Commentary on Psalm 79 4th Sunday of Advent
graphic (c) Netta Ewing
Psalm 79 Commentary 4C: written and recorded by Dr Noel Donnelly
Psalm 79 is an urgent prayer by the people in the Jerusalem Temple for their neighbours in the Northern state of Israel who are under threat of invasion by Assyrian troops around 720 BCE.
From the psalm’s 20 verses our liturgy gives us three stanzas to sing by making a selection of a few verses. In doing so, the liturgists have kept the three dominant images of the song: God as Shepherd of Israel (the only time in the Bible that this title occurs); the image of Israel as a Vine, lovingly cared for by God until the present crisis has developed; and thirdly, the coming of a specially chosen Son of Man.
The singer addresses God as Shepherd “on his cherubim throne”. This was the throne of the Covenant Box with its two sphynx-like golden cherubim that were carved on the lid with their wings covering the sacred presence of God. That Ark or Box of the Covenant contained the presence of God in his written love-pact or Covenant. On its journey to be installed in the Temple this Box will eventually be parked by David for three months at Ein Karem, the village where Mary will stay (also for about 3 months) as she visits her cousin Elizabeth. This makes a link with today’s Gospel. The pregnant Mary is in a more wonderful way the “container” or Ark of God’s presence; she is the sacred covenant box containing the WORD made flesh in her womb.
Our second stanza is a prayer for God to revisit and restore the Northern Kingdom of Israel, symbolised by the Vine. Although lovingly cared for by God, that vine had ceased to bear fruit. Now it is about to be ravaged by the wild boar of the North. “Turn again, Lord, visit it and protect it”, we sing in stanza two.
Our third stanza the singer promises never to forsake God again and looks forward to a living saving presence, a chosen Son of Man. Psalm 79 is a heavily laden Psalm: Covenant Box Throne, Israel as Vine and a coming Son of Man!
As a bridge between the two readings, our song looks to the restoration of peace promised in Micah, when a child will be born from Bethlehem. Psalm 79 moves forward to the Gospel and to the pregnant Mary, the new Ark of the Covenant, being greeted by Elizabeth as “the mother of my Lord!”
This is a good psalm of preparation for Advent, as the Good Shepherd and the True Vine and the promised Son of Man come even nearer through Mary the new Ark of the Covenant. Maranatha! Come as Lord, Jesus!
Ps 79: words and music (c) Robin Sudlow. Recorded by Grace Buckley
Ps 79: words (c) The Grail, England. Music (c) Gerry Fitzpatrick. Recorded by Grace Buckley
