Psalms 85
Psalm 85, attributed to the Sons of Korah, stands as a profound communal lament and hymn of divine restoration. Historically, this psalm reflects a post-exilic environment or a period following a major national deliverance where God’s covenant people experienced physical return to their land, yet faced ongoing spiritual lethargy, hardship, and incomplete restoration. The psalm opens with a backward glance at God’s past faithfulness, celebrating the forgiveness of sin and the turning away of wrath. However, the present reality prompts the community to cry out for a fresh outpouring of life and revival, recognizing that physical return without spiritual awakening leaves the soul incomplete. The narrative shifts in verse 8 as the psalmist adopts the stance of a prophet or quiet watchman, listening intently for Yahweh’s response. What follows in verses 10–13 is one of the most stunning poetic portraits in all of Scripture, depicting divine attributes—mercy, truth, righteousness, and peace—meeting and kissing in complete harmony. Theologically, the psalm demonstrates that true restoration involves both human repentance and divine grace. While ancient Israel experienced partial fulfillments of this promise in their agricultural and spiritual renewals, the ultimate realization of Psalm 85 occurs in Jesus Christ, in whose cross and resurrection divine justice and perfect mercy converge, bringing true peace and eternal glory to the earth.
1. Remembrance of Past Mercy and Restoration
Psalms 85:1–3
1 LORD, you have been favorable to your land. You have restored the fortunes of Jacob. 2 You have forgiven the iniquity of your people. You have covered all their sin. Selah. 3 You have taken away all your wrath. You have turned from the fierceness of your anger.
Commentary
- Recalling Divine Favor to the Land: The psalm opens with an explicit acknowledgment of God’s past covenant faithfulness: 'LORD, you have been favorable to your land. You have restored the fortunes of Jacob.' The Hebrew term translated 'restored the fortunes' (*shuv shevut*) denotes a return from captivity or a reversal of misfortune. Remembering past acts of deliverance is a crucial biblical discipline that grounds present faith in the proven character of Yahweh.
- Forgiveness and the Covering of Sin: Verse 2 highlights the spiritual foundation of all true restoration: 'You have forgiven the iniquity of your people. You have covered all their sin.' The word for 'covered' (*kasah*) evokes the sacrificial atonement where sin is hidden from divine judgment. Forgiveness is presented not merely as an abstract release of debt, but as an act of intimate divine grace that removes the barrier between God and His covenant people.
- The Withdrawal of Divine Wrath: In verse 3, the psalmist notes that God took away His wrath and turned from the fierceness of His anger. In biblical theology, God's anger is not unbridled emotion, but His holy, settled opposition to human evil. The removal of wrath signifies that the covenant relationship has been restored to harmony through God's merciful initiative.
Insight: Remembering how God has forgiven us in the past provides the firm foundation needed to trust Him with our present struggles.
2. Prayer for Present Revival and Deliverance
Psalms 85:4–7
4 Turn us, God of our salvation, and cause your indignation toward us to cease. 5 Will you be angry with us forever? Will you draw out your anger to all generations? 6 Won’t you revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? 7 Show us your loving kindness, LORD. Grant us your salvation.
Commentary
- An Earnest Plea to Turn to God: Transitioning from past praise to present petition, verse 4 cries out: 'Turn us, God of our salvation, and cause your indignation toward us to cease.' The Hebrew verb *shuv* ('turn' or 'restore') is repeated throughout the psalm. The prayer acknowledges that true spiritual turning originates with God; humanity cannot revive itself without divine intervention.
- Lamenting Prolonged Suffering: Verses 5–6 express the heavy heart of a suffering community: 'Will you be angry with us forever?' The psalmist struggles with the apparent duration of trial, asking God if His anger will extend across generations. This raw honesty in prayer reflects a healthy, trusting relationship with God where believers bring their deepest distress directly to Him.
- The Cry for Spiritual Revival: The central request in verse 6 is vital: 'Won’t you revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?' Spiritual revival (*chayah*) implies bestowing new life upon that which is faint, stagnant, or dying. The ultimate purpose of revival is not mere relief from trial, but the restoration of holy joy in God Himself.
- Pleading for Covenant Loving Kindness: In verse 7, the petition asks for *chesed* ('loving kindness' or covenant mercy) and salvation. The community relies entirely upon God's loyal love rather than their own merits, acknowledging that salvation is a gift granted by the Lord.
Insight: True revival begins when God's people stop relying on self-sufficiency and earnestly pray for the Lord to restore their joy in Him.
3. Listening to the Voice of God's Promise
Psalms 85:8–9
8 I will hear what God, the LORD, will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, his saints; but let them not turn again to folly. 9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.
Commentary
- A Holy Pause to Hear God Speak: Verse 8 shifts from petition to expectant listening: 'I will hear what God, the LORD, will speak.' Having poured out his heart, the speaker pauses in faith. This discipline of attentive listening is essential in prayer, shifting the focus from human anxiety to divine promise.
- The Proclamation of Peace to His Saints: The psalmist asserts that Yahweh 'will speak peace (*shalom*) to his people, his saints.' Divine peace encompasses completeness, wholeness, and spiritual well-being. However, the verse includes a solemn warning: 'but let them not turn again to folly.' Divine peace demands a holy life; receiving God's grace must lead away from foolishness and sin.
- Nearness of Salvation and Divine Glory: Verse 9 declares that salvation is near to those who fear the Lord, 'that glory may dwell in our land.' Reverent fear of God opens the human heart to experience His saving presence. The phrase 'glory may dwell' recalls the tabernacle and temple where God's *shekinah* presence resided among His people.
Insight: God speaks peace to those who honor Him, but receiving His peace requires us to abandon foolish patterns of sin.
4. The Harmony of Righteousness, Truth, and Blessing
Psalms 85:10–13
10 Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 11 Truth springs out of the earth. Righteousness has looked down from heaven. 12 Yes, the LORD will give that which is good. Our land will yield its increase. 13 Righteousness goes before him, and prepares the way for his steps.
Commentary
- The Great Convergence of Divine Attributes: Verse 10 contains unmatched poetic beauty: 'Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.' In human experience, mercy and justice often seem opposed. Yet in God's redemptive plan, perfect mercy (*chesed*) and unwavering truth (*emet*) meet, while perfect righteousness (*tsedeq*) and lasting peace (*shalom*) embrace.
- Earthly Response and Heavenly Favor: Verse 11 paints a picture of creation in harmony with God: 'Truth springs out of the earth. Righteousness has looked down from heaven.' Truth grows up from human faithfulness responsive to God, while divine righteousness looks down from heaven like life-giving rain, establishing an unbreakable bond between heaven and earth.
- Material and Spiritual Fruitfulness: In verse 12, spiritual restoration translates into tangible community blessing: 'Yes, the LORD will give that which is good. Our land will yield its increase.' God's goodness brings both internal spiritual vitality and external provision for His people.
- Righteousness Preparing God's Path: The psalm concludes in verse 13 with righteousness going before Yahweh as a herald, preparing the way for His steps. Where God walks, righteousness leads, transforming the moral and spiritual landscape so that believers may walk safely in His tracks.
Insight: At the cross of Christ, God's perfect justice and boundless mercy meet in complete harmony, paving the way for our peace.
Theological Significance
- The Balance of Divine Justice and Mercy: Psalm 85 demonstrates that God does not compromise His holiness to show mercy, nor does He set aside His love to execute judgment. At the cross of Jesus Christ, divine righteousness punished sin while divine mercy provided the savior, bringing these attributes together in perfect unity.
- The Nature of Spiritual Revival: Revival is presented not as emotional excitement, but as a sovereign work of God renewing spiritual life, granting repentance, restoring holy joy, and turning believers away from moral folly.
- Covenant Faithfulness and Forgiveness: The psalm highlights that forgiveness is rooted in God's covenant love (*chesed*). Covering sin and turning away anger are initiatives of divine grace, allowing a restored relationship between God and His land.
- The Interconnection of Holiness and Peace: Biblical peace (*shalom*) cannot exist apart from righteousness. True peace is not simply the absence of conflict, but the presence of holy order established by God's truth and righteousness.
Major Themes
- Remembrance of past divine deliverance
- Plea for present revival and spiritual renewal
- The necessity of turning from folly
- Attentive listening to God's word
- The harmony of mercy, truth, righteousness, and peace
- Fruitfulness and divine provision
- God's glory dwelling among His people
Practical Applications
- Practice Active Remembrance in Times of Difficulty: When facing spiritual dryness or material trials, deliberately write down and reflect upon how God has previously forgiven and delivered you. Remembering past grace builds endurance for present struggles.
- Pray Consistently for Personal and Church Revival: Make spiritual awakening a central priority in your prayer life. Ask God to revive your heart, awaken lukewarm churches, and grant fresh joy in His presence rather than relying solely on human strategies.
- Cultivate Quiet Expectancy in Prayer: Set aside regular time to listen silently after praying. Open God's Word with an attentive spirit, ready to receive His peace and obey His instruction without returning to past habits of folly.
- Pursue Integrity in Work and Community Life: Because divine righteousness and peace belong together, believers must champion honesty, truth, and fair dealing in business, family, and public service, creating environments where God's glory can dwell.
Final Insight
Psalm 85 leads believers on a journey from historical gratitude to urgent petition, ultimately settling in serene hope. It reminds us that our present struggles are not the end of the story, for God's desire is to revive His people and flood their lives with His peace. As we listen expectantly to His voice and turn away from spiritual folly, we discover the reality of redemption: that in Christ, mercy and truth have met, and righteousness and peace have kissed. Walking in this truth brings true fruitfulness, spiritual joy, and the abiding presence of God's glory in our communities.
