Psalms 85:5

KJV

Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?

KJV (with Strong's)

Wilt thou be angry {H599}{H8799)} with us for ever {H5769}? wilt thou draw out {H4900}{H8799)} thine anger {H639} to all {H1755} generations {H1755}?

Complete Jewish Bible

Are you to stay angry with us forever? Will your fury last through all generations?

Berean Standard Bible

Will You be angry with us forever? Will You draw out Your anger to all generations?

American Standard Version

Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 85:5 presents an urgent and profound lament from a community grappling with the lingering effects of divine displeasure. It articulates a desperate plea for the cessation of God's righteous anger, questioning its duration and expressing a deep yearning for the return of His favor and the restoration of His people. This verse captures the tension between God's justice and His mercy, serving as a poignant cry for enduring compassion in the face of perceived ongoing judgment and a plea for its swift end.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalms 85 is a communal lament and prayer for national restoration, likely composed after a period of significant hardship, possibly the return from Babylonian exile. The psalm opens with a powerful recollection of God's past mercies and forgiveness, acknowledging that He "hast been favourable unto thy land" and "hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people" ([Psalms 85:1-3](/psalms/85-1-3 "Psalms 85:1-3 - God's Past Favor and Forgiveness")). Despite this remembrance of past grace, the present reality is one of continued distress, prompting the psalmist to cry out in verse 4, "Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease" ([Psalms 85:4](/psalms/85-4 "Psalms 85:4 - A Plea for Restoration")). Verse 5 intensifies this plea by directly questioning the persistence of God's anger, setting the stage for the psalm's pivot towards a hopeful anticipation of revival and righteousness in the latter half, as the psalmist looks forward to God showing His steadfast love and granting salvation ([Psalms 85:6-13](/psalms/85-6-13 "Psalms 85:6-13 - Prayer for Revival and God's Faithfulness")).

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The historical backdrop for Psalm 85 is most commonly understood as the post-exilic period, particularly the return of the Jewish people from Babylon. While they had been restored to their land, the full promised blessings of the covenant had not yet materialized. They faced ongoing challenges, including economic hardship, political vulnerability, and a sense that God's full favor had not yet returned. This context explains the community's deep concern about "thine anger" and its duration. In ancient Near Eastern thought, national calamity was often interpreted as a sign of divine displeasure due to corporate sin. The plea in verse 5, therefore, reflects a people grappling with the consequences of their past transgressions, yet clinging to the hope of God's covenant faithfulness and His ultimate desire for their well-being. They understood that God's anger, though righteous, was not meant to be perpetual for His covenant people.

* **Key Themes:** Psalms 85:5 encapsulates several profound themes central to the psalm and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it highlights the **tension between divine anger and mercy**, portraying God as both just in His judgment and compassionate in His desire to restore. The very act of questioning implies a belief that God's anger is not His final word, echoing the sentiment found in [Psalms 30:5](/psalms/30-5 "Psalms 30:5 - His Anger is but for a Moment"). Secondly, it expresses a profound **hope for restoration**, demonstrating that even in the depths of perceived divine displeasure, there is an underlying faith that God can and will turn from His wrath. This hope is foundational to the psalm's movement from lament to renewed trust. Thirdly, the phrase "to all generations" underscores a deep concern for the **intergenerational impact** of God's actions, reflecting an understanding that divine favor or disfavor can have lasting consequences on a community and its descendants. Finally, while not explicitly stated in this verse, the broader context of the psalm implies an **acknowledgment of sin and a desperate plea for repentance and revival**, as seen in the call for God to "turn us" in [Psalms 85:4](/psalms/85-4 "Psalms 85:4 - A Call for God to Turn Us").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Angry (Hebrew, _ʼânaph'_):** This verb (H599) is a primitive root meaning "to breathe hard, i.e., be enraged." It describes a strong, often righteous indignation or displeasure, typically stemming from a violation of covenant or moral principles. It denotes a turning away of the face in anger, indicating a withdrawal of favor or a punitive response. The question "Wilt thou be angry with us for ever?" emphasizes the depth of the community's suffering and their fear that this divine displeasure has become a permanent state, a fear that God's face is perpetually turned away.
* **Anger (Hebrew, _ʼaph'_):** This noun (H639), derived from the same root as _ʼânaph_, properly refers to "the nose or nostril," and by extension, "the face," but also (from the rapid breathing in passion) "ire" or "wrath." Here, it personifies the divine wrath, making it a tangible force that the psalmist fears will be extended indefinitely. It highlights the intensity and personal nature of God's displeasure.
* **Draw out (Hebrew, _mâshak'_):** This verb (H4900) is a primitive root meaning "to draw," used in a great variety of applications including "to prolong" or "extend." In this context, it vividly portrays the extension or perpetuation of God's anger over time. The psalmist is not merely asking if the anger will end, but whether it will be "drawn out" indefinitely, implying a prolonged period of suffering and a fear that it might never cease, like a line being stretched to an infinite point.
* **For ever (Hebrew, _ʻôwlâm'_):** This word (H5769), often translated as "eternity" or "perpetuity," properly means "concealed, i.e., the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future)." When coupled with "all generations," it expresses the extreme fear that God's anger is not just temporary discipline but an enduring, perhaps even unending, state that will impact not only the current generation but also their descendants. This hyperbolic expression underscores the depth of their despair and the intensity of their plea for relief, appealing to God's character as one who does not retain His anger forever.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Wilt thou be angry with us for ever?":** This is a direct, impassioned rhetorical question addressed to God. It expresses the community's profound distress and their perception that God's anger has been prolonged beyond endurance. The "us" signifies a corporate identity, acknowledging shared responsibility for the circumstances that have brought about divine displeasure. The use of "for ever" highlights the desperate hope that God's anger is not, in fact, eternal, but rather temporary and remedial, designed to bring about repentance and restoration. It is a cry for an end to the perceived divine chastisement.
* **"wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?":** This second rhetorical question serves as a synonymous parallel, intensifying the first. "Draw out" emphasizes the duration and extension of the anger, while "to all generations" broadens the scope of concern from the present suffering to the future well-being of the entire lineage. It reflects a deep concern for the covenantal promises and the spiritual inheritance of their descendants, fearing that the current state of divine displeasure might permanently scar future generations, thereby hindering God's redemptive plan for His people across time.

#### Literary Devices
The verse powerfully employs **Rhetorical Question** to convey the depth of the community's anguish and their desperate plea. By posing questions that expect a negative answer, the psalmist implicitly appeals to God's character of mercy and faithfulness, hoping that God's anger will not, in fact, last forever. This is reinforced by **Parallelism**, specifically synonymous parallelism, where the second clause ("wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?") reiterates and intensifies the meaning of the first ("Wilt thou be angry with us for ever?"). Both clauses express the same core fear of prolonged divine wrath, but the second expands the temporal scope, emphasizing the intergenerational impact. The use of "for ever" and "all generations" also contains an element of **Hyperbole**, exaggerating the duration of the anger to underscore the profound sense of abandonment and the urgent need for God's intervention and restoration, appealing to His compassion.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 85:5 grapples with a fundamental theological tension: the reality of God's righteous anger against sin versus the eternal nature of His steadfast love and mercy. While God's anger is a just response to disobedience, the Scriptures consistently affirm that it is temporary and remedial, not His ultimate disposition towards His repentant people. This verse, therefore, is a desperate appeal to God's character, echoing the truth that He is "slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love" ([Psalms 103:8](/psalms/103-8 "Psalms 103:8 - God's Compassion")). The psalmist's plea implicitly trusts that God's desire is not to retain His anger forever, but to show compassion and restore. This understanding is crucial for believers facing periods of divine discipline or perceived distance from God, reminding them that His ultimate purpose is always redemptive, aiming to bring His people back into full fellowship and blessing.

* [Psalms 30:5](/psalms/30-5 "Psalms 30:5 - Weeping May Endure for a Night")
* [Micah 7:18](/micah/7-18 "Micah 7:18 - God Delights in Mercy")
* [Isaiah 54:7-8](/isaiah/54-7-8 "Isaiah 54:7-8 - Brief Anger, Everlasting Love")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 85:5 offers a profound model for honest and vulnerable prayer in the face of hardship and perceived divine displeasure. It teaches us that it is permissible, even necessary, to articulate our deepest fears and questions to God, even when those questions challenge our understanding of His ways. This verse reminds us that while God's anger against sin is real and just, it is ultimately temporary for His covenant people. His discipline is not punitive in the sense of eternal condemnation, but redemptive, aimed at drawing us back into right relationship with Him. In moments of personal or communal distress, when it feels as though God's favor has been withdrawn or His anger prolonged, we are called to cling to His unchanging character of love and mercy. We can trust that His steadfast love endures forever, and that He will not "draw out His anger to all generations" for those who genuinely seek Him and repent. This psalm ultimately moves from lament to renewed hope, inviting us to seek spiritual revival and renewed fellowship with God in our own lives and communities, confident in His ultimate desire for our flourishing.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does this verse challenge or affirm your understanding of God's anger and His mercy?**
* **In what situations might you find yourself asking God, "Wilt thou be angry with us for ever?" and how does this psalm encourage you to pray in such moments?**
* **What is our responsibility in seeking an end to God's "anger" or discipline in our lives or in our communities?**
* **How does the concern for "all generations" impact your perspective on current spiritual health and actions within your family or community?**

### FAQ

**Does God's anger truly last forever?**

Answer: No. While God's anger against sin is real and just, the Bible consistently teaches that His anger towards His repentant people is temporary and remedial, not eternal. Passages like [Psalms 30:5](/psalms/30-5 "Psalms 30:5 - His Anger is but for a Moment") state, "For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Similarly, [Micah 7:18](/micah/7-18 "Micah 7:18 - God Delights in Mercy") asks, "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy." The psalmist's question in [Psalms 85:5](/psalms/85-5 "Psalms 85:5 - Wilt Thou Be Angry Forever?") is a desperate plea born of present suffering, appealing to God's known character of compassion and His desire for reconciliation.

**What does "to all generations" imply in this context?**

Answer: The phrase "to all generations" emphasizes the community's deep concern for the long-term spiritual and physical well-being of their descendants. It reflects an understanding that God's actions and their consequences can extend beyond the immediate generation, impacting the future. In the context of the covenant, blessings and curses could be intergenerational, as seen in passages like [Exodus 34:6-7](/exodus/34-6-7 "Exodus 34:6-7 - The Lord, the Compassionate and Gracious God"). The psalmist is expressing a fear that the current state of divine displeasure might become a perpetual condition, affecting the spiritual inheritance and relationship with God for generations to come. It underscores the profound desire for God's full and lasting restoration for the entire lineage of His people, not just the present sufferers.

**How can we approach God when we feel His displeasure or discipline?**

Answer: Psalms 85:5 provides a powerful example of approaching God with honest lament and desperate plea, even when feeling His displeasure. It encourages us to articulate our fears and questions directly to Him, trusting in His character. We should approach Him with humility, acknowledging our sin (as implied by the context of divine anger), and with a spirit of repentance, seeking His mercy and restoration. The psalm's movement from lament to hope teaches us to remember God's past faithfulness and to appeal to His enduring love, confident that He desires to turn His anger away and bring about revival, as seen in [Psalms 85:6](/psalms/85-6 "Psalms 85:6 - Wilt Thou Not Revive Us Again?"). This approach aligns with the New Testament call to "draw near to God with a true heart in full assurance of faith" ([Hebrews 10:22](/hebrews/10-22 "Hebrews 10:22 - Drawing Near to God")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 85:5, with its poignant cry against enduring divine anger, finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The fear that God's wrath might be "drawn out... to all generations" is definitively answered by the Lamb of God. On the cross, Jesus fully absorbed the righteous anger of God against sin, becoming the propitiation for our transgressions. "For God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Became Sin for Us")). Through His sacrifice, the wrath that humanity deserved was exhausted, and a new covenant of grace was established. Believers are no longer under the condemnation of the law but are reconciled to God, experiencing His perpetual favor and peace. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" ([Romans 5:1](/romans/5-1 "Romans 5:1 - Justified by Faith")). Christ's intercession ensures that God's anger is turned away from those who are in Him, guaranteeing an everlasting relationship of love and mercy, not just for one generation, but for all who believe, forever. He is the ultimate answer to the psalmist's desperate plea, ensuring that God's favor, not His anger, extends "to all generations" through His finished work and His eternal priesthood ([Hebrews 7:25](/hebrews/7-25 "Hebrews 7:25 - Jesus Always Lives to Intercede")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Psalms 79:5

How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

Psalms 80:4

O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?

Psalms 74:1

¶ Maschil of Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast [us] off for ever? [why] doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

Revelation 18:21

And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast [it] into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

Revelation 18:23

And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

Isaiah 64:9

Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we [are] all thy people.

Isaiah 64:12

Wilt thou refrain thyself for these [things], O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?