Psalms 80:6 · Bible study
Psalms 80:6 Commentary: Why God Makes Us a Strife
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Exploring the psalmist's direct attribution of national humiliation to God, the term 'strife,' and the covenantal lament tradition.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The psalmist confesses that God has made Israel an object of contention and mockery among surrounding nations, attributing national humiliation directly to divine action.
- Key words: 'Strife' (contention, object of dispute); 'laugh among themselves' (scornful, self-satisfied mockery).
- Main debate: Whether 'strife' (Hebrew madon) should be emended to 'shaking of the head' (menod) for better parallelism, or taken as received.
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty in covenant discipline; God is both the cause of trouble and the only source of restoration.
- Best use: Teaching on biblical lament, the honesty of the Psalms, and the theology of suffering within covenant relationship.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
You make us contend with our neighbors; our enemies mock us.
WEB World English Bible 2000
You make us a source of contention to our neighbors. Our enemies laugh among themselves.
KJV King James Version 1769
Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbors; And our enemies laugh among themselves.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Thou makest us a strife to our neighbours, And our enemies mock at it.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Thou hast made us a strife unto our neighbours, and our enemies mock among themselves.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
He ordained it for a testimony in Joseph, when he came out of the land of Egypt: he heard a tongue which he knew not.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Pusístenos por contienda á nuestros vecinos: y nuestros enemigos se burlan entre sí.
Puseste-nos como a briga de nossos vizinhos, e nossos inimigos zombam de nós .
Tu les nourris d’ un pain de larmes.
Du setzest uns unsre Nachbarn zum Zank, und unsre Feinde spotten unser.
Gij spijst hen met tranenbrood, en drenkt hen met tranen uit een drieling.
Tu fai di noi un oggetto di contesa per i nostri vicini, e i nostri nemici ridon di noi fra loro.
Nakarmiłeś ich chlebem płaczu, i napoiłeś ich łzami miarą wielką.
Он установил это во свидетельство для Иосифа, когда он вышел из земли Египетской, где услышал звуки языка, которого не знал:
你使 鄰邦 因我們紛爭；我們的仇敵 彼此 戲笑。
You make us a cause of war among our neighbours; our haters are laughing at us among themselves.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the verse is a raw, communal lament in which Israel confesses that their national humiliation is not accidental but caused by God. The key term 'strife' (Hebrew madon) denotes an object of contention, surrounding nations quarrel over Israel's territory or spoils (Barnes, Keil & Delitzsch). The phrase 'laugh among themselves' points to the scornful, self-congratulatory mockery of enemies who see no divine rescue coming (Calvin, Gill). The Cambridge Bible notes a textual variant, but the received reading emphasizes divine causation: God Himself has made His people a source of strife. This fits the psalm's broader structure, where the refrain 'Turn us again, O God of hosts' pleads for restoration of the shining face of God, lost in the present wrath. The consensus across traditions is that the verse expresses the covenantal logic: if God is the Shepherd who leads Israel (v.1) and the Vintner who planted the vine (v.8), then their desolation must be His work, not mere historical accident.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Covenantal discipline view: God is sovereign over nations; He uses enemies to discipline His people (Deuteronomy 28; Psalm 44).
- Text-critical emendation view: Some scholars propose 'shaking of the head' instead of 'strife' to sharpen the parallel with scorn (Psalm 44:14; Cambridge Bible).
- Literal historical view: The verse describes a specific historical situation where surrounding nations literally quarreled over Israel's territory (Barnes, Calvin).
What is clear: The psalmist intentionally attributes the people's humiliation to God's direct action, framing it as a lament that turns God-ward in hope.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Attribution of suffering to God | All traditions agree the psalmist directly says 'You make us', God is the subject of the action. This is characteristic of the Asaph psalms (cf. Psalm 44, 79). | Some Reformed commentators (Calvin, Matthew Henry) emphasize that this confession fits within a covenantal framework where God disciplines His people. Others, like more recent evangelical readers, may be cautious about attributing suffering to God's action, preferring to see it as permitted rather than caused. |
| Meaning of 'strife' (madon) | The consensus is that Israel has become a source of contention among surrounding nations, they quarrel over Israel's land or spoils. | A textual debate exists (noted in Cambridge Bible): Lagarde proposed emending to 'shaking of the head' (a gesture of scorn), which would parallel Psalm 44:14. Most major translations retain 'strife,' but the LXX and Vulgate followed a different reading. Each reading has strong manuscript support. |
| Historical occasion | The psalm reflects a period of national disaster, likely exile or Assyrian invasion, where the northern tribes (Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin) were especially affected. | Calvin specified the ten tribes after Assyrian deportation. Others (Keil & Delitzsch, Matthew Henry) see it as applicable to all Israel, possibly during the Babylonian exile. The psalm's final verses (about the Son of Man) have led some to a messianic interpretation by early church fathers. |
| Theological place of enemies' mockery | The laughter of enemies is not just human cruelty; it challenges God's honor. The psalmist appeals to God's reputation among the nations. | Some traditions (e.g., Matthew Henry) see the enemies mockery as a motive for God to act for His own name's sake. Others (Barnes, Gill) stress the emotional pain of derision as a legitimate lament. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 80 belongs to the 'Asaph' collection, likely set during or after the fall of the northern kingdom (eighth century BC) or during the exile. The mention of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh (v.2) suggests a focus on the northern tribes, though the psalm later speaks of the whole vine brought out of Egypt. Calvin argued it was composed for the ten tribes after Assyrian devastation. The historical context is one of national collapse: enemies surround Israel, the land is plundered, the temple (if standing) is threatened, and God's face is hidden in anger (v.4). The neighbors here are Edomites, Moabites, Philistines, and other petty states that gleefully watch Israel's ruin (Psalm 79:4). The lament is covenantal: under the Sinai pact, national disaster was understood as divine judgment for unfaithfulness (Deuteronomy 28:25-37). But the psalmist does not focus on Israel's sin; rather, he presses God to remember His own honor and His ancient acts of salvation. The vine metaphor (vv.8-16) reinforces that God who planted can also break down the hedge. This background explains why the psalmist dares to say 'You make us a strife', it is God's prerogative under the covenant to discipline His people, but also His honor is at stake when the nations mock.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries note a textual variant in the first half of the verse. The Masoretic Text reads madon (strife, contention), but the Cambridge Bible mentions Lagarde's conjecture that the original may have been menod (shaking of the head), a gesture of scorn that would better parallel the second line and match Psalm 44:14. The Septuagint and Vulgate appear to support a different reading, followed by the Prayer Book Version ('laugh us to scorn'). However, the majority of Hebrew manuscripts and all major English translations (WEB, KJV, ASV, BSB, YLT) retain 'strife.' No significant variant is recorded for the second half of the verse.
Reception History
Psalm 80:6 has been read historically as a cry of God's people under oppression. In the early church, some fathers (e.g., Tertullian) saw the enemies' mockery as foreshadowing the taunts Christ endured. Calvin focused the psalm on the northern tribes' exile, interpreting the verse as a lesson in divine sovereignty: God's people can bring their very shame to Him. Matthew Henry used it pastorally, encouraging believers to pour out their complaints to God even when they feel He is the source of their trouble. Jewish tradition (Kimchi, as cited by Gill) noted that enemies laugh at God Himself, thinking Him unable to save. The verse appears in Christian liturgy of lament, especially in times of national crisis, giving language to communities who feel abandoned. The refrain that follows ('Turn us again…') ensures the verse is never read alone, it is part of a prayer that expects God to answer.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Pain of Divine Causation, The psalmist does not blame circumstances or enemies; he says 'You make us.' This forces believers to reckon with God’s sovereignty even in suffering. It is a confession that nothing happens outside His control.
- The Mockery of the Nations, Enemies laugh 'among themselves', not just at Israel, but at Israel’s God. The world sees a helpless people and assumes their God is powerless. This deepens the scandal of the cross: God's people suffer, and God appears absent.
- The Refrain as Anchor, The repeated plea 'Turn us again, cause Your face to shine' is the answer. The lament does not end in despair; it turns toward the only One who can restore. The very God who made them a strife is the only hope for reversing it.
Five-point outline
- Context: A community in collapse (vv.1-5). The Shepherd is silent, the prayer seems blocked by smoke.
- Verse 6: The scandal of neighbors’ contention and enemies’ laughter. No human explanation suffices; only God can explain why He hides His face.
- Divine sovereignty in covenant discipline: God is both the cause of their trouble and the only source of their rescue.
- The vine metaphor (vv.8-16): God planted, tended, and now breaks down the walls. The same hand wounds and heals.
- Appeal to God’s own interest: the man at His right hand, the Son of Man (v.17). The ultimate answer to national shame is the true Vine, Christ.
Illustration hooks
- Neighborhood dispute: A family becomes the talk of the street, everyone has an opinion, some mock. The family wonders if God has abandoned them. The psalm gives language for that raw feeling.
- Workplace humiliation: A believer fails publicly, and colleagues whisper behind backs. The sense of being God's 'strife' is not theological abstraction; it is lived shame.
- Church scandal: When a local congregation falls apart publicly, the world laughs. The lament teaches that such moments can drive the church back to the only One who can rebuild.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it okay to tell God that He is the cause of my suffering? Doesn't that sound blasphemous?
- When enemies mock our faith because of our struggles, how do we respond without bitterness?
- If God is sovereign, why does He allow His own people to become objects of ridicule?
Leading a Discussion
This verse may feel unsettling. The psalmist directly attributes national humiliation to God. In our culture, we often separate God from suffering, we say 'the devil did it' or 'bad luck.' But the psalmist owns a covenantal framework: if God is the Shepherd, then even the wilderness is His path. Use these questions to explore the tension between divine sovereignty and human pain.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 80:6 aloud. What immediate emotions does this verse stir in you? Anger, confusion, comfort?
- The phrase 'You make us' is repeated across the psalm (vv.5,6,12,13). Why is it important that the psalmist does not blame the enemies alone?
- What does 'a strife unto our neighbors' mean? How do the commentaries help us understand that Israel had become an object of contention?
- Compare Psalm 80:6 with Psalm 79:4 and Psalm 44:13-14. How do these similar verses help us understand the consistent lament tradition?
- The refrain 'Turn us again, cause Your face to shine' (vv.3,7,19) frames the pain. How does this repeated prayer shape how we read verse 6?
- If someone told you they felt God had 'made them a strife' to those around them, how would you respond biblically? What hope would you offer?
- How does the New Testament, specifically the suffering of Christ and the promise of the Spirit, address the kind of lament we find in this verse?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Judges 16:25 | When their hearts were merry, they said, “Call for Samson, that he may entertain us.” They called for Samson out of the prison; and he performed before them. They set him between the pillars; |
| Psalms 44:13 | You make us a reproach to our neighbors, a scoffing and a derision to those who are around us. |
| Psalms 44:14 | You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples. |
| Psalms 79:4 | We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scoffing and derision to those who are around us. |
| Isaiah 36:8 | Now therefore, please make a pledge to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. |
| Isaiah 36:12 | But Rabshakeh said, “Has my master sent me only to your master and to you, to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, who will eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?” |
| Isaiah 36:20 | Who are they among all the gods of these countries that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Yahweh should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’” |
| Isaiah 37:23 | Whom have you defied and blasphemed? Against whom have you exalted your voice and lifted up your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke observes that the neighboring peoples view Israel as a living mystery, seeing both God's extraordinary preservation and His severe judgment in one nation. This contradiction makes Israel a source of contention and a target for universal hatred, derision, and curses.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes explains that the psalmist's people became an occasion for their enemies to quarrel among themselves, each trying to outdo the other in bringing ruin and disgrace. The surrounding nations then joined in mocking, exulting together over the calamities they inflicted.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin reads this psalm as a sorrowful prayer composed specifically for the ten northern tribes of Israel, not for Judah. He points to the mention of Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh as evidence that the faithful are pleading for God to restore his favor to a kingdom now wasted by calamities, contrasting their present misery with the Church's earlier blessings.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible Schools notes a textual possibility: the word often translated as "strife" might instead be "shaking of the head," a scornful gesture. If correct, the complaint shifts from nations quarreling over Israel's land to them openly mocking her, which fits the context of contempt better.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note points out that God Himself has made Israel a source of contention among their neighbors, and that their enemies mock them privately among themselves. This emphasizes both divine agency in Israel’s humiliation and the scornful, inward laughter of their foes.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill offers two possible readings for each phrase. God either forces his people to fight for survival or hands them over so enemies quarrel over plunder. The enemies' laughter either mocks the people for having no divine help or mocks God himself as powerless to save.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
strife —object or cause of ( Isa 9:11 ). On last clause compare Psa 79:4 ; Eze 36:4 .
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch insists the image of God's nostrils smoking with anger is deliberately bold, not a figure to be softened. They reject the Syriac reading that would make the word mean "strong" instead of "smoke," arguing the Bible's own view of wrath justifies the forceful anthropomorphism. The smoke of anger veils God from the people's prayer.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry connects two images of God that seem separate: he is the Shepherd who leads Joseph like a flock, and also the one who dwells between the cherubim on the mercy-seat. For Henry, this means prayer is grounded in both God’s guiding care and the atonement that makes his throne a place of grace.