NOTES for Psa 85
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. |
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The Lord has already forgiven the people; He has already shown them mercy. Yet the psalmist anxiously asks: will His anger never cease? Apparently, it is difficult for a sinner who has realized the full gravity of his offenses to accept that the Lord is merciful; this does not easily fit into a mind accustomed to thinking in human categories. One who seeks justice understood in human terms often considers it impossible to show mercy; justice is then conceived as harsh and “well-deserved” retribution.
But it is not so with the Lord, for whom there is no impossibility in resolving the contradictions between truth and mercy. The person listens to the voice of the Most High, and He confirms that from now on the people may live in peace. He sets only one small condition: they must not fall into folly or return to sinful ways.
Humanity is still far from God, but His righteousness is already coming to earth, anticipating the triumph of His Kingdom in the world.
Other notes
For
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. |
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