Psalms 85

King James Version (KJV) · English

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 toward us to cease. 5 Wilt 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. 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 Yea, 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.

Commentary — not Bible text

Psalms 85:1

PSALM 85

Psa 85:1-13. On the ground of former mercies, the Psalmist prays for renewed blessings, and, confidently expecting them, rejoices.

1. captivity--not necessarily the Babylonian, but any great evil (Psa 14:7).

Psalms 85:4-7

4-7. having still occasion for the anger which is deprecated.

Psalms 85:8

8. He is confident God will favor His penitent people (Psa 51:17; 80:18).

saints--as in Psa 4:3, the "godly."

Psalms 85:9

9. They are here termed "them that fear him"; and grace produces glory (Psa 84:11).

Psalms 85:10

10. God's promises of "mercy" will be verified by His "truth" (compare Psa 25:10; 40:10); and the "work of righteousness" in His holy government shall be "peace" (Is 32:17). There is an implied contrast with a dispensation under which God's truth sustains His threatened wrath, and His righteousness inflicts misery on the wicked.

Psalms 85:11

11. Earth and heaven shall abound with the blessings of this government;

Psalms 85:12-13

12-13. and, under this, the deserted land shall be productive, and men be "set," or guided in God's holy ways. Doubtless, in this description of God's returning favor, the writer had in view that more glorious period, when Christ shall establish His government on God's reconciled justice and abounding mercy.

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