The ESV editors supply the three-word heading, “Revive Us Again,” as a summary of Psalm 85. An outline of the content of the psalm might look something like this:
Stanza Description Verses. Contemporary Re-phrasing
- How God was faithful to Israel (vss. 1-3) We were blessed by the faithfulness of God in the past.
- Will You revive us again? (vss. 4-7) We are not experiencing that blessing now.
- Will You hear our prayer now? (vss. 8-9) We want to be blessed again.
- We will again experience Your faithfulness. (vss. 10-13) Your faithfulness is our hope that we will experience Your faithfulness once again.
A reflection centered in verses 5-10 and an offering for the Poetry Project:
Will You Be Angry Forever?
Lord, will You be angry with us forever?
Must we live under the thumb of Your discipline?
O God, put aside your indignation toward us and restore us again.
Lord, let Your steadfast love and faithfulness meet
and let righteousness and peace kiss each other.
How can we survive otherwise?
Save us, O God, and make us a beacon to the nations.
cf. Psalm 85:5-10
Go to Psalm 86
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