Psalms 85:2

Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah. THOU HAST FORGIVEN THE INIQUITY OF THY PEOPLE, THOU HAST COVERED ALL THEIR SIN. "Cover" [ kaacaah (H3680)] is the expression for "atone" - i:e., to hide out of God's view our sin by the reconciliation effected through the blood of Jesus (Psalms 32:1, note). The coats of skin used to cover Adam's nakedness after the fall, and provided by God, prefigures this atonement covering by Christ. They who will not have their sin covered by Messiah's blood shall in vain call to the mountains, "Cover us" (Hosea 10:8 - the same Hebrew verb;...

2_Thou hast taken away the iniquity of thy people. _It was very natural for the faithful to feel alarmed and perplexed on account of their sins, and therefore the prophet removes all ground for overwhelming apprehension, by showing them, that God, in delivering his people, had given an irrefragable proof of free forgiveness. He had before traced this deliverance to the mere good pleasure and free grace of God as its source; but after it was wrought, the iniquities of the people having separated between them and their God, and estranged them from him, it was necessary that the remedy of pardon should be brought to their aid. In saying that _their iniquities were taken away, _he does not refer to the faithful being reformed and purged from their sins, in other words, to that work by which God, sanctifying them by the Spirit of regeneration, actually removes sin from them. What he intended...

1-7 The sense of present afflictions should not do away the remembrance of former mercies. The favour of God is the fountain of happiness to nations, as well as to particular persons. When God forgives sin, he covers it; and when he covers the sin of his people, he covers it all. See what the pardon of sin is. In compassion to us, when Christ our Intercessor has stood before thee, thou hast turned away thine anger. When we are reconciled to God, then, and not till then, we may expect the comfort of his being reconciled to us. He shows mercy to those to whom he grants salvation; for salvation is of mere mercy. The Lord's people may expect sharp and tedious afflictions when they commit sin; but when they return to him with humble prayer, he will make them again to rejoice in him....

Verse Psalms 85:2. _THOU HAST FORGIVEN THE INIQUITY_] נשאת עון _nasatha avon,_ _Thou hast borne_, or _carried away, the iniquity_. An allusion to the ceremony of the _scapegoat_. _THOU HAST COVERED ALL THEIR SIN._] As thou hast freely _forgiven_ it, its offensiveness and abominable nature no longer _appear_. The whole is put _out of sight_; and, as we are restored from our captivity, the _consequences_ no longer _appear_. _SELAH._] This is true. Our return to our own land is the full proof....

THOU HAST FORGIVEN THE INIQUITY OF THY PEOPLE - That is, These calamities came upon them in consequence of their sins, and thou hast dealt with them as if those sins were forgiven. The fact that the tokens of his anger bad passed away, and that his judgments were withdrawn, seemed to prove that their sins had been forgiven. The same form of expression used here - with the same words in Hebrew - occurs in Psalms 32:5. See the notes at that passage. The language suggests the idea of an atonement. Literally, “Thou hast lifted up - or borne - the iniquity of thy people.” THOU HAST COVERED ALL THEIR SIN - So that it is hidden; and therefore thou dost treat them as if they were righteous, or as if there were no sin. The idea of covering is that expressed in the Hebrew word, which is commonly rendered “atonement” -...

EXPOSITION THIS is a psalm written after a signal display of God's mercy towards Israel, but when there was still much wanting to make the condition of the people altogether satisfactory. It consists of a thanksgiving for the deliverance vouchsafed (Psalms 85:1); a prayer for further and more complete restoration to favour (Psalms 85:4); and a joyful anticipation of the granting of the prayer, and of the bestowal on Israel, ultimately, of all temporal and spiritual blessings (Psalms 85:8). There are no such distinct and definite allusions in the psalm as to tie it down to any particular date; but, on the whole, it would seem to suit best either the time of Zerubbabel ...

THOU HAST FORGIVEN THE INIQUITY OF THY PEOPLE,.... Took it from them, and laid it on Christ, who has bore it, and took it away, so as it shall never return more to their destruction; and by the application of his blood it is taken away from their own consciences; for this denotes the manifestation and discovery of forgiveness to themselves; it is a branch of redemption, and is in consequence of it; and is a fruit of the free favour and good will of God through Christ; and it only belongs to the Lord's special people, the people he has taken into covenant with him, and for whose iniquity Christ was stricken: THOU HAST COVERED ALL THEIR SIN; this is but another phrase for forgiveness, see Psalms 32:1, and this is done by the blood and righteousness, and propitiatory sacrifice of Christ, the antitypical mercy seat, the covering of the law and its transgressions, and the people

Psalms 85:1. _LORD, thou host been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah._ Let us think of what God has done for his people. He has been very favorable to us in years past. He has lifted up the light of his countenance upon his chosen ones, and made them glad. «Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.» We were in captivity once, exiles far off from God and home; but he has led our captivity captive, and we are now in bondage no longer, blessed be his name! Note again what the psalmist says: «Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people.» What a joy that is! Forgiven sin is enough to make us sing to all eternity. If sin be pardoned, thou hast a mass of mercy in that fact too great for thee to estimate its value. «Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy peopl

Psalms 85 All Promised Blessings Realized _ 1. What grace has done (Psalms 85:1)_ 2. Prayer for the fulfilment (Psalms 85:4) 3. Righteousness and peace (Psalms 85:10) What will come to Israel when Christ returns to be their King is blessedly made known in the opening verses of this other Korah Psalm. Favour will rest upon the land; the captivity of Jacob is brought back, their iniquity is forgiven and their sin covered; His wrath is turned away. Hence they pray that all this may speedily be accomplished as it surely will in the days when heaven will send Him back. Then He will speak peace to His people and Hi

LXXXV. PRAYER FOR THE COMPLETION OF ISRAEL'S RESTORATION. The Ps. falls clearly into two halves. Psalms 85:1 is a prayer to God. It begins (Psalms 85:1) by commemorating God's mercy. He had restored His people (see on Psalms 14:7) and forgiven their sin, but the expectation of Jewish saints remained unfulfilled (Psalms 85:4). The reference may be to the hopes raised by the Second Isaiah (Isaiah 40-55). Israel did return under Cyrus (pp. 77f.), but the hopes of coming glory were disappointed. The second half, on the contrary (Psalms 85:8), is not a prayer