Psalms 80:1

For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; ²  a psalm of Asaph. O shepherd of Israel, pay attention, you who lead Joseph like a flock of sheep! You who sit enthroned above the winged angels, ³  reveal your splendor! ⁴ 

Ex 25:20-22; De 33:2; 1Sa 4:4; 2Sa 6:2; 2Ki 19:15; Job 10:3; Ps 5:1; Ps 23:1,2; Ps 45:1; Ps 50:2; Ps 55:1; Ps 60:1; Ps 69:1; Ps 77:20; Ps 78:52; Ps 80:3,7,19; Ps 94:1; Ps 99:1; Isa 40:11; Isa 49:9,10; Isa 60:1; Isa 63:11; Eze 1:13; Eze 10:4; Eze 34:23; Eze 43:2; Da 9:17; Joh 10:3,4; Joh 10:14; Heb 13:20; 1Pe 2:25; 1Pe 5:4; Re 21:23

¹ sn Psalm 80. The psalmist laments Israel’s demise and asks the Lord to show favor toward his people, as he did in earlier times.

² tn The Hebrew expression shushan-eduth means “lily of the testimony.” It may refer to a particular music style or to a tune title. See the superscription to Ps 60.

³ sn Winged angels (Heb “cherubs”). Cherubs, as depicted in the OT, possess both human and animal (lion, ox, and eagle) characteristics (see Ezek 1:10; 10:14, 21; 41:18). They are pictured as winged creatures (Exod 25:20; 37:9; 1 Kgs 6:24-27; Ezek 10:8, 19) and serve as the very throne of God when the ark of the covenant is in view (Ps 99:1; see Num 7:89; 1 Sam 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2; 2 Kgs 19:15). The picture of the Lord seated on the cherubs suggests they might be used by him as a vehicle, a function they carry out in Ezek 1:22-28 (the “living creatures” mentioned here are identified as cherubs in Ezek 10:20). In Ps 18:10 the image of a cherub serves to personify the wind.

⁴ tn Heb “shine forth.”

sn Reveal your splendor. The psalmist may allude to Deut 33:2, where God “shines forth” from Sinai and comes to superintend Moses’ blessing of the tribes.