PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 85:1. This is a community lament. It occurs at a time when God has shown his displeasure over his people’s unfaithfulness, perhaps by withholding fruitfulness from the land (vv. Psalms 85:1, Psalms 85:12). The people singing this are seeking forgiveness for the whole peopl... [ Continue Reading ]
PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 85:4 The next section appeals to the compassion God has claimed and shown, asking him to RESTORE US AGAIN, that is, PUT AWAY YOUR INDIGNATION TOWARD US. For God to BE ANGRY WITH US FOREVER would be contrary to this revealed character. Therefore the people pray, SHOW US YOUR STEA... [ Continue Reading ]
PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 85:8 Now the members of the congregation declare their patience in watching for God to act on their prayer. The song has shifted from the plural “we” to the singular “I”: LET ME HEAR. Each member is thus making this pledge. There is confidence that God WILL SPEAK PEACE TO HIS PE... [ Continue Reading ]
PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 85:9 GLORY MAY DWELL IN OUR LAND. The “glory” is God’s special presence with his people (see note on 63:1–2); see Exodus 24:16 for the same expression. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 85:10 The psalm closes with confidence that God will hear their prayer and give them what they ask. STEADFAST LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS MEET, that is, in God they are in harmony. God’s RIGHTEOUSNESS here is his reliability in keeping his promises (especially to his people), and ther... [ Continue Reading ]