{"id":2182,"date":"2017-06-22T18:48:07","date_gmt":"2017-06-22T18:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/takingeverythoughtcaptivetoobeychrist.wordpress.com\/?p=2182"},"modified":"2017-06-22T18:48:07","modified_gmt":"2017-06-22T18:48:07","slug":"revive-us-again-psalm-85","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/revive-us-again-psalm-85\/","title":{"rendered":"Revive us again – Psalm 85"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is Revival? Revival is period of restoration. The root word means to restore something back to fullness of life. Revival is a rekindling of spiritual life in individual believers and churches which have fallen into sluggish times. True revival brings a fresh emphasis on the holiness and righteousness of God, the total depravity of man and the wickedness of sin, which brings true repentance and genuine conversions to Christ. Such revival is always a sovereign work of God, in response to the prayers of His people.<\/p>\n

The central thrust of Psalm 85 is the idea of revival and restoration for the people of God. It is a prayer offered in difficult days for the reviving of God\u2019s people in days of spiritual apathy. It is believed by many scholars that this Psalm was written after Israel returned to her land after her seventy-year captivity in Babylon. At first, the people rejoiced at being able to go to their home land. But when the rebuilding project became still, the holy city fell into difficult times. If this is the case, this Psalm is a prayer that God would revive their work and restore the city to its former glory.<\/p>\n

By Remembering God\u2019s Favour and Divine Mercy in the past, the Psalmist calls for God to restore and revive His people!<\/em> Psalm 85 can be split into three parts:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

1. A Grateful Remembrance of God\u2019s Past (v1-3)<\/strong><\/p>\n

2. A Humble Admission of Our Present Need (v4-7)<\/strong><\/p>\n

3. A Godward Anticipation of Our Future Hope (v8-13)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Psalm 85:
\n\u201c1 Lord, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.2 You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. 3 You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger. 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. 8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly. 9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land. 10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other. 11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky. 12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. 13 Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n


\n<\/strong> 1. <\/strong>A Grateful Remembrance of God\u2019s Past (v1-3)<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

In verses 1-3, the Psalmist recalls God\u2019s past blessing to His people. Therefore, by remembering God\u2019s mighty working in the past, the Christian has confidence in the future. The Psalmist reflects on God’s favor, His restoration, and His forgiveness. By His mercy, God graciously made an atonement for their sins. By being propitiated, God turned from his fierce anger, which was a remarkable display of divine mercy and grace toward a disobedient people.<\/p>\n

Christian, do you recall your former days? Do you remember God\u2019s Favor and Divine Mercy in the past? Do you remember that there was absolutely nothing in you that could ever earn Gods favour? You were alienated from God, dead in sin, unable to save yourself. But God being rich in mercy and grace sent forth His Son, and poured out His hot anger and wrath against sin on Him. He drank our cup of wrath! Now the cup is empty! When we look at verse 1-3, may we glory in the cross! May we stop and meditate on God\u2019s Divine Mercy and Grace in our Salvation! \u201cFor our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.\u201d (2 Cor. 5:21). And so, the Psalmist reminds us to look to the past and see God blessings!<\/p>\n

Having Reviewed God\u2019s past mercies (v1-3), the Psalmist then urges that this same divine mercy be granted to their present troubles (v4-7)<\/p>\n

2. A Humble Admission of Our Present Need (4-7)<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Psalmist asks God to stop his anger and grant salvation, bringing about their revival and restoration to the people of God.<\/p>\n

In verse 4, the psalmist cries, \u201cRestore Us Again, O God of our salvation.\u201d This is a humble request that God\u2019s favour be once more extended in this present hour. Having restored them in the land in the past, the psalmist asked God to do it once more. Then, the psalmist adds, AND Put way your indignation (displeasure) towards us! This indicates that their present crisis was a result of their own sin. Do we realize that most of our present-day suffering is a result of our disobedience to God?<\/p>\n

The psalmist then uses his good theology by introducing three rhetorical questions, which are placed in the negative. Surely God will not be angry forever with his people, right? Surely God will turn back and relieve his anger, right? The psalmist knows that God will not be forever angry with His covenant people! There will be a final restoration with the people of God, right?<\/p>\n

Seeing their present need was not enough for the psalmist. The psalmist has a specific plea for revival! In verse 6, the psalmist states, \u201cWill you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?\u201d<\/em> This was a plea for the spiritual awakening of God\u2019s people, a petition that God would restore their hearts with renewed devotion towards him. If God would revive them, they would rejoice again! The Psalmist concludes this present plea with one final request. He asks God to show His steadfast love and grant salvation to His people. It was a request that God would make known his loyal, unfailing love in faithful devotion to them, even in spite of themselves, based on his permanent covenant commitment to His people! And finally, that God would deliver them from their present problems and spiritual apathy.<\/p>\n

 <\/strong>And so, the psalmist looks to the past and sees Gods mercy and blessing (v1-3). Then he looks to the present need, and humbly admits their neediness (v4-7). Finally, in verse 8-13, the psalmist has a Godward anticipation to their future hope<\/p>\n

 3. <\/strong>A Godward Anticipation of Our Future Hope (8-13)<\/strong><\/p>\n

To solve the present need, God promises peace and salvation to those who fear him!<\/p>\n

Firstly, in verses 8-9, God promises to Manifest His Glory by: Providing peace (v8) and salvation (v9) to His people. The word \u201cpeace\u201d was a general benediction. However, it ultimately finds fulfillment in the coming Messiah\u2019s kingdom (Luke 2:14). This peace signaled a wholeness or fullness of life that is only found in Christ alone! Therefore, the psalmist looked forward to the day when the Messiah would come and bring eternal peace with God! But there is a warning for us not to return to folly, which is living independent of God. This would provoke God\u2019s displeasure again towards His people! Such salvation, which the psalmist talks about, is reserved and near to those who fear God. The deepest longing of the psalmist\u2019s heart is the manifestation of God\u2019s presence in a restored people, who would make known his supreme greatness and majesty to all!<\/p>\n

Finally, in verse 10-13, God Prepares to Magnify His Goodness. When God brings forth this new day, many divine attributes will be revealed. All four of these spiritual qualities, i.e., Steadfast love and faithfulness, righteousness, and peace, are expressions of God\u2019s abundant favour toward His people. Wherever God\u2019s presence is manifested in the restoration of His people, these divine attributes will be clearly seen in the lives of God\u2019s people.<\/p>\n

Main Idea Review: <\/strong>By Remembering God\u2019s favor in the past, the Psalmist calls for God to restore and revive His people.<\/em><\/p>\n

Revivals and periods of restoration have always been marked by certain spirituals characteristics (as seen in the text), and it would do us well if we measured ourselves by them:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. A Proclamation of Scripture<\/strong>: We must return to the Word of God and make sure it is central to our entire life! In His Word, we see His grand plan of Redemption, and we can ponder and remember His past blessings in our life! We see in His Word that we were dead in our sins and trespasses, and that God, being rich in mercy raised us alive from spiritual death to spiritual life! What grace! Marvel in this grace! Glory in this grace!<\/li>\n
  2. An intercession with God: <\/strong>We must examine our present state as the psalmist did, and humbly admit our neediness of Gods restoration and revival in our own souls. We must humble ourselves and seek the Lord in unceasing prayer.<\/li>\n
  3. A confession of sin<\/strong>: Every genuine revival is marked by a period of deep conviction of sin, confession of sin, and repentance from sin! We must ask God to search our heart and reveal any sin in our life, and then repent of it!<\/li>\n
  4. A devotion to holiness: <\/strong>We must seek God for a greater desire and hunger to apply our life to the Word of God! That His Word would shape absolutely everything we do!Glory in the past, live dependent in the present, and anticipate the final consummation, in the near future! May the Lord revive His church in the West. May we live recklessly abandoned lives for the Lord, to His glory and Praise!<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    What is Revival? Revival is period of restoration. The root word means to restore something back to fullness of life. Revival is a rekindling of spiritual life in individual believers and churches which have fallen into sluggish times. True revival brings a fresh emphasis on the holiness and righteousness of God, the total depravity of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":686,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2182","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized","7":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3560,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/psalm-85-revive-us-again\/","url_meta":{"origin":2182,"position":0},"title":"Psalm 85: Revive Us Again","author":"Joshua Mills","date":"May 12, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"What is Revival? Revival is a period of restoration. The root word means to restore something back to the fullness of life. Revival is also a rekindling of spiritual life in individual Christians and local churches which have fallen on sluggish times. True revival brings a fresh emphasis on the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/1200px-strokkur_geyser_eruption_close-up_view.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/1200px-strokkur_geyser_eruption_close-up_view.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/1200px-strokkur_geyser_eruption_close-up_view.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/1200px-strokkur_geyser_eruption_close-up_view.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/1200px-strokkur_geyser_eruption_close-up_view.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6478,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/the-victory-of-christ-in-psalm-91\/","url_meta":{"origin":2182,"position":1},"title":"The Victory of Christ in Psalm 91","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"May 6, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Click HERE for sermon audio He who dwells in\u00a0the shelter of the Most High \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0will abide in\u00a0the shadow of the Almighty. 2\u00a0I will say[a]\u00a0to the\u00a0Lord, \u201cMy\u00a0refuge and my\u00a0fortress, \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0my God, in whom I\u00a0trust.\u201d 3\u00a0For he will deliver you from\u00a0the snare of the fowler \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0and from the deadly pestilence. 4\u00a0He will\u00a0cover\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/05\/B001232_St-George-slaying-the-dragon.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3548,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/psalm-119-how-to-keep-your-way-pure\/","url_meta":{"origin":2182,"position":2},"title":"Psalm 119: How to Keep Your Way Pure","author":"Joshua Mills","date":"May 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"There is no book like God\u2019s Book. Whether you are a spiritual baby or a mature saint, God\u2019s Word applies to you! The Word of God has sanctifying power in the life of the believer. In Psalm 119:9-16, we see that God\u2019s Word has the authority to sanctify the soul\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/gods-test-commandment.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/gods-test-commandment.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/gods-test-commandment.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/gods-test-commandment.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4637,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/human-citharas-and-singing-with-jesus\/","url_meta":{"origin":2182,"position":3},"title":"Human Citharas and Singing with Jesus","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"November 8, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Introduction Today\u2019s message is an appendix, if you will, to the studies we have done during the month of October. Then Lord willing, we will be back in the gospel of John next Lord\u2019s Day. I want to set forth today a positive view of what it means to sing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Preaching"","block_context":{"text":"Preaching","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/preaching\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/11\/cithara.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4276,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/how-to-make-tyrants-knees-knock-a-word-about-the-singing-at-our-god-government-conference\/","url_meta":{"origin":2182,"position":4},"title":"How to Make Tyrants’ Knees Knock: A Word About the Singing at Our God & Government Conference","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"December 20, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"One of the reasons the modern church has failed to apply the Word of God to the nations and to civil governments is because the modern church has, by and large, stopped singing the Psalms. To be fair, most modern churches did not actively make the decision to stop singing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Government"","block_context":{"text":"Government","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/government\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/12\/singing.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/12\/singing.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/12\/singing.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/12\/singing.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/12\/singing.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4619,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/a-biblical-historical-case-for-exclusive-psalmody\/","url_meta":{"origin":2182,"position":5},"title":"A Biblical-Historical Case for Exclusive Psalmody","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"October 27, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Introduction On this Lord\u2019s Day, we will once again concern ourselves with the matter of what we are to sing in the public worship of God. As has been stated in the previous weeks, the elders of Hope Baptist Church have come under the conviction of the Exclusive Psalmody position,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Church History"","block_context":{"text":"Church History","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/church-history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/10\/King-Hezekiah.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/10\/King-Hezekiah.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/10\/King-Hezekiah.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2182","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/686"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2182"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2182\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2182"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2182"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2182"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}