Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.
Psalm 85 belongs among the psalms of deliverance, linked to the return of the Jews from captivity in Babylon and giving voice to the returning exiles in their mingled joy, sorrow, and anxiety. If it was written before the captivity, its appeal for restoration is prophetic. The plea to turn and to cause anger to cease belongs to that setting of return and restoration after deliverance from Babylonian captivity.
It is addressed to God as the source and God of salvation, asking Him to turn His people back to Himself and to cause His anger and indignation toward them to cease. The prayer is based upon the goodness of God called to mind in the preceding verses. That goodness was His showing favor to the land, bringing back the captivity of Jacob and returning His people to the Holy Land, forgiving iniquity, covering all sin, and turning aside fierce and deserved wrath.
It asks God to finish His work because His people were still far from perfect. Among them were division, trouble, carelessness, and oppression, and slow progress with the long time in building the temple made it feel as if His anger would never cease. Within the psalm the plea leads on into further pleading not to be angry forever, to quicken the people again so they may rejoice, and to show mercy and grant salvation. Beyond its own time it looks forward to a glorious deliverance from all sin, in keeping with God's readiness to speak peace to His children when they turn from sin and rebellion.
Its promise gives encouragement and grounds for faith in a financial crisis in mission work. It is to be claimed by humbling oneself, confessing sin, renewing consecration, and trusting God to bring deliverance.
Psalm 85 belongs among the psalms of deliverance, linked to the return of the Jews from captivity in Babylon and giving voice to the returning exiles in their mingled joy, sorrow, and anxiety. If it was written before the captivity, its appeal for restoration is prophetic. The plea to turn and to cause anger to cease belongs to that setting of return and restoration after deliverance from Babylonian captivity.
It is addressed to God as the source and God of salvation, asking Him to turn His people back to Himself and to cause His anger and indignation toward them to cease. The prayer is based upon the goodness of God called to mind in the preceding verses. That goodness was His showing favor to the land, bringing back the captivity of Jacob and returning His people to the Holy Land, forgiving iniquity, covering all sin, and turning aside fierce and deserved wrath.
It asks God to finish His work because His people were still far from perfect. Among them were division, trouble, carelessness, and oppression, and slow progress with the long time in building the temple made it feel as if His anger would never cease. Within the psalm the plea leads on into further pleading not to be angry forever, to quicken the people again so they may rejoice, and to show mercy and grant salvation. Beyond its own time it looks forward to a glorious deliverance from all sin, in keeping with God's readiness to speak peace to His children when they turn from sin and rebellion.
Its promise gives encouragement and grounds for faith in a financial crisis in mission work. It is to be claimed by humbling oneself, confessing sin, renewing consecration, and trusting God to bring deliverance.