trusted online casino malaysia
Realizing the presence, promise, and power of the Kingdom of God.
The Scriptorium

Look Around

We need to pay attention to our lives. Psalm 85.4, 5

Revive Us Again! (2)

Opening Prayer: Psalm 85.4, 5
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?

Sing Psalm 85.4-6
(Lyons: O Worship the King)
Restore us, O God, renew us in peace,
and cause all Your wrath against us to cease.
Will You evermore all Your wrath to us show?
Revive us that we may Your joy again know.

Read Psalm 85.4, 5

Preparation
1. What seems to have been the state of Israel’s relationship with God?

2. What did the psalmists seek from the Lord?

Meditation
The first word in this section is “Restore us”, which is one word in the Hebrew language. Obviously, this word suggests some looking around as seen against the backdrop of the grandeur of God and the greatness of His works (vv. 1-3). As the psalmists looked around at the state of things in Israel, they knew the people needed to be revived.

In 1 Kings 11.1-13, the anger of the Lord became focused on Solomon because of his turning away from the Lord to gratify his own lusts (read about this in Ecclesiastes 2, or listen here). God richly blessed Israel in Solomon’s day, when the sons of Korah served in the temple. But he turned away, and much of Israel with him. The sons of Korah – like Asaph, their contemporary (cf. Pss. 73-80) – could see that the people had lost sight of God and His mighty works in the past, and they were coming under His anger (note the threefold mention of this in these two verses). The result would be the rending of the nation and the departure of ten tribes to the north.

The Christian vantage point on life requires that we pay careful attention to our daily walk and how we use our time (Eph. 5.15-17). We need to submit continuously to the Spirit of God as He searches our thoughts, affections, and ways (Ps. 139.23, 24). Whenever, looking around in our lives, we find that we are out of line with God and His will, we need to repent of our sin and call on Him to restore us to His favor and promises. Look up, look back, and look around – all at the same time, and continuously. Only thus can we avoid coming under God’s anger and discipline (Heb. 12.3-11).

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Unhappiness is the difference between what we expect and what we experience.
(A bit of wisdom gleaned from a secular magazine years ago.)

Jesus was hungry, and in the distance He spied a leafy fig tree; but when He arrived at the tree, He found no figs on it. In fact, only the leaves were found because it was not even the season for figs. To the tree He said, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” By the next day the fig tree was dried up from the roots. A goner. Now this might seem harsh, given that it was not the season for figs, but when Jesus expects something from a tree, or from us, He had better experience it. (Mark 11.12-22)

God was angry because He expected obedience and faith from His children, yet what He experienced from them was the opposite.  And they asked: “Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?” (Ps. 85. 5) How can we be restored? How can we prove that we are sorry?

The apostle Paul brings God’s vantage point to these questions in a letter to Timothy:
“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ,
who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season.
Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”
“But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist,
fulfill your ministry” (2 Tim. 4.1, 2, 5).

In today’s vernacular: Work your Personal Mission Field.

God expects this from us. Let’s make sure He experiences it!

Reflection
1. Does God still get angry with His people? Why? How can we know when He is angry?

2. What can we do to keep from coming under the anger of God?

3. What’s one thing you can do to become more consistent in working your Personal Mission Field?

The first section of this psalm already says God’s anger has turned away from the people (v. 3). Yet until the restoration is complete, the people still feel the effects of God’s wrath. This suggests an understanding that the people’s troubles were due to their own sin disciplined by God. Earl Radmacher (1931-2014), NKJV Study Bible Note on Psalm 85.4-7

Closing Prayer: Psalm 84.10-13
Thank God that in Jesus our sins are forgiven. Pray that He will restore us to faithfulness and obedience, so that He may bless us with every good gift and use us for His glory.

Sing Psalm 85.10-13
(Lyons: O Worship the King)
In Jesus God’s grace and truth are combined;
both goodness and peace in Him do we find.
Truth springs from the earth as He walks in our midst,
and righteousness flows from the heav’ns as a gift.

The Lord by His grace will give what is good;
our land will produce abundance of food.
And righteousness will go before the Lord’s face,
and make of His footsteps a way in this place.

T. M. and Susie Moore

You can listen to our summary of last week’s study by clicking here.

Psalm 85 is an exercise in living from the Christian vantage point on life. For more about that vantage point, and how to live it, order a free copy of our book, Vantage Point (click here).

If you find Scriptorium helpful in your walk with the Lord, please seek the Lord, asking Him whether you should contribute to the support of this daily ministry with your financial gifts. As the Lord leads, you can use the Contribute button at the website to give with a credit card or through PayPal, or you can send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 360 Zephyr Road, Williston, VT 05495.

Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
Books by T. M. Moore

Subscribe to Ailbe Newsletters

Sign up to receive our email newsletters and read columns about revival, renewal, and awakening built upon prayer, sharing, and mutual edification.