Psalm 85
A Prayer of The Sons of Korah for God’s Mercy and Restoration
The Sons of Korah, also sometimes called the Korahites, are credited with writing 11 Psalms for the Psalter under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They were a group of Levites assigned by God to be gatekeepers in His Tabernacle, and to lead the chorus in worshiping God through song.
Korah himself is first made mention of in Numbers 16, where he leads a rebellion against Moses and Aaron's authority in the wilderness. By challenging Moses and Aaron's authority, he was ultimately challenging God's authority, so God put the rebellion to a violent end, causing the earth to open and swallow Korah and the rebels up. Yet as we learn in Numbers 26:11, Korah's sons did not join their father in his rebellion, and so were spared by God. Despite their father's rebellion, God still had a plan for Korah's sons to serve Him in great ways. - Psalms.org
An anonymous psalmist thanked God for forgiving and restoring His sinning people. He prayed that God would remove His wrath from them and expressed confidence in the nation’s future. Perhaps the genre is a national lament. - Thomas Constable
We do not know the specific circumstances that inspired the composition of Psalm 85, but the psalmist recalled God’s deliverance in the past, petitioned Him for help in the present, and anticipated restoration in the future.
You Showed Your Favor
Rescue
Vs. 1-2 - Lord, you showed favor to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
The first lyrics of this psalm referenced a time in Israel’s past when God had rescued and restored His people. Some commentators believe this psalm to be post-exilic, a communal prayer for God to restore His people after Cyrus of Persia began allowing the remnant to return to Israel. There is no definitive evidence, however, to date this song with any specificity. The lyrics are general and, therefore, applicable to any threat or invasion in Israel’s history.
The reference to restoration from captivity suggests that this psalm may date to the return from Babylonian exile. However, the psalmist may have been referring to a more modest captivity, perhaps at the hand of a neighbor nation. - Thomas Constable
Forgiveness
Vs. 2 - You forgave your people’s guilt; you covered all their sin.
God had withdrawn “His fury” in the past and had forgiven His people of their sins, so the psalmist led Israel to plead for His mercy again.
Return to Us
Vs. 4 - Return to us, God of our salvation, and abandon your displeasure with us.
Verse 4 has also been translated as “Restore us” or “Turn us, God.” The lyrics included pleas for God to guide His people to repentance, forgiveness, obedience, and then to restoration.
Vs. 6 - Will you not revive us again so that your people may rejoice in you?
The word rendered revive means to live; to cause to live; and the idea is that of recovering them from their condition as a state of death; that is, restoring them as if they were dead. The image is that of returning spring after the death of winter, or the young grass when the rain descends after a long drought, and when everything seemed to be dead. - Albert Barnes
The Lord Will Provide
Vs. 8 - surely the Lord will declare peace to his people, his faithful ones
Vs. 11-12 - Truth will spring up from the earth, and righteousness will look down from heaven. Also, the Lord will provide what is good
The psalmist personified the blessings God’s people would experience after their repentance and restoration. At a time of His choosing, God would “declare peace” and “provide” for Israel.
Productive harvests are a blessing God promised His people if they walked in obedience to the Mosaic covenant (Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Deuteronomy 30:1-16). - Thomas Constable
