Psalm 85:4-7 NASB

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 85:5

Verse 5 5Wilt thou be wroth against us for ever? Here the godly bewail the long continuance of their afflictions, and derive an argument in prayer from the nature of God, as it is described in the law, — “The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin,” (Exodus 34:6,) — a truth which has also been brought under our notice in Psalms 30:5, “For his anger endureth but... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 85:6

Verse 6 The godly, still dwelling on the same theme, ask, in the 6th verse, whether God will not turn again and quicken them Being fully convinced of the truth of this principle, That the punishments with which God chastises his children are only temporary; they thereby encourage themselves in the confident expectation, that although he may be now justly displeased, and may have turned away his face from them, yet, when they implore his mercy, he will be entreated, and raising the dead to life... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 85:7

Verse 7 7.Show us thy mercy, O Jehovah! In these words there is the same contrast as in the preceding sentence. In supplicating that mercy may be extended to them, and deliverance granted them, they confess that they are deprived of all sense of both these blessings. Such having been the state of the saints in old time, let us learn, even when we are so oppressed with calamities as to be reduced to extremity, and on the brink of despair, to betake ourselves notwithstanding to God. Mercy is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 85:1-13

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 85:1-13

Temporal mercies of little avail without such as are spiritual. There had been great outward mercies (see Psalms 85:1-3 ). Probably the wonderful deliverance of Judah, Jerusalem, and Hezekiah from the threatened might of Assyria was the occasion of this burst of thanksgiving. But the psalmist—it may have been Isaiah himself—whilst grateful, indeed, for God's deliverance, as he well might be, was nevertheless sore distressed at the spiritual condition of his countrymen (see Isaiah's... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 85:3-5

Incomplete redemptions. While thankfully acknowledging all that God has done for his people, the psalmist clearly sees that it was but the "fierceness" of God's wrath from which he had turned, and that some of his wrath remained, seeing that the work of national recovery was incomplete, and heavy burdens still pressed on the people. Perowne recalls the circumstances of the exiles as Nehemiah found them. They were "in great affliction and reproach." "It was only in the midst of perpetual... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 85:4

Turn us, O God of our salvation. Thou art turned to us ( Psalms 85:1 ); let us also be turned to thee. We cannot turn of our own mere wish to turn; we need thy helping grace (comp. Psalms 80:3 , Psalms 80:7 , Psalms 80:19 ). And cause thine anger toward us to cease. Verbally, this contradicts Psalms 85:3 , whence it has been supposed by some to come from the mouth of another speaker. But really there is no contradiction, if we understand, both here and in the next verse, by... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 85:4-7

The prayer. Two things are prayed for—first, that God will turn the hearts of his people wholly towards himself ( Psalms 85:4 ); and secondly, that he will complete his work of deliverance by removing the traces, that still exist, of his past anger ( Psalms 85:5-7 ). Israel is still in a state of great distress and weakness, suffering from the natural consequences of its sins, which keep it depressed and sad. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 85:5

Wilt thou be angry with us forever? This is equivalent to "Wilt thou still go on punishing us?" Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? or, "from generation to generation?" This suits well the first period after the return from the Captivity, when the depressed condition of Israel continued for several generations. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 85:6

Wilt thou not revive us again! literally, wilt thou not return and revive us? (comp. Psalms 71:20 ). So Ezra prays God to "give Israel a little reviving in their bondage" ( Ezra 9:8 ). That thy people may rejoice in thee. The "revival" and "rejoicing" came in Nehemiah's time, when the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem was kept "with gladness, both with thanksgiving, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps" ( Nehemiah 12:27 ). read more

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 85:5

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 85:6

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 85:7

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 85:1-13

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 85:1-13

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 85:3-5

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 85:4

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 85:4-7

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 85:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 85:6

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