The Vine Petitions The Husbandman

“Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.” (Ps 80:14-15 AV)

One again, the Psalmist is speaking of Israel.  Asaph, the sweet choir director of the temple, is musing on a time when the LORD had to restore Israel because Israel let herself be tarnished by the world.  During the time of David, this never happened.  Perhaps Asaph is looking back at the time of the Judges. Or, this Psalm may be prophetical.  Or probably both.  Asaph knows the nature of the human race in general, and the nature of Israel specifically.  They may not have been compromised in the time of David, but the time will come when they will.  At that time, the vineyard will be in a place of disrepair.  The vineyard will be weakened.  The vineyard will lack fruit.

One of my childhood friends had a garden.  It was a hobby of his.  Getting this bright idea that I wanted one too, I asked my Mother for permission.  So, receiving my parent’s blessing, the next April, I was out in the back yard with an adze, breaking up the soil.  Putting aside the good grass and replanting it, I got busy with tomatoes, peas, green beans, and corn.  I was really proud of it and faithfully watered that garden every day.  It was really cool watching the plants that I had set, sprout and grow into edible fare.  But then a funny thing happened.  The garden became less fun.  The plants seemed to reach their maturity and stall out. (They really didn’t, but to a twelve-year-old, that is how it seemed) Weeds began to be a nuisance.  Summer hit and watering every two or three days became watering every day.  In short, what started out as new, fun, and unique, became a chore.  The vineyard needed to be maintained, so to speak.  Its nature was wild.  It often (specially with tomato plants) sought its own way.  They had to be staked and tied lest the fruit rooted on the ground.

We are a wild vine.  As the husbandman, God must care for that which He has planted.  His individual people need to be pruned, watered, and fed.  We need to be protected against predators.  We need to be staked up and tied up so that we do not wilt under the weight of our responsibilities.  The request which speaks to my heart most tenderly is the request of Asaph to the LORD to look down.  My garden was right out the back door of the house.  I need not go outside to see it.  I could peer out the back window and look directly at the needs of that garden.  My bedroom window overlooked my garden.  I could glance out the window of my bedroom and note the most glaring needs of the crops that were planted.  God’s gaze is not obstructed.  He sees clearly the condition of His garden.  We merely need to ask and He will tend to our every spiritual need.