PSALM 85.

         TURN US !

   In verse four of this psalm the singer pleads, "Turn us O God of our 
salvation, and cause Thine anger towards us to cease." The whole argument in 
the beginning of the psalm rides on the supposition that God is unchangeably 
gracious. Therefore if He has once shown mercy, He is ready in like 
circumstances to do it again. We have an unchanging God. His mercy and grace 
are unchangeable. The psalmist recounts the goodness of God, realising what 
He has done before, He will do again. So let us first consider how the 
psalmist outlines what God has done. We may easily follow the line of his 
argument by his repetition of the words "Thou hast". When you think about 
your salvation carefully, you realise that PARDON is one of a series of 
infinite blessings that god has bestowed upon you. The very first blessing 
you received from Him was when he pardoned you. He forgave your sin, and the 
Favour of God began to flow into your life. There are times when we are apt 
to grumble at our circumstances, but it is good to think of all that God has 
done for us. There are a series of wonderful blessings beginning with that 
act of pardon. The psalmist says, "Lord you have been favourable unto your 
land - now please consider it Lord and bless us. You have brought back the 
captivity of Jacob. Bless us. Turn us that once more we shall know your 
favour and blessing." How easy it is to take for granted what God has done 
for us. We need to come back to the principles of living which brought us 
into favour with God.
   "Thou hast turned the captivity of Jacob." Pardon is the first of God's 
blessings which He gave us. Alongside it, and very quickly there came 
liberty. How do you turn captivity?. You turn captivity into liberty, and 
liberty is a mighty blessing. Do we really appreciate the liberty we have as 
the children of God?. Consider the thousands around us who are slaves. Many 
object that there is no slavery today. But, there is, men and women are 
slaves to their habits, and their lives are ruined by that slavery. They are 
fettered by overpowering passion and illicit desire. Their chains are not 
visible and evident, but they are nevertheless very real. Drugs ensnare 
people bringing them to threat of death or lifelong bondage. Even the youth 
of our nations are in danger of enslavement by glue sniffing and drugs. The 
danger is real enough. They could be in bondage the rest of their days. 
Whilst believers enjoy the liberty of the children of God, they should have 
great pity on others in the land, and cry to heaven that God might turn our 
captivity.
   The psalmist continues, "Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of Thy people." 
It is wonderful how God pardons ALL our offences. God does not draw up a 
contract with us when He pardons us - "I'll forgive one or two things you 
have done, but some of the things you have committed are outside the pale.  
Let us see how you go on and IF you improve, I'll see what I can do for you." 
Our God cover ALL THINGS when He forgives. It is an unconditional pardon - 
when He forgives He forgets. We ought to revel in the forgiveness of our God, 
being ready to forgive each other as freely as he has forgiven us. We must 
realise the extent of His love. The psalmist uses a wonderful phrase, "Thou 
hast covered ALL THEIR SINS." What a wonderful God we have. He has not given 
us something cheap. He has not just waved His hand and said, "O well, let's 
forget about it!". He could never forget about it; it cost God everything He 
had to forgive us. He freely gave His only begotten son for us.  Atonement 
has to be made before sin can be forgiven. Christ paid the price on Calvary. 
With Christ God freely forgives us all things.
   Unfortunately there are some who reading John 3.16 conclude that we are 
saved by the Love of God. It is a mistake to believe that. We are saved by 
the atonement made by the Blood of Christ. IN THE Bible CHRIST IS CALLED, 
"The LAMB SLAIN BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD." The psalmist sings, 
"Thou hast taken away all Thy Wrath." The LOVE of God made the sacrifice. The 
SACRIFICE took away our sin. The WRATH of God was removed and now we have 
PEACE WITH GOD. What a compete turn about - from lives of strife we are 
brought to living in Peace. Since God has ceased to be angry there has come 
to every believer a Peace which passes all understanding. the wrath of God is 
upon all wickedness. God's wrath is a Divine Principle. It is not "getting 
angry" as it is in the human sense. In His Divine Purpose God has taken away 
all His Wrath, and in its place is Peace in Christ.
"Thou hast turned Thyself!" This is the psalmist's final and most glorious 
observation. It is wonderful to contemplate that God has, in Christ, made the 
first move toward reconciliation. It is a terrible thing when two persons 
fall out and not one of them will make the first move to reconciliation. 
Well, God loves you so much that He has made the first move to your 
restoration. He has turned Himself. In Britain we had a Prime Minister who 
declared she was 'not for turning'. We are glad to have a God who has turned 
from wrath to Mercy.
   The second theme of this psalm is our title. "Turn us, O God of our 
salvation". God has turned toward us, now we need turning towards God. You 
may have noticed that many house plants need turning if you are going to keep 
them straight. They will draw towards the light. Even the best of plants does 
not look its best at 45 degrees tilt. They are all better standing upright. 
Here is the prayer for ourselves, "Turn us O God." We need turning regularly 
to keep us up straight. It is a work which only God can do.
   This turning implied three things:-
   1. Revival (Vs.6) "Wilt Thou not revive us again; that Thy people may 
rejoice in Thee." Revival is not mass conversions. It is a mass of people 
turning to God, and most of them are already God's people. We need to turn. 
We grow cold and indifferent. We go the wrong way. We lose out in prayer. We 
wander in many directions. O God turn us !.
   2. Rejoicing. "That Thy people may rejoice in Thee." If anything on earth 
gives real joy, it is the reviving that God gives in the hearts of His 
people. There is no greater joy than to know that there is New Life flowing 
again. Things brighten up in our spiritual experiences in a quickening and 
reviving. This is the TURNING of our lives by God.
   3. RESPONSE. There is not only revival and rejoicing, there is also 
response in our being turned. Vs.8. "I will hear what the Lord shall speak; 
for He will speak Peace unto His people and to His saints; but let them not 
turn again to folly."
   In the church in all Ages it is an unspeakable blessing that the prophets 
have heard what God the Lord Spoke. How many times has God spoken to you? How 
many times has He spoken and you have not heard? We need to be turned to 
respond. God will speak to His people, but let us not turn again to folly.
   The Third theme of this psalm is THE BRIGHT HOPE BEFORE US. "Surely His 
salvation is nigh unto them that fear Him." Salvation is near. Never be 
influenced by appearances, the darkest hour is often just before the dawn. Be 
governed by God's Promises. Appearances are deceptive, but His Promises are 
true. Salvation is nearer than you think. "Mercy and Truth are met together." 
God knows ALL the truth about us, yet He still loves us. So He is merciful to 
us. These lovely words mirror Calvary, "Righteousness and Peace have kissed 
each other." Through Calvary, God can righteously forgive. His wrath is 
turned away. The sinners ought to die, but Christ has died for us.. He is our 
righteousness and peace. In Him those virtues met. Truth shall spring out of 
the earth. If truth came out into the open in every land, most politicians 
would lose their seats. The day is coming however when God will turn the 
whole world into righteousness and peace. God will give all that is good. 
TURN US O GOD!.


Copyright (c) 1996, Hedley Palmer. All rights reserved.




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