Psalms 85:10

Does this verse speak of the divine attributeswhich conspire together in the work of salvation, or of the human virtueswhich will characterise the new community? Primarily of the former. God's lovingkindness and truth the love which moved Him to enter into covenant with Israel, and the faithfulness which binds Him to be true to His covenant meet in Israel's redemption. Righteousness and peace greet one another with joyous welcome. Jehovah is a righteous God and therefore a Saviour (Isaiah 45:21). Because salvation is His eternal purpose and He cannot change His purpose, therefore He reconciles His people to Himself. For lovingkindness and truth as attributes of God often as here almost personified as ministering angels see Exodus 34:6; Psalms 25:10; Psalms 40:11; Psalms 57:3; Psalms 57:10; Psalms 61:7; Psalms 86:15; Psalms 89:14; Psalms 115:1; Psalms 138:2; Micah 7:20. For the connexion of -righteousness" with salvation see on Psalms 65:5, and note the frequency of this thought in Isaiah 40 ff.

While however divine attributes are primarily meant, the corresponding human virtues (Proverbs 3:3; Isaiah 32:16 f.) need not be excluded. The restored community will reflect the attributes of God to which it owes its existence. Cp. Hosea 2:19-20; Zechariah 8:8; Zechariah 8:16; Zechariah 8:19. This thought is more clearly brought out in the next verse.