You Once Restored Us
Study note
The psalmist remembers when God showed favor to his land, forgave his people's sins, and set aside his anger.
1 Lord, you were kind to your land. You turned things around for Jacob. LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.
2 You lifted the guilt off your people's shoulders. You buried every one of their sins. Selah. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.
3 You pulled back all your anger. You cooled down from your burning rage. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.
Restore Us Again
Study note
Now the people ask God to restore them again. Will his anger last forever? Will he not bring them back to life so they can rejoice?
4 Put us back together, God who saves us. Stop being upset with us. Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.
5 Are you going to stay mad at us forever? Will your anger stretch on from one generation to the next? Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?
6 Will you not bring us back to life again so your people can find their joy in you? Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
7 Let us see your loyal love in action, Lord. Give us the rescue only you can give. Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.
Love and Faithfulness Meet
Study note
God will speak peace to his people. His salvation is near. Love and faithfulness meet together. Righteousness and peace kiss each other. The Lord will give what is good, and the land will produce its harvest.
8 I will quiet myself and listen to what God the Lord has to say, because he offers peace to his people, to those who are faithful to him. But they must not slip back into foolish living. I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.
9 His saving help is close by for everyone who respects him. His shining presence will fill our land. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.
10 Loyal love and honesty have run into each other's arms. Doing right and living in peace have kissed. Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 Honesty blooms from the ground below, and right living smiles down from heaven above. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 Yes, the Lord himself will pour out good things, and our land will produce a rich harvest. Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.
13 Doing what is right will walk ahead of him and prepare the path wherever he goes. Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.