View Psalms 85 in the note window.
A recital of past, and prayer for present mercy, ver. 1 - 7.
A prediction of a favourable answer, ver. 8 - 13.
To the chief musician, A psalm for the sons of Korah.
1: Captivity - The captives.
4: Turn us - Restore us to our former tranquillity, and free us from
the troubles which we yet groan under.
6: Revive us - Give us a second reviving in bringing home the rest of
our brethren, and in restraining our enemies.
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.
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.
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.
11: Truth - Truth among men. Righteousness - And God's justice
shall be satisfied: he shall look down upon sinful men with a
smiling countenance.
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.
