PSALM 85 THE ARGUMENT This Psalm is thought to have been made after the people's return from the Babylonish captivity, wherein he partly gives God thanks for that glorious deliverance, and partly implores God's mercy in completing that work, and rescuing his people from the relics of their bondage,... [ Continue Reading ]
So as not to impute it to them, or to continue the punishment which thou didst inflict upon them for it.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THY WRATH; those calamities which were the effects of thy just wrath conceived against us.... [ Continue Reading ]
TURN US; either, 1. Convert us. As thou hast brought back our bodies to thy land, so bring back our hearts to thyself, from whom many of them to this day are alienated. Or rather, 2. Restore us to our former tranquillity, and free us from the troubles which we yet groan under from our malicious ne... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou hast once revived us in bringing us out of captivity, give us a second reviving in bringing home the rest of our brethren, and in rebuking and restraining the remainder of our enemies wrath.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHOW US THY MERCY, i.e. grant it to us, as the next words explain it, and as showing signifies, PSALMS 4:6; so also PSALMS 60:3, PSALMS 71:20. Or, manifest thy secret purpose of mercy to us by thy providential dispensations.... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL HEAR, i.e. diligently observe. And the psalmist, by declaring what he would do, teacheth all the Israelites what they ought to do. Or he speaks in the name of all the people of God. WHAT GOD THE LORD WILL SPEAK; either by his prophets or messengers; or by the works of his providence, for that... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS SALVATION; that complete salvation and deliverance for which all the Israel of God do pray and wait, even the redemption of Israel by the Messiah; of which not only Christian, but even Jewish, writers understand this place; and to which the following passages do most properly and perfectly belon... [ Continue Reading ]
This is to be understood, either, 1. Of these graces or virtues in men. So the sense is, When that _blessed_ time shall come, those virtues which now seem to be banished from human societies shall be restored, and there shall be a happy conjunction of _mercy_, or benignity; _truth_, or veracity; RI... [ Continue Reading ]
TRUTH SHALL SPRING OUT OF THE EARTH; either, 1. Truth among men, which shall be so common amongst all men, as if it grew out of the earth. Or rather, 2. The truth or faithfulness of God; which is most truly and fitly said to spring out of the earth, partly because it had long been hid and buried, l... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT WHICH IS GOOD, i.e. all that is good in itself and for us, all spiritual and temporal blessings.... [ Continue Reading ]
GO BEFORE HIM, as his harbinger or attendant. He shall work and fulfil all righteousness, he shall glorify and satisfy the righteousness of God, and shall advance the practice of righteousness and holiness among men. SHALL SET US IN THE WAY OF HIS STEPS, i.e. shall cause us to walk in those righteou... [ Continue Reading ]