PS 85 A recital of past, and prayer for present mercy, ver. 1-7. A prediction of a favourable answer, ver. 8-13. To the chief musician, A psalm for the sons of Korah.

Verse 1. Captivity - The captives.

Verse 4. Turn us - Restore us to our former tranquillity, and free us from the troubles which we yet groan under.

Verse 6. Revive us - Give us a second reviving in bringing home the rest of our brethren, and in restraining our enemies.

Verse 8. Will hear - Diligently observe. Will speak - What answer God will give to my prayers. Peace - He will give an answer of peace. Saints - Not to all that are called God's people, but only to those who are truly such.

Verse 9. His salvation - That compleat salvation for which all the Israel of God wait; even the redemption by the Messiah; of which not only Christian, but even Jewish writers understand this place; and to which the following passages properly belong. And the psalmist might well say this salvation was nigh, because the seventy weeks determined by Daniel were begun. Glory - The glorious presence of God, and the God of glory himself, even Christ, who is the brightness of his father's glory.

Verse 10. Kissed - That great work of redemption by Christ, shall clearly manifest God's mercy in redeeming his people Israel, and in the conversion of the Gentiles; his truth in fulfilling that great promise of sending his son, his righteousness in punishing sin, on his son, and in conferring righteousness upon guilty and lost creatures; and his peace or reconciliation to sinners, and that peace of conscience which attends upon it.

Verse 11. Truth - Truth among men. Righteousness - And God's justice shall be satisfied: he shall look down upon sinful men with a smiling countenance.