Psalms 80:12

Psalms 80:12 asks, Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?  Asaph asked why God had broken down His protective hedge from around Israel.  He should have known the reason, and that was because of the rebellion of the people of Israel against God's laws.  If we feel that we have lost God's protection, we need to see if we have become rebellious to His laws and His will for our life.  Verse thirteen says, The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.  Asaph said the vine of Israel as they had been referred to was being destroyed by the boar and the wild beast.  The people of Israel were being attacked by more than one group.  If we lose God's protective hand today, we may be attacked by more than one group of people who oppose Him, which is why it is so important that we as followers of Christ remain faithful to Him.  Verse fourteen adds, Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;  The psalmist asked for God to look down from heaven and behold and visit the vine of Israel. We know that God never leaves His people, even if they fail to live up to their part of the covenant, but we may have to at times call on Him to help us out of a bad situation that we have gotten our self into.  Verse fifteen continues, And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.  Asaph gave God credit for building the vineyard, the nation of Israel, and we must give God the credit for our salvation today.  It can come from nowhere else.  Verse sixteen concludes, It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.  Asaph said the nation of Israel was in very bad shape, but God already knew this and it was because of their rebellion against Him that they were in this condition.  Verse seventeen states, Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.  Though this could apply to God restoring an earthly king to power in Israel, we know that it ultimately refers to Jesus Christ, the One Who God made the source of salvation forever.  Verse eighteen adds, So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.  God does quicken us, or make us spiritually alive, if we put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse nineteen continues, Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.  If we are to be saved, we must turn to God through faith in Jesus Christ.