Psalms

This Psalm was written by a patriot.  He was a man who remembered the covenant God had made with his people.  This man hadn't forgotten his roots.  The beginnings of the nation were important to him.  Learning from their mistakes was valuable.  Seeking God and turning back was the only answer.

This Psalm may well have been written when the Israelites were coming back to Israel from Babylon.  They had broken the covenant God made with them.  The prophets had warned the nation but the warnings fell on deaf ears.  In Ezekiel 11 we see the glory of the Lord depart from the people.  And the people were scattered among the gentile lands.  Jeremiah said the price for their rebellion was 70 years.  Then, after that time, they would be gathered again to the land.

There is no way of knowing for sure this Psalm is talking about that particular incident.  But the feelings expressed fit the scenario.  You can decide for yourself as we read the Psalm.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

 ¹ LORD, You have been favorable to Your land;
         You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.
 ² You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people;
         You have covered all their sin.  Selah  
 ³ You have taken away all Your wrath;
         You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.
This Psalm starts with declarations of what God did.  'You have'.......it says 5 times.  God was once favorable to the land and returned the people to the land from captivity.  He forgave them and covered all their sin.  The covering delayed the wrath that they deserved.  Although they didn't know it, it was a temporary covering until the Jesus came to pay for sin.  He turned away from His anger.

God did exactly as he said he would do.  But what were the people doing?  Whatever moment in history this Psalm was written about we know the crux of the matter was that the people turned from God. 

Today we call a decision to walk with the Lord many things.  It's a choice.  Our culture sees it as a choice of religions.  As in, "Hmmmm, do I want to be muslim, hindu, Mormon, or a Christian?  Being an atheist could be fun.  I can just do whatever I want, when I want."  That's the way our world looks at it.  Like a relationship with God is an accessory to life.  In reality, there is one God, one creator, and everything else is false and unholy.  When we make any other decision but to follow that One, Holy, Righteous God that made us for His purpose, we are in rebellion.

Throughout the entire bible, we see a God who loves us and cares for us and made a way for us.  Yet, mankind consistently rebels against that.  Why, because deep down inside each of us we want to be our own god.  As a nation, Israel turned away over and over again.  They chased after other gods, worshiped idols of wood, gold, silver and ivory.  The sin of rebellion against an eternal God deserves eternal consequences.  We know those eternal consequences are eternal separation from God, hell, that's what every man deserves.

For the Lord to have looked on them with favor, settle them in their land, cover their sins, and relent from his anger is an act of undeserved mercy on His part.  God acts mercifully towards Hs people.  The Psalmist knew this and was crying out for God to show his mercy and cover their sins once again.

         
 ⁴ Restore us, O God of our salvation,
         And cause Your anger toward us to cease.
 ⁵ Will You be angry with us forever?
         Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
 ⁶ Will You not revive us again,
         That Your people may rejoice in You?
 ⁷ Show us Your mercy, LORD,
         And grant us Your salvation.
There is not even a hint of this Psalmist saying, 'God we deserve this kind treatment' because they didn't and knew they didn't.  It's a cry for mercy.  He alone is the God of salvation.  He is a consuming fire, a fire we can't control.  Will He be angry forever?  Will He allow this nation to be defeated?  Would He not revive His people again?

         
 ⁸ I will hear what God the LORD will speak,

This is the Psalmist saying, "I'm listening to what the Lord will say."
         For He will speak peace
         To His people and to His saints;
         But let them not turn back to folly.

How will God speak peace?  Ultimately, that peace will be spoken when the word became flesh.  God the Father will speak peace through Jesus Christ.  Until then, they were to seek God, trusting in Him completely, not quickly turned away to other gods; to things of the world that would entice them away.  This peace comes with an unwavering commitment to the Lord.  It's a freedom from the bonds of this life when salvation is secure in the Lord.

 ⁹ Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
         That glory may dwell in our land.
The glory that dwells in the land is the presence of the Lord.  That presence is very real to those who fear Him.

         
 ¹⁰ Mercy and truth have met together;
         Righteousness and peace have kissed.
¹¹ Truth shall spring out of the earth,
         And righteousness shall look down from heaven.
A nation finds restoration when mercy and truth meet together.  Truth is coming to the knowledge of your standing with the highest judge.  Truth is knowing what you deserve.  Mercy is not getting what you know truth and justice call for.

Mercy and truth have met together in Jesus Christ.  He closed the gap that we might receive what don't deserve.  Righteousness is right standing with God.  Of our own power and our own works, we have no righteousness.

The peace spoken about in verse 10 is all encompassing.  It's not just an absence of enemies or warfare.  It's contentment, welfare, tranquility, friendship, prosperity and health.  In our own righteousness there can be no peace.  In our own righteousness, our fallen-ness, our sinful nature, we will be at odds with our creator.  But, righteousness and peach have kissed the Psalmists says.  How can that be?  Men either have to find righteousness, or peace has to be given to those that don't deserve it.  But men have no ability for righteousness on their own and a just God can't offer peace without justice.  The answer once again is found in Jesus Christ.  Though the people of that time didn't know it.  They sought God completely in fear and reverence and trusted Him to forgive them.  But their sins were covered, for a time.  Peace came on loan, until the price was paid on the cross.  Then, after the price for all sin is paid, we see verse 11.

¹¹ Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

At the resurrection of Christ, God the Father accepted the payment.  Then, in righteousness, Jesus sat down at His right hand.

 ¹² Yes, the LORD will give what is good;
         And our land will yield its increase.
 ¹³ Righteousness will go before Him,
         And shall make His footsteps our pathway.

God is faithful in His word.  He will give what is good, not necessarily what we think is good but what He says is good.  And a land will yield its increase.

As we look at this we see it a little different because we have a New Covenant perspective.  Righteousness leads the way, it says.  Jesus is the only righteousness we know.  His footsteps are our pathway.  We simply need to follow Christ, repent of our sins and trust Him.

A nation that turns to Him and fears Him and lives in reverence of Him will have that contentment, welfare, tranquility, friendship, prosperity and health.  As we look at our nation we can look back to verse 1.  LORD, You have been favorable to Your land.  And we can be again if we repent. 

Verse 2 says, You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people.  The price of our sin has been paid for through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  And we can apply the precept of verse 3 to our nation: You have taken away all Your wrath;  You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.

God, You have made a way for this nation to be a nation under the hand of God.  We pray for repentance and revival.  We pray for the revival to start in each individual heart.  Will You be angry forever?  Will You allow this nation to be defeated?