Still a source of contention.

Reading Psalm 80 this morning, I was struck by the statement addressed to God in verse 8, "You have made us a source of contention to our neighbors and our enemies mock." This was said by the Israelites some 2500 years ago, and it remains true today. Rarely has a people ever attracted such hostility over such a prolonged period, and perhaps never has a nation survived such hostility. It is interesting to note that the rescue the psalmist contemplated was for God to "let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself." Perhaps it was the king of Israel at the time that the psalmist was speaking of, though Christians would say that the son of man that God raised up for himself was (and is) Jesus. In any case, the Jews have not yet been overwhelmed, and perhaps will not be until God answers for them the final prayer of the psalm: "Restore us, O Lord Almighty; make your face shine upon us that we may be saved."