The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 85:4

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

Turn us, O God of our salvation. Thou art turned to us (Psalms 85:1); let us also be turned to thee. We cannot turn of our own mere wish to turn; we need thy helping grace (comp. Psalms 80:3, Psalms 80:7, Psalms 80:19).

And cause thine anger toward us to cease. Verbally, this contradicts Psalms 85:3, whence it has been supposed by some to come from the mouth of another speaker. But really there is no contradiction, if we understand, both here and in the next verse, by God's anger, the effects of his anger, which were still continuing (comp.

Ezra 3:12, Ezra 3:13; Ezra 4:4-24; Ezra 9:2-15; Nehemiah 1:3; Nehemiah 2:17; Nehemiah 4:1-22; Nehemiah 5:1-19).

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Matthew Henry on Psalms 85:1-7Psalms 85:1-7 · Matthew Henry Concise CommentaryThe sense of present afflictions should not do away the remembrance of former mercies. The favour of God is the fountain of happiness to nations, as well as to particular persons. When God forgives sin, he covers it; an…The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 85:1-13Psalms 85:1-13 · The Pulpit CommentaryEXPOSITION THIS is a psalm written after a signal display of God's mercy towards Israel, but when there was still much wanting to make the condition of the people altogether satisfactory. It consists of a thanksgiving f…The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 85:1-13Psalms 85:1-13 · The Pulpit CommentaryTemporal mercies of little avail without such as are spiritual. There had been great outward mercies (see Psalms 85:1-3). Probably the wonderful deliverance of Judah, Jerusalem, and Hezekiah from the threatened might of…The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 85:3-5Psalms 85:3-5 · The Pulpit CommentaryIncomplete redemptions. While thankfully acknowledging all that God has done for his people, the psalmist clearly sees that it was but the "fierceness" of God's wrath from which he had turned, and that some of his wrath…The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 85:4-7Psalms 85:4-7 · The Pulpit CommentaryThe prayer. Two things are prayed for—first, that God will turn the hearts of his people wholly towards himself (Psalms 85:4); and secondly, that he will complete his work of deliverance by removing the traces, that sti…

commentaryMatthew Henry on Psalms 85:1-7The sense of present afflictions should not do away the remembrance of former mercies. The favour of God is the fountain of happiness to nations, as well as to particular persons. When God forgives sin, he covers it; an…Matthew Henry commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 85:1-13EXPOSITION THIS is a psalm written after a signal display of God's mercy towards Israel, but when there was still much wanting to make the condition of the people altogether satisfactory. It consists of a thanksgiving f…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 85:1-13Temporal mercies of little avail without such as are spiritual. There had been great outward mercies (see Psalms 85:1-3). Probably the wonderful deliverance of Judah, Jerusalem, and Hezekiah from the threatened might of…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 85:3-5Incomplete redemptions. While thankfully acknowledging all that God has done for his people, the psalmist clearly sees that it was but the "fierceness" of God's wrath from which he had turned, and that some of his wrath…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 85:4-7The prayer. Two things are prayed for—first, that God will turn the hearts of his people wholly towards himself (Psalms 85:4); and secondly, that he will complete his work of deliverance by removing the traces, that sti…Joseph S. Exell and contributors