Here we find a plea to the Lord from David on behalf of Israel; it’s also one for his own benefit. He didn’t say “now, Lord, take care of your vine.” He recognized that in him was a vine—his heart, soul, and mind. He realized how he needed a visit from God. The Lord did the planting and set up the vine. Things were not well for David; the vine was not in as good a shape as it should be. He needed a house-call from the Lord. There is a lesson for us to learn, a teaching to show us our need, and an answer to our problem.
Psalm 80: 8 “Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. 9 Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. 10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. 11 She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river. 12 Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? 13 The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it. 14 Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine.”
How much of God do we deliberately experience? We can’t help but be touched when our experience is deliberate. Do we consciously think about, submit to God, and consider each day if we are doing what God wants? Think how much you’re committed to your garden. You’ll show off the pretty tomatoes. It’s another thing to show off the blight or the weeds. We don’t do it. If we’ve let the deer take over, we don’t have a pretty garden.
God looks at our garden. He’s given us something wonderful. Verse 8 says God took his people from the barren, hot, and sandy soil of Egypt to fertile ground. Even today that area is called the Fertile Crescent. The area was promised to Abraham; it was fertile not fragile. We don’t have a fragile salvation. We’ve been planted in soil that won’t fail. We have the planted word. Other nations looked at Israel’s God and knew that even not seen He was taking care of them. They knew God had plans for them.
We were transplanted from sin into the grace of Jesus Christ. We have the promise of a better life, a better body, and a better future. Verses 9 and 10 say that God prepared and caused the vine to root. When we accepted the Lord we just began to live. We look at spring, summer, winter, and fall in a different light. Everyday is a blessing.
David woke up one morning and took a look at his garden. He noticed it was a mess; instead of working on it, he had let it go. We can do the same with our spiritual life. It’s the little things that will get us. Solomon said the little foxes spoil the grapes. Over time the little things we neglect will end up a catastrophe. As did David, we must realize it’s no one’s fault but ours. We have to stay on top of our spiritual life. Do we read God’s work like we used to? Do we pray like we used to? Do we attend church like we once did? God takes care of us all, but we have our own responsibility. God won’t do it for us. He can’t pray to himself for us. He won’t drag us to church. He won’t force us to read the Bible. How quickly we forget to pray. How quickly we forget to study. How quickly we forget right and wrong. If we neglect our own vine, if we let the hedges down, the devil will come in. If God is not on top, the devil will be. He’ll make a brush pile of our garden.
Regardless of the soil, not taking care of a garden becomes a mess. Imagine the mess your house would eventually be in if you never cleaned it. It adds up. David looked at the mess of his vine. The only thing he could do was ask the Lord to forgive him. He said, Lord, visit this vine.” Sometimes it gets past us. It appears okay, but it’s not. Without God we are bad gardeners. Verses 18-19 say “So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.”
How wonderful a visit would be. We can’t get it back on our own. We must learn from the mistakes. David said “turn us again.” We don’t know how to turn things around, but God does.
Maybe the prayer for the day should be Lord, visit this vine. What God did for David he can and will do for us.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 