Psalm 85: Remembering God's Forgiveness and Seeking Revival

Remembering Past Forgiveness

• 💡 The psalm begins by recalling a time when God showed favor to the land and restored the fortunes of Jacob.
• 🔑 The psalmist remembers God forgiving the iniquity of his people and covering their sins, turning away from His wrath.
• 🎯 This remembrance serves as a foundation for the plea for present restoration, acknowledging past instances of God's forgiveness during times of unfaithfulness, such as the eras of Gideon, Moses, and Deborah.

Plea for Present Restoration

• 🙏 The people cry out, "Restore us again, God our Savior," asking God to end His displeasure.
• ⏳ They question if God's anger will last forever and plead for revival so that His people may rejoice in Him.
• 💖 A central request is for God to show His unfailing love and grant them salvation, understood as deliverance from present difficulties.

Listening to God's Promise

• 👂 The psalmist resolves to listen to what God the Lord will say, noting God's promise of peace to His people.
• ⚠️ However, this peace is contingent on His people not turning to folly, acknowledging that past unfaithfulness has occurred.
• 🌟 The hope is that God's salvation is near for those who fear Him, allowing His glory to dwell in their land once more.

The Convergence of Divine Attributes

• 🤝 The psalm beautifully describes how love and faithfulness meet together, and righteousness and peace kiss each other.
• 🌱 Faithfulness springs from the earth, while righteousness looks down from heaven, illustrating a divine harmony.
• 🏞️ The Lord will give what is good, and the land will yield its harvest, signifying God's provision when His people are right with Him.

Application and Reflection

• 🚶‍♂️ Righteousness goes before God and prepares the way for His steps, emphasizing that a right relationship with God is the essential first step.
• 🔄 The psalm encourages remembering God's past forgiveness and asking for it again, but warns against returning to folly.
• 🕊️ It highlights the concept of God's peace, which can either calm the storm or calm His people within the storm, fostering peace amidst circumstances.