Bible Commentaries
Psalms 85

Verses 1-13

LXXXV. Prayer for the Completion of Israel’ s Restoration.— The Ps. falls clearly into two halves. Psalms 85:1-7 is a prayer to God. It begins ( Psalms 85:1-3) by commemorating God’ s mercy. He had restored His people (see on Psalms 14:7) and forgiven their sin, but the expectation of Jewish saints remained unfulfilled ( Psalms 85:4-7). The reference may be to the hopes raised by the “ Second Isaiah” (Isaiah 40-55). Israel did return under Cyrus (pp. 77f.), but the hopes of coming glory were disappointed.

The second half, on the contrary ( Psalms 85:8-13), is not a prayer to God but a revelation from God, uttered perhaps by a prophet. The long-looked-for glory will surely come.

Psalms 85:8 b. unto: read, “ concerning.”— saints: see Psalms 4:3 *.

Psalms 85:8 c. Read, “ and concerning those who turn to Him with their heart” (LXX).

Psalms 85:9 . his salvation: i.e. the Messianic age.— glory: the light in which God lives (set Isaiah 24:23). It was present in Solomon’ s Temple and in the Tabernacle but not in the second Temple, but it was to return. Observe that the religious blessing, the glory of God, comes first; then the moral virtues, mercy, truth, righteousness, peace; lastly the material blessing of abundant harvests.