What is the meaning of Psalm 85?
Introduction to Psalm 85
Psalm 85 stands as a masterful prayer of national restoration, combining historical reflection, present supplication, and prophetic hope. This profound composition, attributed to the Sons of Korah, weaves together themes of divine favor, repentance, and the beautiful harmony between God’s attributes. The psalm moves from remembrance of past mercies to urgent present needs, before culminating in an extraordinary vision of divine attributes embracing each other like beloved friends.
Context of Psalm 85
Written in the post-exilic period, likely after the return from Babylonian captivity, Psalm 85 emerges from a time when Israel had experienced God’s restoration but was still grappling with difficult circumstances. The initial joy of return had given way to the harsh realities of rebuilding – failed crops, opposition from neighbors, and spiritual malaise threatened the community’s hope.
In the broader biblical narrative, this psalm bridges the gap between God’s historical faithfulness and His future promises. It shares thematic connections with the prophetic literature, particularly Haggai and Zechariah, who also addressed the struggles of post-exilic restoration. The psalm’s movement from lament to confident hope establishes a pattern seen throughout Scripture, pointing ultimately to the complete restoration that would come through the Messiah.
Ancient Key Word Study
- שׁוּב (shuv) – “restore/return” (v. 1, 3, 4, 6, 8): This key Hebrew verb appears multiple times, carrying the weight of physical and spiritual restoration. Its repetition creates a powerful theme of divine-human reciprocity in the restoration process, suggesting both God’s initiative and human response.
- חֶסֶד (chesed) – “lovingkindness” (v. 7): This rich Hebrew term encompasses God’s covenant loyalty, steadfast love, and merciful faithfulness. It represents the unchangeable nature of God’s commitment to His people despite their failures.
- יִשְׁעֵנוּ (yish’enu) – “our salvation” (v. 4): The root ישׁע (yasha) points to comprehensive deliverance, not just spiritual but encompassing physical, national, and cosmic dimensions of redemption.
- כָּבוֹד (kavod) – “glory” (v. 9): Literally meaning “weight” or “heaviness,” this term describes the manifest presence of God dwelling in the land, suggesting a return to Eden-like conditions.
- אֱמֶת (emet) – “truth” (v. 11): More than factual accuracy, this word conveys reliability, faithfulness, and enduring stability – attributes that characterize God’s nature and His words.
- צֶדֶק (tzedek) – “righteousness” (v. 11): This term represents right relationships and proper order in creation, encompassing both judicial and relational aspects of righteousness.
- שָׁלוֹם (shalom) – “peace” (v. 8, 10): Beyond mere absence of conflict, this word describes comprehensive wellbeing, wholeness, and harmony between God, humanity, and creation.
Compare & Contrast
- Verse 1’s use of רָצִיתָ (ratzita – “favored”) rather than אָהַבְתָּ (ahavta – “loved”) emphasizes God’s sovereign choice and good pleasure rather than emotional affection, highlighting the covenantal nature of His relationship with Israel.
- In verse 4, the phrase אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעֵנוּ (Elohei yish’enu – “God of our salvation”) is chosen over shorter alternatives to stress both God’s supreme authority (Elohim) and His personal relationship to Israel’s redemption (yish’enu).
- Verse 8’s שָׁלוֹם (shalom) is specifically paired with עַמּוֹ (ammo – “His people”), emphasizing the covenantal context of peace rather than universal tranquility.
- The poetic imagery in verse 10 of חֶסֶד and אֱמֶת meeting, rather than simply existing together, creates a dramatic personification that emphasizes the active harmony of God’s attributes.
- The agricultural metaphor in verse 11 uses צָמָח (tzamach – “spring up”) rather than גָּדַל (gadal – “grow”), emphasizing supernatural, spontaneous emergence rather than natural development.
Psalm 85 Unique Insights
The remarkable personification of divine attributes in verses 10-11 presents a cosmic dance of God’s characteristics. Early rabbinical sources saw this as a heavenly drama playing out in the divine council, where God’s justice and mercy embrace in perfect harmony. This imagery profoundly influenced Jewish mystical thought, with some early commentators seeing it as a picture of the reconciliation of divine attributes that would occur through the work of the Messiah.
The psalm’s structure mirrors the Jewish concept of teshuvah (repentance), moving from acknowledgment of past mercy (verses 1-3) through present distress and petition (verses 4-7) to future hope and restoration (verses 8-13). This pattern reflects the deeper spiritual principle that genuine restoration begins with remembering God’s faithfulness.
The agricultural imagery in verses 11-12 connects to the ancient Jewish understanding of the land as a covenant partner. The truth springing from the earth while righteousness looks down from heaven creates a picture of heaven and earth in harmony, reminiscent of the garden of Eden and prophetic of the Messianic age.
Psalm 85 Connections to Yeshua
The psalm’s vision of divine attributes embracing each other finds its ultimate fulfillment in Yeshua the Messiah. In Him, God’s righteousness and peace perfectly kiss, as justice and mercy meet at the cross. The John 1:14 declaration that “the Word became flesh… full of grace and truth” echoes this psalm’s picture of חֶסֶד and אֱמֶת meeting together.
The restoration theme of the psalm points to the greater restoration accomplished through the Messiah’s work. Just as Israel experienced physical return from exile, Yeshua brings spiritual restoration to all who trust in Him, with the promise of complete restoration at His return. This connects with the New Covenant promise in Jeremiah 31:31-34, where God promises to write His law on hearts and restore His people fully.
Psalm 85 Scriptural Echoes
This psalm resonates deeply with several biblical themes and passages. The concept of God’s anger turning away (verse 3) echoes Isaiah 12:1. The vision of righteousness and peace kissing finds parallel in Isaiah 32:17, where righteousness produces peace.
The agricultural imagery connects with Hosea 2:21-22, where heaven and earth respond to each other in a chain of blessing. The theme of restoration appears in Joel 2:25-27, promising complete restoration of what was lost.
Psalm 85 Devotional
This psalm teaches us to ground our present prayers in remembrance of God’s past faithfulness. When facing current challenges, we can follow the psalmist’s pattern: remember God’s previous acts of grace, honestly present our current needs, and look forward with hope to His promised restoration.
The picture of divine attributes embracing reminds us that God’s nature is perfectly harmonious – His justice doesn’t conflict with His mercy, His truth doesn’t war with His peace. This should give us confidence in approaching Him, knowing He can be both just and merciful toward us because of Yeshua’s work.
The agricultural metaphors encourage us to look for signs of God’s faithfulness in the natural world around us. Just as truth springs from the earth, we can trust that God’s promises will bear fruit in His perfect timing.
Did You Know
- The Sons of Korah, credited with this psalm, were descended from the Levite who rebelled against Moses but whose sons were spared (Numbers 26:11). Their survival and subsequent service as worship leaders demonstrates God’s mercy spanning generations.
- The Hebrew word order in verse 10 creates a chiastic structure (A-B-B-A), with righteousness and peace as the outer elements and lovingkindness and truth as the inner elements, emphasizing their interconnectedness.
- The phrase “show us your steadfast love” in verse 7 uses the same Hebrew construction as Moses’ request to see God’s glory in Exodus 33:18.
- The concept of God’s glory dwelling in the land (verse 9) uses terminology associated with the Shekinah presence in the Tabernacle and Temple.
- Ancient Jewish traditions connected this psalm with the ingathering of exiles and the coming of the Messiah, seeing it as a prophecy of final restoration.
- The word “salvation” in verse 9 is related to the Hebrew name Yeshua (Jesus), creating a linguistic connection to the Messiah.
- The imagery of truth springing from the earth while righteousness looks down from heaven was seen by early Jewish commentators as a picture of the unity of written and oral Torah.
