Revive Us Lord Series

• Psalm 85 is a corporate lament from events like these in Jeremiah 14 describing Judah experiences of drought alongside Babylon’s invasion (cf. Deut. 28:23–24). In not heeding the warnings, it was too late to prevent the events unfolding described in Jeremiah. 14. Drought fulfills the curse in Deut. 28:22 that must come when Israel forsakes the Lord. It contrasts with the blessing of living water in Christ (John 4:14; 6:35).( Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1400). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.)

• Although God will not remove salvation that is granted to a people, He will move from subtle, to more dramatic means to have a people who continue to confess their sin and need for Him.

The Selah pause is appropriate here since these points needed to sink in (Lane, E. (2006). Psalms 1-89: the lord saves (p. 376). Scotland: Christian Focus Publications.)

God had made it plain in verse 3 that he was angry with his people for all their sins, and so he sent them into exile (see 2 Kings 17:18; 2 Chron. 36:16–21). Now the psalmist rejoices in the fact that this righteous anger has been replaced by tender favour. “You withdrew all your wrath” is what is meant by the word propitiation. That God “withdrew” all His wrath, and “turned” from His “hot anger” has the sense of removing or taking something away. Proof of God’s forgiveness was seen in the return from exile, as Israel’s sin had been paid for (Isa. 40:2). There can be no renewal/revival until sin is forgiven and wrath propitiated (Motyer, J. A. (1994). The Psalms. In D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham (Eds.), New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., p. 541). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.)

Illustration:

Many would doubt the need for revival. They see: “A God without wrath who brought (people) without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a Cross” (H. Richard Niebuhr, The Kingdom of God in America [New York: Harper & Row, 1959],p. 193).

Revival is coming to the realization of our desperate situation before God and clinging to Him and Him alone for eternal life.

2) Request for Present Revival (Psalm 85:4–7)

Psalm 85:4-7 4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! 5 Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? 6 Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? 7 Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation.

It is the immediate situation that the psalmist now brings into focus. He first starts out identifying the SOURCE OF REVIVAL: God. Since God was merciful before, the psalmist seeks a fresh demonstration of God’s mercy towards the people in their present need. God is the active agent who restores, forgives, revives and grants salvation.

Please turn to Ezra 10 (p.396)

The psalmist now identifies the MEANS OF REVIVAL: Prayer. The way in which the prayer is expressed implies confession of sin as the psalmist pleads for a removal of God’s wrath. No great difference can be discerned between ‘indignation/displeasure’ (kaʿas) and the word ‘wrath’ (ʾaf) in the previous verse.