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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 85:1-7

The church, in affliction and distress, is here, by direction from God, making her application to God. So ready is God to hear and answer the prayers of his people that by his Spirit in the word, and in the heart, he indites their petitions and puts words into their mouths. The people of God, in a very low and weak condition, are here taught how to address themselves to God. I. They are to acknowledge with thankfulness the great things God had done for them (Ps. 85:1-3): ?Thou has done so and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 85:5

Wilt thou be angry with us for ever ?.... God is angry with the wicked every day, their life being a continued series of sin, without repentance for it, or confession of it; and he will be so for ever, of which they will have a constant sense and feeling; and is the worm that never dies, and the fire that is inextinguishable; but he does not retain his anger for ever with his own people; though he is displeased with them, and chastises them for their sins, his anger endures but for a moment;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 85:6

Wilt thou not revive us again ,.... Their return from the Babylonish captivity was a reviving of them in their bondage, Ezra 9:8 and the conversion of them in the latter day will be a reviving them again, be as life from the dead; they are like the dry bones in Ezekiel's vision, or like the dead in the graves; and their being turned to the Lord will be a resurrection, or quickening of them, as every instance of conversion is; see Romans 11:15 , men are dead in trespasses and sins, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 85:7

Show us thy mercy, O Lord ,.... Or, "thy grace" F15 חסדך "bonitatem tuam", Tigurine version, Musculus; "benignitatem tuam", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "gratiam tuam", Cocceius, Gejerus. and goodness, the riches of which are shown forth in Christ; the mercy promised to Abraham and others, long expected, wished, and prayed for; his pardoning mercy, justification, salvation, and eternal life, by his free grace: and grant us thy salvation ; Jesus, the Saviour, and salvation... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 85:5

Wilt thou draw out thine anger - We have already suffered much and long; our fathers have suffered, and we have succeeded to their distresses. Draw not out thy anger against us from generation to generation. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 85:6

Wilt thou not revive us - We have long had the sentence of death in ourselves; and have feared an utter extinction. Shall not our nation yet live before thee? Shall we not become once more numerous, pious, and powerful, that Thy people may rejoice in thee? - As the Source of all our mercies; and give thee the glory due to thy name? read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 85:7

Show us thy mercy - Blot out all our sins. And grant us thy salvation - Give us such a complete deliverance as is worthy of thy majesty and mercy to bestow! read more

John Calvin

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

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