Psalms · Chapter 85

V. 1. Captivity-The captives.

Verse 1. Lord, thou hast been favourable] Literally, Thou hast been well pleased with thy land.

Thou hast brought back the captivity] This seems to fix the time of the Psalm to be after the return of the Jews from Babylon.

Verses 1-3. Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land — That is, unto thy people, in removing the sad effects of thy displeasure. Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob — The captives, as that word is used Psalm 14:7, and 68:18, and elsewhere. Thou hast covered all their sin — So as not to impute it to them, or to continue the punishment which thou didst inflict upon them for it. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath — Those calamities which were the effects of thy just wrath conceived against us.

Verse 1. Brought back the captivity of Jacob. Part of this psalm at least appears to have been composed after the return from captivity, or it may have been adapted to that happy occasion, when the Lord revived the broken heart of his people.

1. Thou hast been favourable unto thy land—The first three verses are an acknowledgment of national restoration. The six verbs in those verses are in the past tense, but it is the recent past. “Favourable,” here, is generic, the particulars follow. “Thy land” refers to Leviticus 25:23, “The land is mine;” hence no title in fee simple could be given from one to another. Brought back the captivity—Turned the captivity; brought back the captives, a description which could apply only to the restoration under Zerubbabel. Ezra 1:2-4. It does not necessarily imply that the exiles had already reached their own land but that they were set free by Cyrus. Probably, however, the first colony had already reached Palestine. Ezra 2:1, 64.

Verse 2. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity] ˆw[ tacn nasatha avon, Thou hast borne, or carried away, the iniquity. An allusion to the ceremony of the scapegoat.

Thou hast covered all their sin.] As thou hast freely forgiven it, its offensiveness and abominable nature no longer appear. The whole is put out of sight; and, as we are restored from our captivity, the consequences no longer appear.

Selah.] This is true. Our return to our own land is the full proof.

Verses 1-3. Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land — That is, unto thy people, in removing the sad effects of thy displeasure. Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob — The captives, as that word is used Psalm 14:7, and 68:18, and elsewhere. Thou hast covered all their sin — So as not to impute it to them, or to continue the punishment which thou didst inflict upon them for it. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath — Those calamities which were the effects of thy just wrath conceived against us.

Ver. 2. Thou hast forgiven, or borne away the iniquity of thy people, as the ancient scapegoat carried away iniquity to the desert. Leviticus 16:20.

2. Forgiven the iniquity… covered all their sin—Strong expressions. “Forgiven,”—literally, is borne away—where sin is conceived as a burden of the conscience, and the bearing it away an expiation. Isaiah 53:4, 12. The figure is based upon Leviticus 16:22. Covered—A Levitical term signifying to atone, expiate; for when God covers sin he cancels it. This view presents sin in its legal answerableness.

Verse 3. Thou hast taken away] tpsa asaphta, “Thou hast gathered up all thy wrath.” This carries on the metaphor in the second verse: “Thou hast collected all thy wrath, and carried it away with all our iniquities.”

Verses 1-3. Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land — That is, unto thy people, in removing the sad effects of thy displeasure. Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob — The captives, as that word is used Psalm 14:7, and 68:18, and elsewhere. Thou hast covered all their sin — So as not to impute it to them, or to continue the punishment which thou didst inflict upon them for it. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath — Those calamities which were the effects of thy just wrath conceived against us.

3. Taken away all thy wrath—Thou hast gathered in all thy wrath. It was an emanation from God, and, having accomplished its end, it is now recalled.

V. 4. Turn us-Restore us to our former tranquillity, and free us from the troubles which we yet groan under.

Verse 4. Turn us, O God of our salvation] Thou hast turned our captivity; now convert our souls. And they find a reason for their prayer in an attribute of their God; the God of their salvation. And as his work was to save, they beg that his anger towards them might cease. The Israelites were not restored from their captivity all at once. A few returned with Zerubbabel; some more with Ezra and Nehemiah; but a great number still remained in Babylonia, Media, Assyria, Egypt, and other parts. The request of the psalmist is, to have a complete restoration of all the Israelites from all places of their dispersion.

Verse 4. Turn us, O God of our salvation — That is, either, 1st, Convert us. As thou hast brought back our bodies to thy land, so bring back our hearts to thyself, from whom many of them are to this day alienated. Or rather, restore us to our former tranquillity, and free us from the troubles which we yet groan under from our malicious neighbours and enemies. And cause thine anger toward us to cease — He prudently endeavours to get the root and cause of their continued miseries removed, namely, God’s anger procured by their sins.

4. Turn us—Lead us back. The spiritual sense of convert is implied, of which the literal restoration was a symbol. Having confessed the favour of God to his land, the psalmist also confesses (verses 4-7) the utter inability of the nation to re-collect itself, and revive its polity, without the specific leadership of God. The natural shrinking of the human heart from great trials discovers itself in these plaintive outcries, like “Lord, save us: we perish,” (Matthew 8:25;) but faith resumes her sway, (verse 8,) and serenely conducts us to the close.

Verse 5. Wilt thou draw out thine anger] We have already suffered much and long; our fathers have suffered, and we have succeeded to their distresses. Draw not out thy anger against us from generation to generation.

5. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever—The obstacles to the return of the exiled Israelites appeared insurmountable. So the joy of the passage of the Red Sea was soon damped by the discouragements of Marah and Rephidim. Exodus 15:23; 17:1. It was over twenty years after the edict of liberation by Cyrus before the temple was built, and nearly one hundred years before Jerusalem was much populated and the city walls restored. See on Psalm 87. Thus human selfishness and unbelief retard the work of God! On “forever,” see note on Psalm 33:11.

V. 6. Revive us-Give us a second reviving in bringing home the rest of our brethren, and in restraining our enemies.

Verse 6. Wilt thou not revive us] We have long had the sentence of death in ourselves; and have feared an utter extinction. Shall not our nation yet live before thee? Shall we not become once more numerous, pious, and powerful, that

Thy people may rejoice in thee?] As the Source of all our mercies; and give thee the glory due to thy name?

Verse 6. Wilt thou not revive us again? — Thou hast once revived us in bringing us out of captivity; give us a second reviving, in bringing home the rest of our brethren, and in rebuking and restraining the remainder of our enemies’ wrath. Revive us with encouraging and comfortable words spoken to us, revive us with gracious and desired deliverances wrought for us. That thy people may rejoice in thee — Quicken and give them life, that they may have joy: and that their joy, being derived from thee, may terminate in thee. “If God,” says Henry, “be the fountain of all our mercies, he must be the centre of all our joys.”

6. Wilt thou not revive us—Wilt thou not turn and quicken us, or, preserve us alive? See the same prayer offered by the prophet Habakkuk (Habakkuk 3:2) when he foresaw this sad condition of Israel.

Verse 7. Show us thy mercy] Blot out all our sins. And grant us thy salvation.] Give us such a complete deliverance as is worthy of thy majesty and mercy to bestow!

V. 8. Will hear-Diligently observe. Will speak-What answer God will give to my prayers. Peace-He will give an answer of peace. Saints-Not to all that are called God’s people, but only to those who are truly such.

Verse 8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak] The psalmist goes as a prophet to consult the Lord; and, having made his request, waits an answer from the spirit of prophecy. He is satisfied that the answer will be gracious; and having received it he relates it to the people. He will speak peace] He will give prosperity to the people in general; and to his saints-his followers, in particular.

But let them not turn again to folly.] Let them not abuse the mercy of their God, by sinning any more against him.

Verse 8. I will hear — Diligently observe; what God the Lord will speak — Either by his prophets and other messengers, or by his providence, for that also hath a voice: I will hear what answer God will give to these my prayers. And the psalmist, by declaring what he would do, teaches all the Israelites what they ought to do; namely, attentively to hearken to the voice of God, in whatever way he should be pleased to speak to them, and to receive his gracious declarations and promises in faith and expectation, and his holy precepts and dispensations in obedience and submission: and especially that they should wait to know what answer God would return to their prayers. For he will speak peace unto his people — I am assured, from God’s gracious nature, and declared will and promises, that he will give an answer of peace to his people; and to his saints — Which clause seems to be added by way of explication and restriction, to show that this glorious privilege did not belong to all that were called God’s people, but only to those that were truly and really such, even to his saints or holy ones, or, as wydysj, chasidaiv, rather means, his kind, beneficent, and merciful ones, who to piety and holiness toward God, join justice and benevolence toward man, and while they truly love and serve God, love and serve their brother also. To these God will speak peace, for blessed are the merciful, they shall obtain mercy. But let them not turn again to folly — That is, to sin, which in Scripture is commonly called folly. This is added as a necessary caution; for it is on these terms, and no other, that peace is to be expected. To those, and those only, peace is spoken, who turn from sin; but if they return to it again, if they become wanton and secure, and relapse into their former wicked courses, they will provoke God to repent of his kindness to them, to inflict further and sorer judgments upon them here; and, if they still persist in disobedience and rebellion, to punish them more severely hereafter. Observe, reader, all sin is folly, but especially backsliding; it is egregious folly to turn to sin, after we had turned from it; to turn to it, after God had forgiven it, delivered us from the power of it, and spoken peace to our consciences. God is for peace, but when he speaks thereof, such are for war.

8. I will hear—I will put myself in the attitude of attentive listening to what God Jehovah will speak in answer to my petitions. So Habakkuk 2:1. Compare “Praying… and watching thereunto;” Ephesians 6:18. For he will speak peace—He will “surely” answer, (verse 9,) and as surely give the thing I ask. Folly—A general term for dulness, stupidity, sluggishness; often, as here, with the added idea of perverseness, obduracy, impiety. The “folly” of Israel was in casting off the counsel of God, and turning to idols. Of idol worship they were now for ever cured by the terrible scourge of the captivity. The sense is, that God will not withdraw from his people if they do not first forsake him.

V. 9. His salvation-That compleat salvation for which all the Israel of God wait; even the redemption by the Messiah; of which not only Christian, but even Jewish writers understand this place; and to which the following passages properly belong. And the psalmist might well say this salvation was nigh, because the seventy weeks determined by Daniel were begun. Glory-The glorious presence of God, and the God of glory himself, even Christ, who is the brightness of his father’s glory.

Verse 9. Surely his salvation is nigh] To him who fears God, and trembles at his word, his salvation is nigh at hand.

That glory may dwell in our land.] That thy worship may be restored, the temple rebuilt, and the Divine shechinah, or symbol of the presence of God, resume its place. The pure and undefiled religion of God preached, professed, and experienced in a nation, is the glory of that land. The Prophet Haggai had said that the glory of the latter house-the temple built after their return from Babylon, should be greater than the glory of the former, viz., of that built by Solomon: but, as a building, it was far inferior to the former; yet it had a superior glory in being visited by Jesus Christ. This was the glory that excelled.

Verse 9. His salvation is nigh them that fear him — Namely, that complete salvation and deliverance for which all the Israel of God do pray and wait; even the redemption of Israel by the Messiah; of which not only Christian but Jewish writers understand this passage, and to which the following verses do most properly and perfectly belong. And the psalmist might well say of this salvation, that it was nigh, because the seventy weeks of years, the four hundred and ninety years, determined by Daniel for this work, Daniel 9:24, were now begun, this Psalm being written after Daniel’s time. In saying that it was nigh to them that fear him, he both excludes all hypocritical Israelites from this salvation, and tacitly assigns it to all that fear God, whether Jews or Gentiles. That glory may dwell in our land — That we may once again see glorious days in our land; may recover our ancient glory, the tokens of God’s presence with us, the most eminent of which we have now utterly lost: that the Lord of glory himself, even Christ, the brightness of his Father’s glory, Hebrews 1:3; John 1. i4, and the glory of his people Israel, may come and visibly dwell in this now despised land.

9. That glory may dwell in our land—The “glory,” here, is especially used in reference to the ark of the covenant, as formerly containing the holiest symbols of their religion, and the sign and pledge of Jehovah’s presence and favour. See 1 Samuel 4:21, 22; Leviticus 26:11-13.

V. 10. Kissed-That great work of redemption by Christ, shall clearly manifest God’s mercy in redeeming his people Israel, and in the conversion of the Gentiles; his truth in fulfilling that great promise of sending his son, his righteousness in punishing sin, on his son, and in conferring righteousness upon guilty and lost creatures; and his peace or reconciliation to sinners, and that peace of conscience which attends upon it.

Verse 10. Mercy and truth are met together] It would be more simple to translate the original,—

wvgpn tmaw dsj

wqvn ושלום qdx

Chesed veemeth niphgashu;

Tsedek veshalom nashaku,—

“Mercy and truth have met on the way

Righteousness and peace have embraced.”

This is a remarkable text, and much has been said on it: but there is a beauty in it which, I think, has not been noticed.

Mercy and peace are on one side; truth and righteousness on the other. Truth requires righteousness; mercy calls for peace.

They meet together on the way; one going to make inquisition for sin, the other to plead for reconciliation. Having met, their differences on certain considerations, not here particularly mentioned, are adjusted; and their mutual claims are blended together in one common interest; on which peace and righteousness immediately embrace. Thus, righteousness is given to truth, and peace is given to mercy.

Now, Where did these meet? In Christ Jesus.

When were they reconciled? When he poured out his life on Calvary.

Verse 10. Mercy and truth are met together, &c. — When that blessed time shall come, those virtues which now seem to be banished from human society shall be restored, and there shall be a happy union of mercy, or benignity, with truth, or veracity, and fidelity; of righteousness, or justice and equity, with peace, or peaceableness and concord. But the passage is rather to be understood of blessings from God, than of graces or virtues in man; of which blessings the whole context speaks. And then the sense is, that the great work of redemption and salvation by Christ shall clearly manifest and demonstrate God’s mercy in redeeming his people Israel, and in the calling and conversion of the Gentiles, his truth in fulfilling his promises, especially the great promise of the Messiah to come in the flesh, which was the foundation of all the other promises; his righteousness in punishing sin in the surety of sinners, of making his Son a sin-offering for us, and in conferring righteousness upon guilty and lost creatures; and his peace, or reconciliation, to penitent, believing sinners, and that peace of conscience which attends upon it. “Thus these four divine attributes, parted at the fall of Adam, met again at the birth of Christ. Mercy was ever inclined to serve man, and peace could not be his enemy; but truth exacted the performance of God’s threat, The soul that sinneth it shall die; and righteousness could not but give to every one his due. Jehovah must be true in all his ways, and righteous in all his works. Now there is no religion upon earth, except the Christian, which can satisfy the demands of all these claimants, and restore a union between them; which can show how God’s word can be true, and his work just, and the sinner, notwithstanding, find mercy and obtain peace. But a God incarnate reconciled all things in heaven and earth.” — Horne.

10. Mercy and truth are met together—The “mercy” of God can never operate apart from his “truth”—they are inseparable. See Psalm 25:10; 40:11; 61:7. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other—Their agreement and public manifestation have been simultaneous. “Peace,” which is the essence of the answer sought, (verse 8,) is now made to appear in its eternal union with “righteousness.” The harmony of the divine attributes in the moral government is thus declared. In moral government, and in redemption, “mercy” and “peace” can never be granted but upon the grounds of “truth” and “righteousness.” Men must abjure all sin, and aim to fulfil all righteousness by a holy life and obedient walk with God, if they would be approved of him. From verse 10, throughout, the psalmist unfolds the answer of his prayer as faith already receives it.

V. 11. Truth-Truth among men. Righteousness-And God’s justice shall be satisfied: he shall look down upon sinful men with a smiling countenance.

Verse 11. Truth shall spring out of the earth] In consequence of this wonderful reconciliation, the truth of God shall prevail among men. The seeds of it shall be so plentifully sown by the preaching of Christ and his apostles that true religion shall be diffused over the world. And righteousness shall look down from heaven.] And be delighted with the reformation of the sons of Adam; and shall be so satisfied with the glorious work which is carried forward, that,

Verse 11. Truth shall spring out of the earth — Either, 1st, Truth among men, which shall be as common among all men as if it sprung out of the earth. Or rather, 2d, The truth or faithfulness of God, which may be truly said to spring out of the earth, partly because it had long been as if it were hid, and buried like a root in a dry ground, without any hopes of a reviving; from whence, yet God made it to grow, as is signified Isaiah 53:2; and partly, because Christ, who is the truth, John 14:6, and a minister of the circumcision, (that is, of the circumcised, or of the Jews,) for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers, was born on the earth of a virgin. And righteousness looked down from heaven — Even God’s righteousness, or justice, which had been offended with men, shall then be satisfied, and shall, through Christ, look down upon sinful men with a reconciled and smiling countenance. “When Christ appeared in our nature,” says Dr. Horne, “this promise was fulfilled, and Truth sprung out of the earth. And now Righteousness, looking down from heaven, beheld in him every thing she required; an undefiled birth, a holy life, an innocent death; a spirit and mouth without guile, a soul and body without sin. She saw and was satisfied, and returned to earth. Thus all the four parties met again in perfect harmony; Truth ran to Mercy, and embraced her; Righteousness to Peace, and kissed her. And this could only happen at the birth of Jesus, in whom the tender mercy of our God visited us, and who is the Truth; who is made unto us Righteousness, and who is our Peace. Those that are thus joined, as attributes in Christ, ought not, as virtues, to be separated in a Christian, who may learn how to resemble his blessed Lord and Master, by observing that short, but complete rule of life, comprehended in the few following words: show mercy, and speak truth; do righteousness, and follow peace.”

Ver. 11. Truth shall spring out of the earth. We have a very remarkable comment here by the learned rabbi Jotten. “Truth shall not be born, but shall spring out of the earth, because the generation of the Messiah is not as with other creatures. He shall not be begotten with carnal coition: therefore no one has named his Father, who must be concealed till he himself shall declare him.” The same rabbi adds, “You have said we are orphans; such a one, saith the Lord, shall your Redeemer be, whom I will give you.”—See Dr. Lightfoot, vol. 2. fol. p. 385. Morney de Verit. Christ. Rel. cap. 28. This very remarkable comment claims the particular attention of christians as well as jews.

11. Truth shall spring out of the earth—The “truth” of God shall take root in the hearts of men, and come forth to perfection. Matthew 13:23; Mark 4:26-28. Righteousness shall look down—The parallelism running throughout this beautiful picture, supposes the earth— the hearts of men—responsive to the divine gifts. “Mercy,” “truth,” “righteousness,” and “peace” must all descend, primarily, from heaven, as the free gift of God, but they must reproduce themselves in the hearts of men, through repentance and faith, like good seed sprouting in the earth. The figure seems borrowed from Isaiah 14:8, which see.

Verse 12. The Lord shall give-good] bwch hattob, THE GOOD thing— what is the supreme good, the summum bonum, for which man has searched in vain through all his generations. Those who are reconciled to him through the Son of his love shall enjoy the favour of their God; to have which is the supreme happiness of man.

Our land shall yield her increase.] There shall be neither dearth nor barrenness; for truth, that springs out of the earth, shall yield an abundant harvest, in the conversion of all nations to the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Verses 12, 13. The Lord shall give us that which is good — That is, all that is good in itself, and good for us; all spiritual and temporal blessings. And our land shall yield her increase — The effects of the incarnation of Christ, the descent of the Spirit, and the publication of the gospel among men, are here, as frequently elsewhere, set forth in Scripture under images borrowed from that fruitfulness caused in the earth by the rain of heaven. Righteousness shall go before him — As his harbinger, or attendant. He shall work and fulfil all righteousness. He shall satisfy and glorify the righteousness of God, and shall advance the practice of righteousness and holiness among men. And shall set us in the way of his steps — That is, shall incline and enable us to walk in those righteous ways wherein he walked, and which he hath prescribed to us. “Draw us, blessed Jesus, and we will run after thee in the path of life; let thy mercy pardon us, thy truth enlighten us, thy righteousness direct us, to follow thee, O Lamb of God, whithersoever thou goest, through poverty, affliction, persecution, and death itself; that our portion may be for ever in thy kingdom of peace and love!” — Horne.

12. Give that which is good—An expressive term, comprehending all that is intrinsically excellent and opportune. Yield her increase—One of the greatest blessings to an over-burdened and poor population, always accepted as God’s special token of care. Psalm 67:6; Leviticus 26:4.

V. 13. Before him-As his harbinger. He shall fulfil all righteousness, he shall satisfy the righteousness of God, and shall advance righteousness and holiness among men. Set us-Shall cause us to walk in those righteous ways wherein he walketh.

Verse 13. Righteousness shall go before him] Perhaps this verse may receive its best solution from Romans 3:25: “Whom God hath set for a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his RIGHTEOUSNESS for the remission of sins that are past.” This term the apostle uses to point out God’s method of justifying or saving mankind. And this, in the preaching of the pure Gospel, is ever going before to point out the Lord Jesus, and the redemption that is in his blood. And thus going before him, the sinner, who feels his need of salvation, is Set—in the way of his steps; as Bartimeus sat by the way-side begging, by which way Jesus walked; and when he came where he was, heard his prayer, and restored him his sight. Or, righteousness—the pure and holy law of God, must be proclaimed as broken by sinners, and calling aloud for vengeance, before they can see and feel their need of Christ crucified. By the preaching of the law they are prepared to receive the grace of the Gospel.

Verses 12, 13. The Lord shall give us that which is good — That is, all that is good in itself, and good for us; all spiritual and temporal blessings. And our land shall yield her increase — The effects of the incarnation of Christ, the descent of the Spirit, and the publication of the gospel among men, are here, as frequently elsewhere, set forth in Scripture under images borrowed from that fruitfulness caused in the earth by the rain of heaven. Righteousness shall go before him — As his harbinger, or attendant. He shall work and fulfil all righteousness. He shall satisfy and glorify the righteousness of God, and shall advance the practice of righteousness and holiness among men. And shall set us in the way of his steps — That is, shall incline and enable us to walk in those righteous ways wherein he walked, and which he hath prescribed to us. “Draw us, blessed Jesus, and we will run after thee in the path of life; let thy mercy pardon us, thy truth enlighten us, thy righteousness direct us, to follow thee, O Lamb of God, whithersoever thou goest, through poverty, affliction, persecution, and death itself; that our portion may be for ever in thy kingdom of peace and love!” — Horne.

13. Righteousness shall go before him—That is, shall, as a herald, go before God. Psalm 89:14. And shall set us in the way of his steps— Literally, And shall set his feet to the way; that is, God shall set his feet to “the way” which his “righteousness” prepares, or in which, as a herald, it leads; and, by implication, if we would receive the blessings referred to in the previous verses, we must walk in the same steps. Thus we learn that there can be no individual or national peace and prosperity without the “truth” and “righteousness” of God being implanted and living in the hearts or men.