Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

Advent 1 - Year B

Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

To what do we need restoring? Or is is G*D that needs to be restored (come back)?

This relationship is a complicated one. Who's related to whom and in what way?

Rather than choosing a particular way to look at this, it will be helpful to hold the question open. It will be important to wait for the multiple ways of relating to reveal themselves.

If it is simply "restore us" or "come back to us", it is a bit too us-oriented, which limits the effectiveness, usefulness, or application of the psalm. If restoration is more object oriented than relation oriented, we lose its power.

Another way to look at restoration is to rephrase it:
     Restore us = Reveal our relationship

Now we can proceed together and get further without all these little substitutions for direct relationship.