Psalm 85

In Psalm 85 the psalmist is interceding for the people of Israel. The nation is facing a crisis, probably brought on by a military defeat. The psalmist is looking forward to Israel once again resting within God’s favor:

Unfailing love and truth have met together.

    Righteousness and peace have kissed!

 Truth springs up from the earth,

    and righteousness smiles down from heaven.

Psalm 85:10-11

This intercessory prayer of the psalmist evidences a great hope that God will restore Israel. The foundation of this hope is Israel’s experience with God. This is not the first time Israel has strayed away from her covenant relationship with God. In her past, God’s unfailing love, His mercy has restored Israel to a right relationship with God. Based on these experiences with God’s grace, the psalmist has a confident hope that God will, once again, act on Israel’s behalf.

When Christians gather together in small groups for study and nurture, the most important question before each person is, “How have you experienced God in your life since we last met?” How we answer this question is vitally important because without a past and present experience of God, we will have little hope to experience God in our future. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and this assurance is based on how we have experienced God working in our lives (Hebrews 11:1).

The Bible says, “Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10). However, without hope our reality becomes: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Proverbs13:12).

In my life today, I am a sojourner, living temporarily in my home as I wait for my future to unfold. I do not know what my future looks like; where I’ll be; what I’ll be doing, but I know very well who holds my future. God has been faithful in my life. Over and over again, he has manifested his presence in my life, and shown himself strong. While I am most assuredly curious about where I’ll be living and how I will be serving the Lord, I am not anxious. My hope is in the Lord.

“We put our hope in the Lord.

    He is our help and our shield.

 In him our hearts rejoice,

    for we trust in his holy name.

 Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,

    for our hope is in you alone.”

Psalm 33:20-22

Sē’lah

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Reading for July 26, 2012          Psalm 86