RELYING ON GOD'S MERCY

PSALM 85

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SCRIPTURE READING IN ENGLISH

1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.

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.

Introduction

A Christian writer said well that "Mercy is not for them that sin and fear not, but for them that fear and sin not." This is the understanding of the psalmist when he said in verse 9 "Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land."

(1) For Our Restoration (v 1-3 )

The fear of the living and true God is the healthy sign of a thriving Christian. The psalm begins with a description of God's restoration after a period of captivity. This perhaps allude to the times when Israel was banished from the land for 70 long years and finally decree of Cyrus, the king of Persia in 538B.C. was allowed to return to the Promised Land to rebuild their Temple and their spiritual and national life (v 1-3 ).

(2) For Our Revival (v 4-7 )

And the psalmist continues to plead for God to revive the people of God. They were a discouraged and frightened lot after years and generations of exile in a foreign land. They needed much encouragement!

The psalmist cited the anger of God upon His people. One writer said rightly, "The wrath of God is as pure as the holiness. When God is angry He is perfectly angry. When He is displeased there is every reason He should be. We tend to think of anger as sin; but sometimes it is sinful not to be angry. It is unthinkable that God would not be purely and perfectly angry with sin."

Is it not our sin that sent Jesus to the cross? Can there not be revival but beginning with me? Let our prayer be this "Lord, Revival the church - let it begin with me."

"Prayer is the backbone of revival…and God's method is pray without ceasing." Will He not show mercy when His mercy humble themselves before Him to seek for mercy?

The next verses tell us He certainly will.

(3) For Our Blessings (v 8-13 )

a.Of Peace (v 8 )

b. Of Salvation (v 9-11 )

c. Of Temporal Blessings (v 12 )

d. Of Sanctification (v 13 )

The psalmist pleaded for God to bless them again and he is confident that God will do so for them by citing 4 aspects that God can show His mercy to His people. By giving them peace in the heart, by saving them from their trouble, by showing them again with His temporal blessings and finally to speed them on in the path of walking according to His will in sanctification.