Read Psalm 80.
My first, and very human, response to this psalm is "why has God abandoned Israel?", followed by "what did Israel do to deserve this?". We can tell from this psalm it is a written during a time after the exodus from Egypt and when Israel is now residing in the promised land. Knowing Israel, and how their actions often mirror our own lives, they have definitely made some mistakes and are likely deserving of God's anger. I often find myself, like Israel, lamenting on my current situation while also choosing not to dwell on how my actions may have contributed to the situation. I find this psalm incredibly relatable.
As the psalmist continues, he describes how God has removed his protection, and now Israel's neighbors have brought about hardship. Immediately my mind goes to our current culture, and how its influence attempts to ravage and burn our beliefs. Israel, which was meant to be the beacon of morality and draw in the nations, is instead having the opposite experience. How often I think about the absolute need for Christ in our world, with his teachings of love, grace, and hope; yet I am met with opposition claiming we are the ones who are intolerant and offensive. How easy it is to either allow this cultural mindset to influence my beliefs to become more in line with world's teachings, or to become angry with God for seemingly abandoning me in my time of need. But we know how it ends for Israel, and God did not abandon them, but instead brought forth a Savior as he said he always would. Just as Israel refers to itself as the vine in this psalm, John 15 expands upon this metaphor to state Christ is the vine, and we are his branches. While Israel as a vine was able to be destroyed, this vine, despite all opposition, can never be burned or cut down.
So what of Israel's response? In their time of need, they cry out to the Lord and promise to not turn their back on him again if he restores them. I do enjoy their argument throughout the psalm: why rescue the vine, plant it, cultivate it, and provide it sustenance if you will then later allow it to be overtaken? However, reading Israel's pledge to faithfulness at the end, it's hard not to be cynical and predict they will likely continue sinning. But as I stated, too often Israel's story mirrors our own, and despite our best efforts we will likely continue sinning. There is value in repentance, there is value in confession, there is value in recommitting oneself to God. But this response should not only come about during hardship, but should be a daily commitment to Christ. What the Israelites fail to recognize is what the writer of Ecclesiastes so beautifully states, we were created with eternity in our hearts. Despite toil and hardship, and despite pleasure and joy, there awaits something better. The Lord will restore Israel, he will restore us, and one day we will see the Lord's face shining upon us.
—Christine Luter