Lord, you were favorable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you covered all their sin. Selah
3 You withdrew all your wrath;
you turned from your hot anger.
4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
and put away your indignation toward us!
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
but let them not turn back to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
that glory may dwell in our land.
10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him
and make his footsteps a way. Psalm 85 ESV
A Psalm for the Sons of Korah.
Lord, You were favorable to Your land - This is the land promised to Abraham, and God had brought a people out of Egypt, who would not have found it on their own, for they were slaves in a foreign land. So many times along the way and even in the land they were in breech of the covenant, so and yet we still pray because of God's former mercies.
You restored the fortunes of Jacob - Jacob left the land a hated man, and the deceiver was deceived, but God chose to love Jacob beside himself, and return him to the land of his father.
You covered all their sin - Men can only cover up or at least try to, but fig leaves and self effort will never pay sins price. It is God alone, through Christ alone, by the power of the Holy Spirit alone.
…7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.… 1 John 1: 7-9
You withdrew all Your wrath - You have shown love and mercy, yet in all these things You remain Holy because of the covering of Your Son.
…35 The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.” John 3: 35-36
…4 Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God “will repay each one according to his deeds.”… Romans 2: 4-6
Restore us again, O God our salvation - I marvel at the prayers of godly men and women, for they ever continue in repentance. The things they beg forgiveness for have left me speechless. When an old soul cries to His Father in heaven, asking to remove his desire for the praise and approval of men, and what of it, I think. If that is your worse then why bother, but he is going for the root, and I am but a child, cutting the tops of the weeds. He cannot bear the thought of Christ brought down afresh, but on bended knees He lifts Him up again. O Lord, restore us, let us eat at Your table once more, hide not Your face from us.
Will You not revive us again - He is always the original cause, the Creator, the relationship maker and restorer. Revival must take place in the heart.
But let them not turn back to folly - There is nothing back there, yet the flesh would convince us otherwise. It would tell us of the riches of this dying world, and have us trade eternity for fading pleasures. The Spirit whispers, set aside the things you cannot keep for that which you can never lose.
…10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 12 “Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything.… 1 Corinthians 6: 10-12
And make His foot steps a way - Don't let me come only thus far, let me follow You every step of the way, let me finish the course to the glory of Your name.
20 How is it to your credit if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps: 22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.”… 1 Peter 2: 20-22
