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Day 255

Psalm 85:1a "LORD, You have been favourable to Your land..."

Day 255 – Psalm 85

“LORD, You have been favourable to Your land…” Psalm 85:1a

SUPERSCRIPTION

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

1. Normal features observed

a) Dedication to the Chief Musician
b) Authors identified

2. Nature of the writing is clarified: A Psalm

a) A song
b) A prayer

ADDRESSING GOD IN PRAYER

Psalm 85 begins with a straightforward prayer to God. There was no formality.

“LORD, You have been favourable to Your land;
You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.”
Psalm 85:1

1. Context of prayer

a) Prayers always have a context.
b) The context enables us to understand the psalm more readily.

2. Context of Psalm 85

a) It has to do with the land of Israel.
b) The sons of Korah preferred to think of the land as “(God’s) land”.
c) The captivity of Jacob:-
i) The word “captivity” could be used as a general reference to Israel being oppressed by its enemies.
ii) It could also be a reference to the Babylonian captivity in particular.
d) This psalm focuses on how the Lord had brought back the children of Jacob to their own homeland.
e) There is humble gratitude to the Lord for His grace and mercy bestowed.