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Day 258

Psalm 85:4a "Restore us, O God of our salvation..."

Day 258 – Psalm 85

“Restore us, O God of our salvation…” Psalm 85:4a

PLEAS FOR SALVATION

Again and again, as we read the Psalms, we will come across pleas for deliverance. Graciously God would respond to the prayers of His people and He would deliver them from their enemies. The sons of Korah described the Lord in a special way in the following text.

“Restore us, O God of our salvation,
And cause Your anger toward us to cease.”
Psalm 85:4

1. “O God of our salvation”

The sons of Korah noted a total of six wonderful deeds God had performed for the children of Israel (Psalm 85:1-3). In these deeds the Lord proved Himself to be the “God of our salvation”.

a) He had been favourably disposed to the children of Israel (Psalm 85:1a).
b) He had brought them back to their homeland (Psalm 85:1b).
c) He had forgiven the iniquity of the people (Psalm 85:2a).
d) He had covered all their sins (Psalm 85:2b).
e) He had taken away all His wrath (Psalm 85:3a).
f) He had turned away from the fierceness of His wrath (Psalm 85:3b).

These acts were closely inter-related, yet each one has its own importance. All told, the children of Israel had every reason to be grateful to the Lord for His grace and mercy bestowed.

SENSITIVE DISTINCTIONS

The sons of Korah offered a prayer of sensitive discernment in the above text. They made careful distinctions between the deeds of God. Let us note these distinctions:-

1. With reference to sin

Forgiveness and covering for sin were distinguished though they are closely related. Forgiveness speaks of pardon for the deeds of sin. And the covering of sin speaks of removal of legal guilt associated with sin.

2. With reference to wrath

The wrath of God taken away and turning aside the fierceness of anger were distinguished. The first speaks of removal of the idea of wrath. The second speaks of turning away the intensity of God’s anger.

3. With reference to salvation (deliverance)

The Lord had indeed proven Himself to be Israel’s great God of salvation. An act of salvation was one thing, but the act of restoration was quite another!