Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Psalms 85
Psalms 85:4Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us!
This verse captures the central plea of the psalm, where the people cry out for God to renew them and end the feeling of distance between them.Psalms 85:8Let 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.
Here, the psalmist shifts from speaking to listening, expressing a confident hope that God's message will be one of peace and well-being for His people.Psalms 85:10Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.
This beautiful poetic image describes the ultimate goal of God's restoration: a world where His perfect qualities exist in complete and beautiful harmony.
Historical & Cultural Context
Remembering God's Past Deliverance
The psalm opens with the community looking back to a time of great deliverance, most likely their return from exile in Babylon. They remind themselves and God of His past actions: He was favorable to the land, He forgave their sin, and He turned His anger away. This act of remembering is the foundation of their faith, providing the confidence to approach God with their present needs. It is more than a history lesson.
A Desperate Plea for Present Revival
After reflecting on the past, the tone shifts to an urgent plea for the present. Despite being back in their homeland, the people feel that something is missing - the full experience of God's favor and joy. They cry out for God to 'revive' them again, recognizing that true life and happiness can only come from Him. Their prayer is a heartfelt admission that they need God to act once more to fully restore their community.
A Prayer for National Restoration
Psalm 85 is a communal song of prayer, likely sung by the Israelites after they had returned to Judah from their exile in Babylon. Although they were physically home, the nation was still struggling, and the full blessing of God felt distant. The psalm unfolds in three movements: a thankful remembrance of past mercy, an urgent plea for present help, and a confident vision of future glory.
Praise for Past Forgiveness (Psalms 85:1-3)
1 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.
Commentary:
The people recall God's past forgiveness and restoration as the basis for their current prayer.
A Plea for Present Revival (Psalms 85:4-7)
4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us!
5 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.
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.
Commentary:
The community pleads with God to restore them again and remove His anger so they can find their joy in Him.
Listening for God's Word of Peace (Psalms 85:8-9)
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.
Commentary:
The psalmist waits in faith, confident that God will speak peace and bring salvation to those who honor Him.
A Vision of Perfect Harmony (Psalms 85:10-13)
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.
Commentary:
A prophetic vision describes a future where God's love, faithfulness, righteousness, and peace are perfectly united on earth.
The Path from Forgiveness to Flourishing
God's Restorative Faithfulness
The psalm is built on the conviction that God is a restorer. The people look to His past actions of forgiveness and deliverance as concrete evidence that He can and will act again. This theme teaches that our hope for the future is securely anchored in God's unchanging, faithful character.
The Necessity of Revival
Psalm 85 voices the deep human need for spiritual renewal. It acknowledges that even after experiencing God's salvation, communities and individuals can drift into a state of spiritual dryness. Revival is presented as God's work of breathing new life into His people so they can once again experience the joy that comes only from Him.
The Harmony of God's Kingdom
The final verses paint a stunning picture of God's attributes working in perfect unity. Steadfast love and faithfulness are inseparable, and true peace is the direct result of righteousness. This vision reveals that God's ultimate goal is to create a world where His goodness and justice shape all of reality, rather than merely to forgive individuals.
Bringing God's Restoration into Our Lives
Psalm 85:1-3 shows that looking back at how God has carried you through past difficulties builds a foundation of trust for the present. When you feel overwhelmed, intentionally recall specific times God has provided, forgiven, or guided you. This practice strengthens your faith and gives you the confidence to ask for His help again, knowing He is the same God today as He was yesterday.
Receiving God's peace is a call to a changed life. It means making a conscious decision not to return to the old habits, attitudes, or sins that created distance between you and God. It's a commitment to walk in the new path He is making, empowered by the very grace that brought you forgiveness and peace in the first place.
This beautiful image teaches that true, lasting peace is the outcome of right relationships with God and others, rather than merely the absence of conflict. In your life, this means pursuing integrity, justice, and honesty, knowing these actions create an environment where genuine peace can flourish. It challenges you to be someone who not only desires peace but also actively builds the righteous foundations upon which it rests.
God's Promise of Complete Restoration
Psalm 85 models a timeless prayer that moves from gratitude for past deliverance to a heartfelt plea for present renewal. It teaches that our hope is grounded not in our circumstances, but in God's unchanging character of love and faithfulness. The ultimate message conveys great optimism: God's plan is to bring about a perfect harmony where His righteousness creates a lasting peace, reviving His people and all of creation.
What This Means for Us Today
This psalm is an invitation to participate in God's work of restoration. It calls us first to remember His faithfulness, then to honestly plead for revival in our own lives and communities. Finally, it invites us to live in confident expectation of the day when His love and justice will fully renew all things.
- In what area of your life do you need to pray, 'Will you not revive us again?'
- How can you actively pursue both righteousness and peace in your relationships this week?
- Who can you remind of God's past faithfulness to encourage them in a present struggle?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This psalm expresses a deep longing for God's presence in the temple, setting a tone of spiritual desire that Psalm 85 expands into a plea for national revival.
Following the community's prayer in Psalm 85, this chapter shifts to a personal plea for God's mercy, showing how corporate and individual prayer are related.
Connections Across Scripture
This chapter contains a similar prayer of national confession, where the people recount God's long history of faithfulness before asking for His mercy in their present distress.
This verse directly echoes the theme of Psalm 85:10, stating, 'The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.'
God makes a promise to Israel using similar relational terms, vowing to betroth them in righteousness, justice, love, and compassion.
Theological Connections
This verse shows the ultimate fulfillment of Psalm 85's hope, explaining that through faith in Jesus, we have peace with God because we have been made righteous.
Discussion Questions
- Psalm 85 begins by remembering God's past acts of forgiveness. What specific moments of God's faithfulness in your own life can you recall, and how does remembering them change your perspective on your current challenges?
- The psalmist waits to 'hear what God the Lord will speak' (v. 8), expecting a word of peace. In our noisy and busy lives, what practical steps can we take to quiet ourselves and listen for God's voice?
- The psalm envisions a world where 'righteousness and peace kiss each other' (v. 10). Where do you see a lack of this harmony in our society today, and how can we, as people of faith, be agents of both righteousness and peace?
Glossary
theological concepts
Steadfast Love (Hesed)
A foundational Hebrew term describing God's persistent, loyal, covenant-keeping love and unfailing mercy toward His people.
Righteousness (Tzedek)
A Hebrew concept referring to living in right relationship with God and others, which includes justice, integrity, and moral uprightness.
Peace (Shalom)
A rich Hebrew word that means far more than the absence of conflict; it signifies completeness, wholeness, and well-being in every area of life.