deliver word to David of Avshalom's death, and he was told: the Cushite is already running ahead to announce it, and you have nothing new to report, so why should you run? Moreover, he knew this was not news that would bring joy to David, but rather grief, so he hinted to him that it was not worthwhile to go. Similarly, in Yeshayahu: "You have a cloak (simlah lecha), be our ruler" - you possess fine clothing, an honorable garment, so become our leader. Thus, lecha means "for you," that is, for Your sake: for You, Master of the Universe, it is befitting to save - please save and redeem us.
Ephraim, Binyamin, and Menashe - Why Specifically These Three?
Rashi explains that each tribe alludes to a historical period. "Ephraim" points to the war with Aram, when the king of Aram besieged Shomron and sent messengers to Achav: "Your silver and gold are mine, and the best of your wives and children are mine," ultimately demanding the Sefer Torah, which Achav refused. "Menashe" points to the days of Yoash son of Yehoachaz, of which it is written, "For Hashem saw the affliction of Israel... for the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like dust to be trampled." Yoash struck Aram three times and restored the cities of Israel; this explains the threefold repetition in our psalm: "Restore us... shine Your face, and we will be saved." Rashi further cites an alternative explanation noting that it was prophesied there, "Three times shall you strike Aram." "Binyamin" alludes to the era of Achashverosh, as Mordechai was an ish Yemini, descended from Binyamin, and both Mordechai and Esther were then in mortal peril; the psalmist prays for that generation as well.
The Malbim explains according to his consistent approach: this is the first part of the psalm, in which the psalmist asks Hashem to arouse His might just as He demonstrated in ancient times before Ephraim, Binyamin, and Menashe, and to assist us against the adversaries confronting us now. In his view, the entire psalm addresses the era of Ezra and Nechemiah, when the community was in an exceptionally dire state - facing both enemies who halted the rebuilding of the Temple and severe famine and economic hardship. Why are Ephraim and Menashe mentioned? Many of their people had joined Chizkiyahu: when the Kingdom of Israel was exiled first, refugees from Ephraim and Menashe fled to the Kingdom of Yehudah, which had not yet been exiled. Later, when Nevuchadnezzar exiled Yehudah, he exiled both Yehudah and Binyamin (the Kingdom of Yehudah) along with the remnants of Ephraim and Menashe who had sought refuge there. Furthermore, these three tribes are descendants of Rachel, who are uniquely equipped to stand against Esav, as the verse states: "The house of Yaakov shall be a fire, and the house of Yosef a flame, and the house of Esav for stubble" - for it is through the spiritual strength of the house of Yosef that the savior emerges to wage war against Esav.
"Shine Your Face, and We Will Be Saved"
אֱלֹהִים הֲשִׁיבֵנוּ וְהָאֵר פָּנֶיךָ וְנִוָּשֵׁעָה׃ - O God, restore us; shine Your face, and we will be saved.
Rashi interprets "Restore us" in reference to the Babylonian exile, where Mordechai was situated. The Radak, however, explains "Restore us" as meaning: restore us to You - prepare our hearts so that they are receptive to teshuvah, and shine Your countenance upon us. For when Hashem is displeased, He conceals His face, and when we are in a time of divine favor, He reveals His face. This represents the enduring spiritual realities of hester panim (concealment of the face) and he'arat panim (illumination of the face).
As the Ramchal writes in Da'at Tevunot (and as elaborated in the lessons on that work), everything that unfolds in the world is the result of either he'arat panim or hester panim - these are the two fundamental modes of divine governance in creation. The human body belongs to the realm of hester panim, whereas the lofty spiritual soul stems from he'arat panim. Anything brought about through hester panim is darker, coarser, and lower; whereas whatever emerges from the illumination of His countenance is elevated and more spiritual. In this manner, all of creation is divided between realities born of hester panim and those born of he'arat panim. When there is hester panim, troubles, disasters, persecutions, and catastrophes arise; but when there is he'arat panim - "for by the light of Your face You gave us a Torah of life, a love of kindness, righteousness, blessing, mercy, life, and peace." All divine bounty is contained within the illumination of Hashem's face. Hence, "shine Your face," and as a direct result, "and we will be saved" - for salvation is inherently contained within the illumination of His countenance.
The Malbim explains "O God, restore us" according to his approach: since only a small minority ascended with Ezra and Nechemiah, the psalmist pleads for a complete redemption - that Hashem restore the entirety of the Jewish people, and that all of them return.
The Second Temple - A Period of Testing
As we have already learned in our lessons on Ezra and Nechemiah from the teachings of the Malbim, the return at the beginning of the Second Temple era was a sort of probationary period. Had we passed it successfully, the Holy One, blessed be He, would have lowered the Third Temple built of fire, and the complete redemption would have arrived. Yet because we did not withstand the test, we were exiled into another exile from which we have yet to emerge to this day - two thousand years of exile. And because it was a testing period, the Holy One, blessed be He, did not fully restore His presence to us: five things were missing in the Second Temple, Ruach HaKodesh did not rest upon the people, and the spiritual reality was on a diminished level.
This is comparable to two people who had a falling out, and one is afraid of being hurt again, saying: "Let us try to rebuild the relationship - but at a low intensity." It is similarly like a broken marriage that a couple tries to restore gradually; if it proves to be lasting, it will be elevated to full intensity. We, unfortunately, did not achieve a lasting bond, for the people of Israel went astray even after the building of the Second Temple, and we were cast into an exile whose end we do not know. Accordingly, the plea here is: "Restore us" - that all of Klal Yisrael should return to the Land; "and shine Your countenance, that we may be saved" - that the enemies presently standing against us, Sanballat and Toviyah and their cohorts, will not succeed, and that You will cause them to stumble.
"How Long Will You Fume Against the Prayer of Your People?"
יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהִים צְבָאוֹת עַד־מָתַי עָשַׁנְתָּ בִּתְפִלַּת עַמֶּךָ׃ - Hashem, God of Hosts, how long will You fume against the prayer of Your people?
Radak notes that a construct word is missing here, that is, a connecting word. For "Elohim Tzeva'ot" does not easily settle - how does "hosts" attach directly to "Elohim"? Yet if we understand it as "Hashem Elohim, the God of Hosts" - the matter is readily understood. Although "Tzeva'ot" is one of the holy names of the Holy One, blessed be He, here the meaning is as Chazal taught: Why is He called Tzeva'ot? Because all hosts are His. And this does not refer to earthly armies, but to the heavenly hosts, which are the true hosts.
And what is the meaning of ashanta ("You fumed")? The Malbim explains that it denotes burning wrath, as in "for then the wrath of Hashem will smoke" (Devarim 29:19). In other words: How long, Master of the Universe, will we pray to You, with our prayer ascending before You, while You remain in burning wrath toward us and do not accept it?
Midrash Shocher Tov offers a beautiful explanation: What does a person do when smoke gets in his face? He immediately closes his eyes and conceals his face - as seen with people targeted by smoke bombs, where the smoke stings the eyes and face. This is the meaning of "How long will You fume (ashanta) against the prayer of Your people": You hide Your face from us like a person shielding his face from smoke; as it were, our prayers are before You like smoke from which You turn Your face away. It is a poetic metaphor for the rejection of prayer.
In Summary:
Psalm 80 is a prayer of exile. According to Rashi, "shoshannim" refers to Israel, while according to the Metzudot and Radak, it refers to a musical instrument or melody, as is typical of the superscriptions of the psalms. The Malbim places it in the era of Ezra and Nechemiah, when a small remnant returned from Babylon, impoverished and persecuted by the adversaries of Judah, and it asks for three things - deliverance from oppressors, the expansion of borders and sustenance, and the ingathering of the dispersed - with the plea repeated at the end of each section: "God, restore us; shine Your countenance, that we may be saved." The opening recalls three titles from ancient times: Shepherd of Israel, Leader of Joseph like a flock, Enthroned upon the cherubim - and asks that the Shechinah appear as of old. "Arouse Your might" is not a plea for strict judgment upon us, but for might against our enemies; and "come to our salvation" - it is fitting for You to save, whether we are worthy or guilty, by virtue of the oath to the Patriarchs. "Shine Your countenance" is a plea to emerge from the concealment of the face into the shining of the face, in which all abundance and salvation reside; and "How long will You fume against the prayer of Your people?" is the generational cry over prayer that remains unanswered - until Hashem shines His countenance and we are saved.