Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;
The verse is a plea for the God of hosts to turn back to His people, look down from heaven, take notice, and visit and care for them as a vine. The vine is Israel, brought out of Egypt and planted after driving out the heathen, tended and nourished by God, rooted until it filled the land and spread its boughs to the sea and its branches to the river. The vine became corrupt, turned from God, and rebelled despite His love and care, producing wild grapes instead of good fruit.
God kept working to save the vine and seek fruit from it by sending prophets to warn, by establishing the sacrificial system to point to the one great Sacrifice, and by a three-year ministry among the people, but Israel resisted grace and rejected its care, opportunities, privileges, and Redeemer. The golden vine at the temple entrance represented Israel as a prosperous vine, but its beauty could not hide the nation's coming ruin after rejecting its Redeemer. In the verse's distress the hedges are broken down, the vine is plucked by passersby, wasted and devoured by the boar and wild beast, burned with fire, cut down, and perishing under rebuke, meaning Judah laid open to strife among neighbors and to mockery and destruction by enemies such as Assyria.
The plea asks the God who dwells between the cherubim and leads Israel like a flock to behold the vineyard His right hand planted and the branch He made strong, to stir up strength, cause His face to shine, lay His hand on the man of His right hand, save, give life, and turn the people again so they will be saved, will not turn back, and will call on His name. It was offered in time of war and oppression by the chief men of Israel in the house of prayer on behalf of Judah when the honor of Jehovah was at stake, in harmony with the mind of God, seeking deliverance not only from distress but so that all kingdoms and peoples of earth may know that the Lord is God alone and reigns over heaven and earth. As a penitential prayer it expresses true penitence and sincere seeking for spiritual renewal and revival so that people may reach the holy ideal set before them, and it serves as a prayer for an individual to return to the Lord.
The verse is a plea for the God of hosts to turn back to His people, look down from heaven, take notice, and visit and care for them as a vine. The vine is Israel, brought out of Egypt and planted after driving out the heathen, tended and nourished by God, rooted until it filled the land and spread its boughs to the sea and its branches to the river. The vine became corrupt, turned from God, and rebelled despite His love and care, producing wild grapes instead of good fruit.
God kept working to save the vine and seek fruit from it by sending prophets to warn, by establishing the sacrificial system to point to the one great Sacrifice, and by a three-year ministry among the people, but Israel resisted grace and rejected its care, opportunities, privileges, and Redeemer. The golden vine at the temple entrance represented Israel as a prosperous vine, but its beauty could not hide the nation's coming ruin after rejecting its Redeemer. In the verse's distress the hedges are broken down, the vine is plucked by passersby, wasted and devoured by the boar and wild beast, burned with fire, cut down, and perishing under rebuke, meaning Judah laid open to strife among neighbors and to mockery and destruction by enemies such as Assyria.
The plea asks the God who dwells between the cherubim and leads Israel like a flock to behold the vineyard His right hand planted and the branch He made strong, to stir up strength, cause His face to shine, lay His hand on the man of His right hand, save, give life, and turn the people again so they will be saved, will not turn back, and will call on His name. It was offered in time of war and oppression by the chief men of Israel in the house of prayer on behalf of Judah when the honor of Jehovah was at stake, in harmony with the mind of God, seeking deliverance not only from distress but so that all kingdoms and peoples of earth may know that the Lord is God alone and reigns over heaven and earth. As a penitential prayer it expresses true penitence and sincere seeking for spiritual renewal and revival so that people may reach the holy ideal set before them, and it serves as a prayer for an individual to return to the Lord.