Psalms 80:4

Yahweh God of Armies, How long will you be angry against the prayer of your people?

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

LORD God of Armies, how long will you be angry against the prayer of your people?

BSB

O LORD God of Hosts, how long will Your anger smolder against the prayers of Your people?

KJV

O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?

ASV

O Jehovah God of hosts, How long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?

BBE

O Lord God of armies, how long will your wrath be burning against the rest of your people?

Original Hebrew

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The early church

"O Lord God of virtues, how long will You be angry with the prayer of Your servant?" [Psalm 80:4]. Now Your servant. You were angry at the prayer of Your enemy, will You still be angry with the prayer of Your servant? You have converted us, we know You, and will You still be angry with the prayer of Your servant? You will evidently be angry, in fact, as a father correcting, not as a judge condemning. In such manner evidently You will be angry, because it has been written, "My son, drawing near unto the service of God, stand thou in righteousness and in fear, and prepare your soul for temptation." [Sirach 2:1] Think not that now the wrath of God has passed away, because you have been converted. The wrath of God has passed away from you, but only so that it condemn not for everlasting. But He scourges, He spares not: because He scourges every son whom He receives. [Hebrews 12:6] If you refuse to be scourged, why do you desire to be received? He scourges every son whom He receives. He who did not spare even His only Son, scourges every one. But nevertheless, "How long will You be angry with the prayer of Your servant?" No longer your enemy: but, "You will be angry with the prayer of Your servant," how long?
Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Expositions on the Psalms

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 1–7

He that dwelleth upon the mercy-seat, is the good Shepherd of his people. But we can neither expect the comfort of his love, nor the protection of his arm, unless we partake of his converting grace. If he is really angry at the prayers of his people, it is because, although they pray, their ends are not right, or there is some secret sin indulged in them, or he will try their patience and perseverance in prayer. When God is displeased with his people, we must expect to see them in tears, and their enemies in triumph. There is no salvation but from God's favour; there is no conversion to God but by his own grace.

Read Matthew Henry on Psalm 80 →

Spurgeon · Verse 4

"O Lord God of Hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?" How long shall the smoke of thy wrath drown the smoking incense of our prayers? Prayer would fain enter thy holy place, but thy wrath battles with it, and prevents its entrance. That God should be angry with us when sinning seems natural enough, but that he should be angry even with our prayers is a bitter grief. With many a pang may the pleader ask, "How long?" Commander of all the hosts of thy creatures, able to save thy saints in their extremity, shall they for ever cry to thee in vain?

Read Spurgeon on Psalm 80 →

Cross-references

14

Topics

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