For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm by Asaph.
1Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock,
you who sit above the cherubim, shine out.
2Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up your might!
Come to save us!
3Turn us again, God.
Cause your face to shine,
and we will be saved.
4Yahweh God of Armies,
how long will you be angry against the prayer of your people?
5You have fed them with the bread of tears,
and given them tears to drink in large measure.
6You make us a source of contention to our neighbors.
Our enemies laugh among themselves.
7Turn us again, God of Armies.
Cause your face to shine,
and we will be saved.
8You brought a vine out of Egypt.
You drove out the nations, and planted it.
9You cleared the ground for it.
It took deep root, and filled the land.
10The mountains were covered with its shadow.
Its boughs were like God’s cedars.
11It sent out its branches to the sea,
its shoots to the River.
12Why have you broken down its walls,
so that all those who pass by the way pluck it?
13The boar out of the wood ravages it.
The wild animals of the field feed on it.
14Turn again, we beg you, God of Armies.
Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vine,
15the stock which your right hand planted,
the branch that you made strong for yourself.
16It’s burned with fire.
It’s cut down.
They perish at your rebuke.
17Let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
on the son of man whom you made strong for yourself.
18So we will not turn away from you.
Revive us, and we will call on your name.
19Turn us again, Yahweh God of Armies.
Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.
Jacob was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, born immediately after Esau, and Abraham was his grandfather. He achieved the right of the firstborn by trickery, in offering his older brother, Esau, food in exchange for the birthright, who cared little for this position. He also received the blessing of firstborn from his father Jacob before his death by cunning, and with the assistance of his mother Rebekah.
After his deception of Esau, receiving the blessing from his father, Jacob escaped to his uncle Laban, who in turn deceived Jacob into working for fourteen years for the marriage of Jacob to Leah, and then his beloved Rachel. Laban also sought to deceive Jacob of wages, but God intervened to ensure he would prosper. In a time of trial, when he feared the wrath of Esau, upon returning to the land of Canaan, Jacob had an encounter with God, and his name was changed to Israel, the one who wrestles with God. Even though his early life was characterized by deception, God worked through the situation to ensure that Jacob would be the one in the line of the patriarchs, to create a great nation and ultimately fulfill His purposes in the earth, especially through the future Messiah. The Messiah would guarantee the promise of the land to Abram and a person who would rule over Abraham's descendants, but also He would bring blessings to all the people of the earth (Gen 12:1-3).
In spite of Jacob's early failure by deception, God worked through him, and finally, Jacob became a different type of man after his struggle with God. As one has said,
"Despite Jacob’s faults, God chose him to be the leader of a great nation that still bears his name today. But for this, it is unlikely that we would know much about Jacob, who appears to be in the middle of events while the key players are those around him. There is no great wisdom or bravery in Jacob to speak of, and we are tempted to see him as little more than God’s passive instrument. If we are tempted to think that, because we aren’t in the spotlight performing great acts for God, we are unimportant to Him, then we should consider the life of Jacob and know that, in spite of our failings, God can and will still use us in His plan."
For more on Jacob, see "Who was Jacob in the Bible?", https://www.gotquestions.org/life-Jacob.html