Today’s Lesson comes from Psalm 80:
1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock;
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh,
stir up your strength and come to help us.
3 Restore us, O God of hosts;
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
4 O Lord God of hosts,
how long will you be angered
despite the prayers of your people?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears;
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
6 You have made us the derision of our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts;
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
8 You have brought a vine out of Egypt;
you cast out the nations and planted it.
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9 You prepared the ground for it;
it took root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered by its shadow
and the towering cedar trees by its boughs.
11 You stretched out its tendrils to the Sea
and its branches to the River.
12 Why have you broken down its wall,
so that all who pass by pluck off its grapes?
13 The wild boar of the forest has ravaged it,
and the beasts of the field have grazed upon it.
14 Turn now, O God of hosts, look down from heaven;
behold and tend this vine;
preserve what your right hand has planted.
15 They burn it with fire like rubbish;
at the rebuke of your countenance let them perish.
16 Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand,
the son of man you have made so strong for yourself.
17 And so will we never turn away from you;
give us life, that we may call upon your Name.
18 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Today is Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor all those — living and dead — who have served our country in times of both war and peace. We give thanks and honor for their service and remember their sacrifices. America is greater for all its Veterans who have served their country and helped protect and defend its Constitution.
The Lesson this morning is a prayer for a nation. It is a psalm asking for God’s help and preservation in a time of trouble.
The nation is in an uproar. And the Psalmist prays fervently:
“Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.”
We, too, are in a time of uproar as a nation. We, too, pray to the Lord God of hosts for our salvation. The sacrifices made on behalf of our country and Constitution have been great. We pray now that they be not in vain, but in the psalmist’s words also ask God to:
“look down from heaven;
behold and tend this vine;
preserve what you right hand has planted.”
Lord, hear our prayer. Amen.
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