Commentary - Psalm 85:8-13

Bird's-eye view

This portion of Psalm 85 is a glorious description of the gospel's effect, both in the heart of the believer and in the land itself. After a plea for restoration in the first seven verses, the psalmist pivots to a posture of attentive listening. He anticipates a word from God, and the word he expects is peace. This peace is not a flimsy sentiment but a robust reality, grounded in the very character of God. The subsequent verses unpack the conditions and consequences of this divine peace. It is a salvation that draws near to the reverent, causing God's glory to take up residence in the land. The psalm culminates in one of the most beautiful poetic descriptions of redemption in all of Scripture, where divine attributes that seem to be in tension, lovingkindness and truth, righteousness and peace, are reconciled in a joyful embrace. This is nothing less than a portrait of the cross, where God's justice and mercy meet. The result is a fruitful land and a people walking in the path of righteousness, following the steps of God Himself.

Outline

Clause-by-Clause Commentary

v. 8 Let me hear what the God, Yahweh, will speak; For He will speak peace to His people, to His holy ones; But let them not turn back to folly.

The psalmist begins here by setting his jaw. He has made his petition, and now he resolves to listen. This is the proper posture of faith. We do not just throw our requests at heaven's gate and then walk away, distracted. We wait for a reply. He is listening for what "the God, Yahweh" will speak. This is not just any god; it is the covenant-keeping God of Israel. And what does he expect to hear? He expects a word of "peace." The Hebrew word is shalom, which is far more than a mere cessation of hostilities. It is wholeness, completeness, welfare, and prosperity. God speaks this peace "to His people, to His holy ones." This peace is a covenant blessing, reserved for those set apart for Him. But there is a crucial condition attached, a warning shot across the bow. "But let them not turn back to folly." The word for folly here is kisla, which points to a thick-headed, brutish stupidity. It is the folly of forgetting God's past deliverances and returning to the very sins from which He saved them. True peace cannot be enjoyed by those who keep a summer home in the land of foolishness. Repentance means turning from sin, not keeping it on speed dial.

v. 9 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land.

The psalmist's expectation is not wishful thinking. It is a settled conviction: "Surely His salvation is near." This is not the vague hope of a pagan, but the confident assurance of a saint. This salvation is not for everyone indiscriminately; it is "near to those who fear Him." The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and it is also the prerequisite for deliverance. This is not a cowering, servile fear, but a reverential awe and worshipful submission to the living God. When a people walks in this fear, the result is tangible and glorious. The purpose of this nearness of salvation is so "That glory may dwell in our land." God's glory is the manifestation of His presence and His perfections. When God saves His people, He doesn't do it in a corner. He pitches His tent, His glorious presence, right in the middle of their national life. This is a foreshadowing of the incarnation, where the Word became flesh and tabernacled, dwelt, among us, and we beheld His glory (John 1:14).

v. 10 Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Here we arrive at the heart of the passage, one of the most profound theological statements in the Psalter. This is the gospel in poetry. In the courtroom of God, how can a holy God maintain His truth and righteousness while showing lovingkindness to sinful men? From a merely human standpoint, these attributes are at odds. Truth demands condemnation for sin. Lovingkindness, or hesed, covenant loyalty, desires to forgive. Righteousness requires that the penalty be paid. Peace desires reconciliation. How can this be? The psalmist sees them meeting and kissing. They are not at odds; they are in perfect harmony. This meeting place, this holy ground where they embrace, is the cross of Jesus Christ. At the cross, God's lovingkindness was on full display as He gave His only Son. His truth was upheld, for the wages of sin were indeed paid. His righteousness was satisfied in the substitutionary death of the perfect sacrifice. And because of this, true and lasting peace was made between God and man. As I have said elsewhere, mercy and truth have met, and they have kissed. This is the foundation of our salvation.

v. 11 Truth springs up from the earth, And righteousness looks down from heaven.

The reconciliation of God's attributes has a cosmic effect. It impacts heaven and earth. "Truth springs up from the earth." When God's people are saved, they begin to live truthfully. Honesty, integrity, and faithfulness begin to characterize their lives. This is the fruit of salvation, growing up from the soil of redeemed hearts. Simultaneously, "righteousness looks down from heaven." This is God's own righteousness, no longer looking down with a judicial frown of condemnation, but now looking down with favor and approval. God sees the work of His Son, imputed to His people, and He is pleased. Heaven's verdict is declared over the land. This is a picture of justification and sanctification working in tandem. God declares us righteous from heaven, and as a result, a life of truthfulness begins to sprout on earth.

v. 12 Indeed, Yahweh will give what is good, And our land will yield its produce.

The blessings are not merely spiritual and abstract; they are concrete and physical. "Indeed, Yahweh will give what is good." God is the source of all goodness, and His salvation overflows into every area of life. He doesn't just save our souls; He is interested in our crops. "And our land will yield its produce." This is covenantal blessing in its classic Old Testament form. Obedience and right worship lead to agricultural prosperity (Deut. 28). When a nation is rightly related to God, the creation itself begins to heal and function as it was designed. This is not the "health and wealth" heresy, which turns God into a cosmic vending machine. Rather, it is the biblical principle that righteousness is profitable for all things, including the fertility of the soil. When glory dwells in the land, the land itself rejoices and brings forth its fruit.

v. 13 Righteousness will go before Him And will establish the way of His steps.

The psalm concludes with a majestic image of God on the move. But notice who the forerunner is. "Righteousness will go before Him." When God comes to visit His people, to walk among them, His own righteousness prepares the way. This is not our righteousness, but His. He is the one who makes the path straight. And what is the result? It "will establish the way of His steps." The path is made firm, set, and established for us to walk in. God's righteousness goes before Him, and we, His people, are called to follow in that path. He sets the course, and our task is to place our feet in His footprints. This is the Christian life: a walk of faith, following the righteous King who has gone before us, making a way where there was no way. He establishes the path, and by His grace, we walk in it.

Application

This passage calls us first to a posture of listening. In an age of endless noise and distraction, we must cultivate the discipline of waiting on God, expecting to hear a word from Him. And the word He speaks to His people is always, ultimately, a word of peace, the robust shalom that comes only through the gospel.

Second, we must take to heart the profound reality that God's attributes are not in conflict. Our culture wants a God of love who is not a God of justice, a God of mercy who winks at the truth. But that is an idol. The God of the Bible is the God in whom righteousness and peace have kissed. We must worship Him as He is, marveling at the wisdom of the cross where all His perfections shine in harmony.

Finally, we are reminded that true faith has real-world consequences. When God's glory dwells in a land, that land is blessed. Our pursuit of righteousness, our fear of the Lord, is not a private, pietistic affair. It has public implications. As we walk in the path that righteousness has prepared, we become agents of healing and fruitfulness in our families, our churches, and our nation. Let us therefore listen for His voice, rejoice in His cross, and walk in His steps.