Through the Psalms

Old Testament

God is Faithful to Restore Our Relationship with Him Through Christ - (Psalm 85:3-7)

Daily Praise
You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger. Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your anger toward us to cease. Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your mercy, Lord, and grant us Your salvation.

Reading Notes
The psalmist in this section of scripture is asking God to no longer be angry toward His people. He is asking God to forgive His people and bring restoration as He has promised. Returning from the Babylonian exile, the people were still in the process of rebuilding. They could still feel the effects of God's wrath and punishment on their forefathers, for their rebellion. Here the psalmist is asking God to look favorably on the people and to restore His relationship with the people. We have to remember Israel was special, they were God's chosen people. They had a covenant relationship with God, which no one else had, and instead of honoring that relationship they rebelled against God. As a result of their rebellion, God allowed the nation of Judah to be carried away into exile. They had now returned and were rebuilding not only their homes, but their relationship with God as well. This is important for us to consider because we understand that only God can restore our fellowship with Him.

Mankind cannot come before God on our own accord, we cannot of ourselves and by our own terms have a relationship with God. There are no works we can perform which restore our fellowship with God that is something God must do for us. And something He has done for us through Christ Jesus our Lord. By accepting Jesus and having a relationship with Jesus through faith, our relationship with God is restored by God Himself not by our own works. Here in these passages we see the people's restoration is not yet complete. And until they finish the work they still feel the effects of God's wrath from the previous exile. Therefore, they are praising God for His faithfulness and praying for strength to not stray again from God. We know God has forgiven them because in the previous verses God told us He had forgiven and covered their sins and restored them back to the land. What they are now asking God for is His strength to revive them and His mercy or "loyal love" to sustain them in their walk with Him.

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