Psalms 85

Psalms 85:1-7

Interpretors are generally of opinion that this pfalm was proved after the return of the Jews out of their captivity in Babylon, when under diftrity, as in the days of Nehemiah, or under destiniah. We have here, 1. Their prayer, and plant from former farmers and present trouble, linking up to God for mercy and deliverance, ver. 1—7. 2. The pfalmift in faith expelts an enjour, and prophetically defcribes the favours God would before on them, as already present, ver. 8—13. ¶ To PC. alii. Tr. Or, of. Heb. Mich pleaded w.t. PC. xxvii. Ibid. Ixxx. 7. Ibid. Ixxx. 7. Heb. iii. v. ¶ To the chief musician, A psalm * for the sons of Korah.

1. LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. 2. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah. 3. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. 4. Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger towards us to earth. 5. Will thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? 6. Wilt thou not? revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? 7. Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.

Experience of past mercies gives encouragement under present distress. Thus the people of God here draw near to him.

1. They thankfully acknowledge his great goodness in time past, and this in many particulars, in his favour shewn them, which is the chief blessing and the spring of all the earth; in the restoration of them from captivity, v. 1. in the full and free forgiveness of their manifold transgressions, v. 2. and the blessed effects thereof, the removal of all that wrath and indignation they had so highly provoked, v. 3. Nate, (1.) Present distress must never obliterate the grateful memory of past mercies. (2.) What can so deservedly engage our thanks, as the deliverance wrought by Jesus for his people, from the captivity of sin and Satan? (3.) When God pardons, he does it fully as freely; the blood of Jesus sprinkled on the conscience recurs all sin. (4.) When guilt is removed, wrath ceases of course.

2. They cry for mercy and salvation under their present troubles. Turn us again, O God of our salvation: they had back-slidden, and suffered for their faithlessness, therefore they beg of God to turn them from their sins, that their sufferings may be removed, and plead the covenant of salvation, which still affords them grounds of hope: and cause thine anger towards us to earth, sin, the cause of it, being removed. Show us thy mercy, O Lord, how thy grace abounds beyond all our demerit, and grant us thy salvation; appear for our deliverance, and make us know that thou art able to save to the intermath. Nate, (1.) Though we may have been unfaithful, God is not inexorable; when we are led to cry, Turn us, he will return in mercy. (2.) No salvation can be hoped whilst we continue in our sins, and without desire to part from them. (3.) All a sinner can ever ask at God’s hands is mercy: unless he save freely, without respect to our desires, we are undone eternally.

3. They humbly expolulate on his displeasure now testified towards them. Wait thou be angry with us for ever? that we have deserved thy anger we own, but must perish if it be not removed. Wait thou drawn out thine anger to all generations? no; thou art, though our offended, yet our covenant God, and wilt not retain thine anger for ever towards the people of thy grace. Wait thou not revive us again with words of consolation, with the light of thy countenance, and the interposition of thy grace and providence, raising us from our state of languishing, through our backsliding, and from the sufferings under which we are oppressed; that thy people may rejoice in thee, experiencing thy love, power, and faithfulness, and ascribing to thee the entire glory of their salvation. Nate, (1.) Though God’s people provoke him to correct them, he will not be angry with them for ever. (2.) It is the fearful lot of the impenitent and damned sinner to endure God’s wrath to all generations. (3.) They who experience the power of restoring grace, will rejoice in God their Saviour, and speak, to his glory, of the wonders of his grace.

Heb. ii. v. Zech. ix. v. Pet. ii. v. Zech. ii. 5. John i. 14. Luke ii. 14. John i. 17. He. chs. 8. John i. 17. PC. heave. 6. Ibid. Ixviii. 6. Ibid. Ixxxix. 14.

8. I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. 9. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. 10. Mercy and truth are met together: righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 11. Truth shall spring out of the earth: and righteousness shall look down from heaven. 12. Yes, the LORD shall give that which is good: and our land shall yield her increase. 13. Righteousness shall go before him: and shall set us in the way of his steps.

Psalms 85:8-13

The Psalmist’s prayer quickly meets an answer of peace.

1. He waits in confidence of being heard and answered. I will hear what God the Lord will speak, patiently, composedly, and confidently expecting a reply to his petitions; for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints, they are his, separated for his blessed work and service, and designed for the eternal

enjoyment of himself; and however for a season here they may be afflicted, he will keep their souls in peace, while trusting upon him, in the midst of their troubles, and bring them at last to that eternal peace which passeth all understanding; but let them not return again unto folly, to sin, and backsliding, which must destroy their peace, and bring the courage upon them. Nate, (1.) They who pray, should expect an answer. (2.) When God hath spoken peace to our souls, let us be careful not to provoke him again, to withdraw it from us, through our folly.

2. He enlarges on the blessings that in faith he expects to receive, and seems particularly to have in view the coming of the glorious Messiah and his kingdoms, the great hope and happiness of Israel. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; his salvation, for from God alone cometh our help, and it is nigh, when we are most oppressed he is at hand, and those who fear him will never be forsaken by him in any of their distresses; and this may refer to the Lord Jesus, who is also, by faith, the believers of old behold approaching, and rejoiced in his salvation; that glory may dwell in our land, honourable as well as safe, under the divine protection, and most eminently glorious by the appearing of Immanuel, and the preaching of the everlasting gospel. Mercy, or grace, and truth are not together: righteousness and peace have kissed each other, so full of those good fruits is their land, and such harmony maintained among the Israel of God; or rather in the Redeemer’s person, grace and truth are met, John i. 14. 17. grace in the most transcendent manner shewn to perishing sinners, and God’s faithfulness to all his promises eminently manifested. The righteousness of God now fully revealed and magnified, and yet peace on earth, and good will to men restored, Luke xi. 14. The punishment of sin is exacted, yet the sinner saved, the justice of God awfully executed, and withal abounding grace extended to the fallen sons of Adam. Truth shall spring out of the earth, either the gospel-word, so universally spread abroad, as goals covers the earth watered with vernal showers; or the truth of divine grace springing up in the heart, through the enlightening and sanctifying influences of the Spirit of truth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven, the righteous God being well pleased with beholding the Redeemer executing his work of redemption, and regarding with delight all those who, wafted in his blood, and cheated in his righteousness, are now without spot or blemish. You, the Lord shall give that which is good, not merely temporal gifts, but the greater spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, of pardon, grace, and glory; and our land shall yield far incense, not only abundance of corn and wine and oil, but those fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of God; or the Saviour himself born on earth, the most blessed fruit it ever produced. Righteousness shall go before him, in perfect righteousness all his ways will be directed, or it may signify a righteous person, as John the Baptist, sent to prepare the way of the Lord; and shall set us in the way of his steps, pointing us to the Lamb of God, and teaching us to be followers of him in faithfulness and truth, that we may be led into the paths of everlasting peace.