Psalms 85

Psalm 85 is a communal lament and prayer that transitions from remembering God's past restoration of Israel to an urgent petition for present revival, ultimately culminating in a prophetic vision of covenantal harmony. It moves from historical deliverance to a plea for the cessation of divine anger and concludes with a confident anticipation of God's righteousness and peace meeting within the land.

• The Psalmist recalls God's past gracious intervention in restoring the fortunes of Jacob and covering the nation's iniquity.
• The petition shifts to the present, asking God, the source of salvation, to turn the people back and end the current season of divine indignation.
• The speaker resolves to listen for God's word, anticipating a message of peace for His people, provided they do not return to folly.
• The psalm concludes with a prophetic declaration that mercy, truth, righteousness, and peace will unite, resulting in blessing for the land.

• Jacob (H3290)
• Captivity (H7622)
• Selah (H5542)
• Righteousness (H6664/6666)
• Peace (H7965)
• The land (H776)

This psalm provides a model for the faithful during times when current hardship seems to contradict God's past covenantal promises, teaching that true restoration requires listening for God's voice and turning from folly.

God's people should anchor their present prayers for revival in the reality of His historical faithfulness, while trusting that His covenantal attributes—mercy, truth, righteousness, and peace—will ultimately reconcile.

The text moves from an act of historical remembrance to an urgent petition, concluding in a prophetic oracle of assurance that reconciles the tension between divine justice and human need.

• God will speak peace unto his people (v8)
• His salvation is nigh them that fear him (v9)
• The Lord shall give that which is good (v12)

• Let them not turn again to folly (v8)

• Do not turn again to folly (v8)

• The reference to the 'captivity of Jacob' (v1) strongly suggests a post-exilic context, likely during the period when the Jewish remnant had returned to the land but was facing lingering difficulties, economic hardship, or spiritual lethargy.

• The connection between the 'land' (H776) and 'increase' (v12) reflects the Ancient Near Eastern understanding that the fertility of the land was a barometer for the covenantal relationship between Yahweh and His people.

• This is one of the Korahite psalms found in Book 3 of the Psalter, which often deals with the longing for Zion, the presence of God, and the struggle of the people in the midst of national distress.

• The language of 'covering' sin (v2) links to the Day of Atonement theology, while the plea for God to 'turn' (v4) echoes the covenantal pattern in Deuteronomy 30:1-3 regarding repentance after exile.

• The meeting of 'righteousness and peace' (v10) serves as a prophetic foreshadowing often explored in the New Testament regarding the atonement of Christ, though the primary context remains the restoration of God's favor to Israel.

• שׁוּב [H7725, Hebrew]: Used to denote 'restoration' (v1) and 'returning' (v8), it carries the weight of a fundamental change in direction or state.
• חֵסֵד [H2617, Hebrew]: Often translated 'lovingkindness' or 'steadfast love', referring specifically to God's loyal covenantal commitment to His people.
• רָצָה [H7521, Hebrew]: Used in v1 to denote 'favorable', it implies a sense of satisfaction or acceptance, often used in sacrificial contexts where God is pleased.

• The term 'Selah' (H5542) in v2 serves as a musical pause, calling the reader to stop and meditate specifically on the completeness of God's forgiveness described in the previous phrase.
• Matthew Henry observes that the reconciliation of 'righteousness and peace' is a theological tension: he notes that while the law demands justice (righteousness), the Gospel reveals how God can remain righteous while providing peace to the sinner through the atonement, though he acknowledges this as a Christological reading of the text.

• There is ongoing scholarly debate regarding whether 'glory' (v9) refers specifically to the Shekinah glory returning to the post-exilic temple or an eschatological hope for God’s presence permanently dwelling in the land.
• Interpretations of verse 10 vary: some scholars view it as a description of an ideal state of national justice and prosperity, while others interpret it as a strictly redemptive-historical prophecy regarding the work of Christ.