LHC Midday Word: PSALM Eighty Five

Thursday, 26 May 2022

PSALM Eighty Five

For the director of music.

Of the Sons of Korah.

A psalm.

You, Lord, showed favour to your land;

you restored the fortunes of Jacob.

You forgave the iniquity of your people

and covered all their sins.

You set aside all your wrath

and turned from your fierce anger.

Restore us again, God our Saviour,

and put away your displeasure towards us.

Will you be angry with us for ever?

Will you prolong your anger through all generations?

Will you not revive us again,

that your people may rejoice in you?

Show us your unfailing love, Lord,

and grant us your salvation.

I will listen to what God the Lord says;

he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants –

but let them not turn to folly.

Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,

that his glory may dwell in our land.

Love and faithfulness meet together;

righteousness and peace kiss each other.

Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,

and righteousness looks down from heaven.

The Lord will indeed give what is good,

and our land will yield its harvest.

Righteousness goes before him

and prepares the way for his steps.

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 85: “revive?” (v.6)

Are you feeling jaded, that everything is a drag? You must be the only person in the whole world who is floundering emotionally! No! Of course not! It’s very human, even as one of Jesus’ followers, to be down in the dumps rather than jumping for joy.

This Psalm starts as a wrestling sort of prayer, with a transition from “restore us again” (v.4) to a high point of expectation, “will you not revive us again?” (v.6).

It’s a negative question that expresses a positive hope. For God to “restore” is good (it means he puts us back where we were); to “revive” us means to put new life into us. That’s better still!

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READINGS

PSALM 85

Read by Sir David Suchet