Psalm 85

Psalm 85

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.  

3 You withdrew all your wrath;

you turned from your hot anger. 

4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation,

and put away your indignation toward us! 

5 Will you be angry with us forever?

Will you prolong your anger to all generations? 

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. 

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. 

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.

This psalm was a prayer onto the Lord during a time the Jews were in crisis and it is an example of how we should pray during our own times of extreme difficulty.  

As we have seen in many of the Psalms that are prayers, real authentic prayers, are like a roller coaster ride! First steady climb, then woooooahhhhhh-(heart drop)-omgeeeeee-aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh, and finally cruising down to the end with that feeling of exhilaration and joy.  

This psalm is no different and divided into three parts. Verses 1-3 describe how God has restored his people in the past. Verses 4-7 is where they cry out for God to restore them, now, in their new crisis. Verses 8-13 is a message of assurance.  

I really loved the first four verses and the last four. So beautiful. Such wonderful words. A prayer full of proclamations.   But if I were to pick two verses, 10-11 are my winners and such description of what "one day in his courts" would feel like!!  

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.

Imagine trying to even draw out this imagery as an art piece or a diagram?  How deep the Father's love for us, right?

What verses struck you?   

My prayer is that you sit and take in this Psalm for what it is, what spoke to you, and how it mirrors your current week.