The psalmist laments that God’s vine, once flourishing, now lies exposed. Its walls are broken down, and others trample it.

Devotional  : There’s a striking contrast in Psalm 80. One moment the vine fills the land, stretching from the sea to the river. The next, its protective walls are broken down, and it lies vulnerable to wild animals and enemies. The same vine that once flourished is now ravaged.

Life can feel that way sometimes. Seasons of strength and flourishing give way to seasons of vulnerability and loss. Maybe it’s illness, grief, broken relationships, or spiritual dryness. We know what it feels like to have our walls broken down, to feel exposed and unprotected. The psalmist gives us permission to bring that pain to God, not hide it. He prays with raw honesty: “Why have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass by pick its grapes?”

That question still lingers in our prayers today. Why, God? Why this season? Why this loss? Why does it feel like everything You built is crumbling? The psalm doesn’t give easy answers, but it does model faithful response: lament. Crying out to God is itself an act of faith. It declares that even in brokenness, God is still the One we turn to.

Communion gives us the same language of lament and hope. The broken bread in our hands is a reminder of Christ’s body broken for us. The cup we share reminds us of His blood poured out. If ever there was a moment of walls coming down, it was the cross. Jesus Himself was trampled and pierced. And yet, that very brokenness became the means of restoration for the world.

So when our walls are down, we remember that God is not absent. He is present in brokenness, working even in vulnerability. The psalmist’s cry, “Restore us, O God Almighty,” is our cry, too. We may not have answers, but we do have hope. God can rebuild what is broken. He can protect again. He can bring life where there was ruin.

Where do you feel exposed today? Where are your walls thin? Don’t hide it. Bring it to God. The gardener who planted you has not abandoned you. And in Christ, brokenness is never the final word.

Action: Bring one place of brokenness in your life honestly before God in prayer today.

Prayer: Lord, You see the walls that have come down in my life. You know where I feel exposed and weak. Restore me. Protect me again. Remind me that You are present even in brokenness. Amen.

Thought for the Day: Brokenness is not abandonment. God still tends His vine.