Psalms 80:12

Why have you broken down its walls, so that all those who pass by the way pluck it?

World English Bible

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Other translations

WEBBE

Why have you broken down its walls, so that all those who pass by the way pluck it?

BSB

Why have You broken down its walls, so that all who pass by pick its fruit?

KJV

Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?

ASV

Why hast thou broken down its walls, So that all they that pass by the way do pluck it?

BBE

Why are its walls broken down by your hands, so that all who go by may take its fruit?

Original Hebrew

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לָמָּה la·mah (to) why H4100 פָּרַצְתָּ pa·ratz·ta have you broken down H6555 גְדֵרֶיהָ ge·de·rei·ha walls its H1447 וְאָרוּהָ ve·'a·ru·ha and they have plucked it H717 כָּל־ kol- all H3605 עֹבְרֵי oe·rei [those who] pass by of H5674 דָרֶךְ da·rekh [the] road H1870

The early church

Then what? "Wherefore have You thrown down her enclosure?" [Psalm 80:12]. Now ye see the overthrow of that nation of the Jews: already out of another Psalm you have heard, "with axe and hammer they have thrown her down." When could this have been done, except her enclosure had been thrown down. What is her enclosure? Her defence. For she bore herself proudly against her planter. The servants that were sent to her and demanded a recompense, the husbandmen they scourged, beat, slew: there came also the Only Son, they said, "This is the Heir; come, let us kill Him, and our own the inheritance will be:" they killed Him, and out of the vineyard they cast Him forth. When cast forth, He did more perfectly possess the place whence He was cast forth. For thus He threatens her through Isaiah, "I will throw down her enclosure." Wherefore? "For I looked that she should bring forth grapes, but she brought forth thorns." [Isaiah 5:2] I looked for fruit from thence, and I found sin. Why then do you ask, O Asaph, "Why have You thrown down her enclosure?" For do you not know why? I looked that she should do judgment, and she did iniquity. Must not her enclosure needs be thrown down? And there came the Gentiles when the enclosure was thrown down, the vineyard was assailed, and the kingdom of the Jews effaced. This at first he is lamenting, but not without hope. For of directing the heart he is now speaking, that is, for the "Assyrians," for "men directing," the Psalm is. "Wherefore have You thrown down her enclosure: and there pluck off her grapes all men passing along the way." What is "men passing along the way?" Men having dominion for a time.

Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Expositions on the Psalms

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 8–16

The church is represented as a vine and a vineyard. The root of this vine is Christ, the branches are believers. The church is like a vine, needing support, but spreading and fruitful. If a vine do not bring forth fruit, no tree is so worthless. And are not we planted as in a well-cultivated garden, with every means of being fruitful in works of righteousness? But the useless leaves of profession, and the empty boughs of notions and forms, abound far more than real piety. It was wasted and ruined. There was a good reason for this change in God's way toward them. And it is well or ill with us, according as we are under God's smiles or frowns. When we consider the state of the purest part of the visible church, we cannot wonder that it is visited with sharp corrections. They request that God would help the vine. Lord, it is formed by thyself, and for thyself, therefore it may, with humble confidence, be committed to thyself.

Read Matthew Henry on Psalm 80 →

Spurgeon · Verse 12

"Why hast thou then broken down her hedges?" Thou hast withdrawn protection from her after caring for her with all this care; wherefore is this, O Lord? A vine unprotected is exposed to every form of injury; none regard it, all prey upon it: such was Israel when given over to her enemies; such has the church full often been. "So that all they which pass by the way do pluck her." Her cruel neighbours have a pluck at her, and marauding bands, like roaming beasts, must needs pick at her. With God no enemy can harm us, without him none are so weak as to be unable to do us damage.

Read Spurgeon on Psalm 80 →

Cross-references

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.