Psalm 85:1
85:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.
     LORD, thou hast been {a} favourable unto thy land: thou
     hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.

     (a) They confess that God's free mercy was the cause of
         their deliverance because he loved the land which he
         had chosen.

Psalm 85:2
85:2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast
     {b} covered all their sin. Selah.

     (b) You have buried them that they will not come into
         judgment.

Psalm 85:3
85:3 Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned
     [thyself] from the {c} fierceness of thine anger.

     (c) Not only in withdrawing your rod, but in forgiving
         sins, and in touching our hearts to confess them.

Psalm 85:5
85:5 Wilt thou be angry with us {d} for ever? wilt thou draw out
     thine anger to all generations?

     (d) As in times past they had felt God's mercies, so now
         being oppressed by the long continuance of evil, they
         pray to God that according to his nature he would be
         merciful to them.

Psalm 85:7
85:7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy {e} salvation.

     (e) He confesses that our salvation comes only from God's
         mercy.

Psalm 85:8
85:8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak
     {f} peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them
     not turn again to folly.

     (f) He will send all prosperity to his Church, when he has
         sufficiently corrected them, also by his punishments
         the faithful will learn to beware that they not return
         the same offences.

Psalm 85:11
85:11 {g} Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness
      shall look down from heaven.

      (g) Though for a time God thus exercises them with his
          rods, yet under the kingdom of Christ they should have
          peace and joy.

Psalm 85:13
85:13 {h} Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set [us]
      in the way of his steps.

      (h) Justice will then flourish and have free course and
          passage in every place.