The restoration of Israel from exile is a proof that God has forgiven His people and taken them back into favour as He promised (Jeremiah 33:8 ff.). Yet the present condition of Israel seems to shew that God’s anger still rests upon it. Only a feeble remnant has returned. Disappointment and disaster are crushing them. The national life has not revived. The great hopes held out by the prophets, especially in Isaiah 40-66, in connexion with the Return, have not been realised. And therefore the nation prays for a fresh manifestation of God’s saving power to gladden His people (Psalm 85:1-7).

Listening for an answer the Psalmist receives the assurance that God’s purposes of good toward His faithful people will surely be fulfilled. He will dwell among them and bless them, fulfilling the prophetic promises of the establishment of His kingdom among men (Psalm 85:8-13).

Such is the argument of the Psalm; and we can hardly be wrong in referring it to the early days of the Return from Babylon. The best illustration of it is to be found in the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah, especially in Zechariah 1:12 ff., and with this period (c. b.c. 520) it should be connected, rather than with the time of Nehemiah. It was written to meet the depression and despondency which were rapidly crushing the life out of the feeble church of the restoration, with the assurance that the prophetic promises of a glorious Messianic future were not a delusion, but that God would establish His kingdom in His land. Thought and language shew familiarity with Isaiah 40-66.

The Psalm falls into two divisions, (1) the pleading of mercies already received (Psalm 85:1-3) as the ground of prayer (Psalm 85:4-7), and (2) the answer of hope (Psalm 85:8-13): and it has been suggested that the first part was to be sung by the people, the second by the priest. At any rate Psalm 85:1-7 may express the thoughts of the people; Psalm 85:8-13 the inspired conviction of some ‘soul of nobler tone,’ prophet or priest, who wrote the Psalm.

The appropriateness of this Psalm as one of the Proper Psalms for Christmas Day is obvious. It is full of Messianic hopes. The Incarnation is the true answer to the prayer of Israel: and in Christ almost every word of the second part finds its fulfilment. The message of peace (Luke 2:14), the nearness of salvation (Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:30 ff.), the divine glory dwelling in the earth (Luke 2:32; John 1:14), the union of lovingkindness and truth, of righteousness and peace (John 1:17; Romans 5:1), the advent of God preceded by righteousness making a way for His people to walk in:—these blessings were imparted in Christ in a fulness and a reality far transcending anything that the Psalmist could have anticipated.

1. thou hast been favourable] Thou art propitiated: once more Thou graciously acceptest Thy people, and receivest them back into Thy favour. The ban of Jeremiah 14:10; Jeremiah 14:12 is removed. Cp. Psalm 77:7; Psalm 106:4; Haggai 1:8.

thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob] Or, as R.V. marg., returned to. But more probably the phrase means, thou hast turned the fortune of Jacob. See note on Psalm 53:6. Here doubtless the restoration of the nation from the Babylonian exile is meant.

1–3. God has forgiven and restored His people.

2. The Heb. words describe sin (1) as depravity or moral distortion; (2) as a wandering from the way, or missing the mark; and forgiveness (1) as the removal of a burden, (2) as the covering of the offence, which would otherwise meet the eye of the judge and call for punishment. Cp. Psalm 32:1-2; Psalm 32:5.

3. Thou hast taken away] Lit. withdrawn, or drawn in, the wrath which was let loose against us.

from the fierceness of thine anger] Poured out upon Israel for its sin. See Jeremiah 30:24; Lamentations 1:12; Lamentations 4:11. Cp. Exodus 32:12.

4. Turn us] I.e. Restore us. Cp. Psalm 80:3. For R.V. marg. Turn to us, cp. Isaiah 63:17; but the rendering of the text is preferable.

cause thine anger &c.] Lit. break off thine indignation with us: cease to be provoked with us. The cognate verb is constantly used of Israel’s ‘provocation’ of Jehovah (e.g. Jeremiah 7:18 ff.).

4–7. Yet in spite of forgiveness and restoration, much is still lacking. Oh that God would wholly withdraw His wrath, and gladden His people with a full salvation! Cp. the prayer of Psalm 126:4.

5. For the pleading question cp. Psalm 77:7 ff.

wilt thou draw out &c.] I.e. protract, prolong, continue thine anger to one generation after another (Psalm 77:8).

6. Wilt thou not revive us again] Wilt not thou turn and quicken us? restoring our national life according to the promises of the prophets. See Hosea 6:2; Habakkuk 2:4; Ezekiel 37:3 ff. Cp. Psalm 71:20; Psalm 80:18. Thou is emphatic. Thou Who alone canst, Thou Who art pledged to it by Thy word.

7. Shew us &c.] Cause us to see thy lovingkindness, upon which we have a claim as Thy beloved ones (Psalm 85:8).

8. I will hear] Or, Let me hear. Cp. Psalm 62:11; and the striking parallel in Habakkuk 2:1, which the LXX makes even closer by its reading, what the Lord God will speak with me (lit. in me), from which comes the P.B.V., what the Lord God will say concerning me.

God the Lord] The mighty God (El), Jehovah.

he will speak &c.] Or, he speaketh peace. He will not always be wroth, but will forthwith utter the ‘thoughts of peace’ which He has all along cherished (Jeremiah 29:11). This reconciliation must result in the welfare of His people. Cp. Psalm 122:6 ff.; and for the phrase, Zechariah 9:10.

and to his saints] Or, even to: for ‘his saints’ are synonymous with ‘his people.’ It is as the objects of His lovingkindness (Psalm 85:7) not for any merits of their own, that they look for His favour. For the meaning of ‘saints’ see note on Psalm 50:5, and Appendix, Note 1.

but let them not turn again to folly] The folly of self-confidence (Psalm 49:13) leading to unbelief and disobedience, which has been the cause of their past misfortunes. Such a note of warning is not out of place, but the reading of the LXX, and to those who turn their heart to him, is preferred by some editors.

8–13. The Psalmist listens for Jehovah’s answer to His people’s prayer; and conveys to them the assurance that rich abundance of blessing is in store for those who fear Him.

9. The Psalmist expands the results of that word of peace.

them that fear him] Those who answer to their calling as ‘saints.’

Cp. Psalm 103:11; Psalm 103:13; Psalm 103:17.

that glory may dwell in our land] ‘Glory’ is the manifest Presence of Jehovah, which Ezekiel saw departing from the doomed city (Psalm 10:18), but returning to it in the glorious restoration (Psalm 43:4 ff.). Cp. Isaiah 60:1-2; Zechariah 2:5. ‘Dwell’ is the word specially used of the abiding of God among His people, from which later Heb. derived the term Shechinah for the Presence of God in the Tabernacle and Temple (Exodus 40:34-35; 2 Chronicles 7:1-3). Comp. Zechariah 2:10-11; Zechariah 8:3. The promise of the words was to be fulfilled in the Incarnation (John 1:14).

The meaning ‘honour’ in contrast to the shame and humiliation which are now Israel’s portion is inadequate, though this may be included as a result of the return of that greater Glory.

10. Does this verse speak of the divine attributes which conspire together in the work of salvation, or of the human virtues which will characterise the new community? Primarily of the former. God’s lovingkindness and truth—the love which moved Him to enter into covenant with Israel, and the faithfulness which binds Him to be true to His covenant—meet in Israel’s redemption. Righteousness and peace greet one another with joyous welcome. Jehovah is a righteous God and therefore a Saviour (Isaiah 45:21). Because salvation is His eternal purpose and He cannot change His purpose, therefore He reconciles His people to Himself. For lovingkindness and truth as attributes of God—often as here almost personified as ministering angels—see Exodus 34:6; Psalm 25:10; Psalm 40:11; Psalm 57:3; Psalm 57:10; Psalm 61:7; Psalm 86:15; Psalm 89:14; Psalm 115:1; Psalm 138:2; Micah 7:20. For the connexion of ‘righteousness’ with salvation see on Psalm 65:5, and note the frequency of this thought in Isaiah 40 ff.

While however divine attributes are primarily meant, the corresponding human virtues (Proverbs 3:3; Isaiah 32:16 f.) need not be excluded. The restored community will reflect the attributes of God to which it owes its existence. Cp. Hosea 2:19-20; Zechariah 8:8; Zechariah 8:16; Zechariah 8:19. This thought is more clearly brought out in the next verse.

11. Truth springeth out of the earth;

And righteousness hath looked down from heaven. (R.V.)

Truth springs up as a natural growth in response to God’s manifestation of His saving righteousness. Harmony between earth and heaven is perfected. Cp. Hosea 2:21 ff.; Isaiah 45:8. Milton must have had this passage in his mind in the Ode on the Nativity:

Yea, truth and justice then

Will down return to men,

Orb’d in a rainbow; and, like glories wearing,

Mercy will sit between,

Throned in celestial sheen,

With radiant feet the tissued clouds down steering;

And heaven, as at some festival,

Will open wide the gates of her high palace hall.

12. Material prosperity will go hand in hand with moral progress. Earth responds to the divine blessing. Cp. Leviticus 26:4; Deuteronomy 28:12; Psalm 67:6. The fruitfulness of the land is a constant feature in pictures of the Messianic future; and point is given to the promise by the fact that the returned exiles had been suffering from scarcity (Haggai 1:10 f.).

13. Jehovah Himself appears to lead His people forward. Before Him as a herald goes the righteousness which moves Him to the salvation of His people; and (it) shall make his footsteps a way (to walk in); so that His people may follow without let or hindrance; an allusion possibly to the ‘way’ so often spoken of in the later chapters of Isaiah (Isaiah 35:8; Isaiah 42:16; Isaiah 48:17; Isaiah 49:11; Isaiah 51:10; Isaiah 57:14; Isaiah 62:10). The words are obscure, but this rendering, adopted by R.V., is the best. Other renderings are; (1) and shall set its footsteps in the way of his footsteps, i.e. follow Him closely, cp. Isaiah 58:8; Isaiah 52:12; or, (2) which gives a similar sense, shall give heed to the way of his footsteps; or (3) and shall set its footsteps in the way, march forward freely and unrestrainedly, in contrast to the gloomy picture of Isaiah 49:14; or (4) shall set his footsteps in the way, move God to march forth in saving might.