Thoughts for the Day

Prayer for the Restoration of God’s Favour
To the leader. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.

Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
and put away your indignation towards us.
Will you be angry with us for ever?
Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
Will you not revive us again,
so that your people may rejoice in you?

Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.

Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people,
to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.

Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
and righteousness will look down from the sky.
The Lord will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before him,
and will make a path for his steps.
(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Psalm 85 is headed 'Prayer for the Restoration of God’s Favour. To the leader of the Korahites. A Psalm'. So it's a prayer in verse format and sung, ie a psalm. But who are the Korahites? Well they are the sons of Korah whose descendants were gatekeepers for God's tabernacle, and the inner sanctuary of the Temple (Chronicles 9.19). They played a central role in the worship of God, writing, arranging, and performing music. Many of their Psalms express humility and gratitude to God, as in Psalm 84: "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness."

Today's Psalm (not all is included here) asks for God's help, possibly at a time of drought, and for His forgiveness. The psalmist prays confidently because he knows salvation is part of God's character; calling Him "the God of our salvation". But it is the closing words that offer one of the most beautiful pictures of how God's people and the earth will one day be restored to Him. Love, Faithfulness, Righteousness, and Peace he says are key attributes of God. As the theologian James Boice once wrote: "In these verses four great attributes of God meet together…and then, like conquering generals, they march side by side to a victory that is the sure and certain hope of God’s people.”

We may not understand how God will achieve this, but we live in the certain hope that He will.

Lord Jesus Christ,,
in a world torn apart by division and dissension,
keep us faithful to Your promise of salvation.
May we live with integrity,
treating those with whom we come in contact
as we would wish to be treated,
and trusting in Your promise to return.
Amen.