Get Lit - Week 23

“The Hallelujah Crescendo”                         Text: Psalm 80:14–19Theme: God restores His people when they return to Him.Big Idea: When we turn our hearts back to God, He turns His face back toward us; and what was dying begins to live again.1. RETURN to the Root (v. 14–16)2. REMEMBER the Son (v. 17)3. REVIVE the Relationship (v. 18–19)INTRODUCTION: “A Nation in Trouble”Before we get to verses 14–19, let’s remember what’s been happening in the first part of the psalm.Recap of Psalm 80:1–13:Israel is crying out to God.They remember when God used to shepherd them (v. 1) — guiding and protecting them.They remember when God planted them like a vine and blessed them (v. 8–11).But now, the walls are broken down (v. 12–13). The blessing is gone. The vine is trampled.They’re asking, “God, where are You? How did we get here?”The Psalms are a journey (as is the human experience) of highs and lows.From: "Blessed is the man" Psalm 1:1To: "Turn us again to yourself, O God" Psalm 80:7Arriving At: "Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!" Psalm 150:6BACKGROUND / TRANSITION: “The Broken Vine”Historically, Psalm 80 was written after the northern kingdom of Israel was destroyed by Assyria (around 722 B.C.). It took a long journey of exile (~700 mi) to make them realize 18 inches (head to heart) was the gap.It’s a national lament: a cry from a people who had been blessed, then broken because they turned from God.They had God’s favor, but they forgot God’s ways. They had God’s presence, but they stopped seeking His face.Now, the Psalmist (Asaph) is praying on behalf of the nation:“God, we’ve seen what happens when we drift. Please come back to us and help us come back to You.”That’s where verses 14–19 begin and it’s a powerful prayer for revival.