TRV
Translation
King James Version
Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?
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?
World English Bible Messianic
Will you be angry with us forever? Will you draw out your anger to all generations?
Geneva Bible (1599)
Wilt thou be angry with vs for euer? and wilt thou prolong thy wrath from one generation to another?
Young's Literal Translation
To the age art Thou angry against us? Dost Thou draw out Thine anger To generation and generation?
In the KJVVerse 15,277 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Psalms 85 verses 1–7
1 ¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.
2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.
3 Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.
4 Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.
5 Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?
6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.
The church, in affliction and distress, is here, by direction from God, making her application to God. So ready is God to hear and answer the prayers of his people that by his Spirit in the word, and in the heart, he indites their petitions and puts words into their mouths. The people of God, in a very low and weak condition, are here taught how to address themselves to God.
I. They are to acknowledge with thankfulness the great things God had done for them (Psa 85:1-3): "Thou has done so and so for us and our fathers." Note, The sense of present afflictions should not drown the remembrance of former mercies; but, even when we are brought very low, we must call to remembrance past experiences of God's goodness, which we must take notice of with thankfulness, to his praise. They speak of it here with pleasure, 1. That God had shown himself propitious to their land, and had smiled upon it as his own: "Thou hast been favourable to thy land, as thine, with distinguishing favours." Note, The favour of God is the spring-head of all good, and the fountain of happiness, to nations, as well as to particular persons. It was by the favour of God that Israel got and kept possession of Canaan (Psa 44:3); and, if he had not continued very favourable to them, they would have been ruined many a time. 2. That he had rescued them out of the hands of their enemies and restored them to their liberty: "Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob, and settled those in their own land again that had been driven out and were strangers in a strange land, prisoners in the land of their oppressors." The captivity of Jacob, though it may continue long, will be brought back in due time. 3. That he had not dealt with them according to the desert of their provocations (Psa 85:2): "Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, and not punished them as in justice thou mightest. Thou hast covered all their sin." When God forgives sin he covers it; and, when he covers the sin of his people, he covers it all. The bringing back of their captivity was then an instance of God's favour to them, when it was accompanied with the pardon of their iniquity. 4. That he had not continued his anger against them so far, and so long, as they had reason to fear (Psa 85:3): "Having covered all their sin, thou hast taken away all thy wrath;" for when sin is set aside God's anger ceases; God is pacified if we are purified. See what the pardon of sin is: Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, that is, "Thou hast turned thy anger from waxing hot, so as to consume us in the flame of it. In compassion to us thou hast not stirred up all thy wrath, but, when an intercessor has stood before thee in the gap, thou hast turned away thy anger."
II. They are taught to pray to God for grace and mercy, in reference to their present distress; this is inferred from the former: "Thou hast done well for our fathers; do well for us, for we are the children of the same covenant." 1. They pray for converting grace: "Turn us, O God of our salvation! in order to the turning of our captivity; turn us from iniquity; turn us to thyself and to our duty; turn us, and we shall be turned." All those whom God will save sooner or later he will turn. If no conversion, no salvation. 2. They pray for the removal of the tokens of God's displeasure which they were under: "Cause thine anger towards us to cease, as thou didst many a time cause it to cease in the days of our fathers, when thou didst take away thy wrath from them." Observe the method, "First turn us to thee, and then cause thy anger to turn from us." When we are reconciled to God, then, and not till then, we may expect the comfort of his being reconciled to us. 3. They pray for the manifestation of God's good-will to them (Psa 85:7): "Show us thy mercy, O Lord! show thyself merciful to us; not only have mercy on us, but let us have the comfortable evidences of that mercy; let us know that thou hast mercy on us and mercy in store for us." 4. They pray that God would, graciously to them and gloriously to himself, appear on their behalf: "Grant us thy salvation; grant it by thy promise, and then, no doubt, thou wilt work it by thy providence." Note, The vessels of God's mercy are the heirs of his salvation; he shows mercy to those to whom he grants salvation; for salvation is of mere mercy.
III. They are taught humbly to expostulate with God concerning their present troubles, Psa 85:5, Psa 85:6. Here observe, 1. What they dread and deprecate: "Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? We are undone if thou art, but we hope thou wilt not. Wilt thou draw out thy anger unto all generations? No; thou art gracious, slow to anger, and swift to show mercy, and wilt not contend for ever. Thou wast not angry with our fathers for ever, but didst soon turn thyself from the fierceness of thy wrath; why then wilt thou be angry with us for ever? Are not thy mercies and compassions as plentiful and powerful as ever they were? Impenitent sinners God will be angry with for ever; for what is hell but the wrath of God drawn out unto endless generations? But shall a hell upon earth be the lot of thy people?" 2. What they desire and hope for: "Wilt thou not revive us again (Psa 85:6), revive us with comforts spoken to us, revive us with deliverances wrought for us? Thou hast been favourable to thy land formerly, and that revived it; wilt thou not again be favourable, and so revive it again?" God had granted to the children of the captivity some reviving in their bondage, Ezr 9:8. Their return out of Babylon was as life from the dead, Eze 37:11, Eze 37:12. Now, Lord (say they), wilt thou not revive us again, and put thy hand again the second time to gather us in? Isa 11:11; Psa 126:1, Psa 126:4. Revive thy work in the midst of the years, Hab 3:2. "Revive us again," (1.) "That thy people may rejoice; and so we shall have the comfort of it," Psa 14:7. Give them life, that they may have joy. (2.) "That they may rejoice in thee; and so thou wilt have the glory of it." If God be the fountain of all our mercies, he must be the centre of all our joys.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–7. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 17
“Restore us, O God of our salvations.” Why did the psalmist not say “our salvation” instead of “our salvations”? If we sinned just once, we would need only one salvation; but we have sinned many times and, therefore, are in need of many salvations. “Will you not instead, O God, give us life?” Until the Lord restores us to life, we are dead. “Show us, O Lord, your kindness, and grant us your salvation.” The Savior’s descent is the work of God’s mercy. He would not have come as a physician if most people were not sick. Because so many were sick, he came as Physician; because we were in need of compassion, he came as Savior.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 85
"Be not angry with us for ever" [Psalm 85:5]. For by the anger of God we are subject to death, and by the anger of God we eat bread on this earth in want, and in the sweat of our face. [Genesis 3:19] This was Adam's sentence when he sinned: and that Adam was every one of us, for "in Adam all die;" [1 Corinthians 15:22] the sentence passed on him has taken effect after him on us. For we were not yet ourselves, but we were in Adam: therefore whatever happened to Adam himself took effect on us also, so that we should die: for we all were in him....So far as this the sin of your father hurts you not, if you have changed yourself, even as it would not hurt your father if he had changed himself. But that which our stock has received unto its subjection to death, it has derived from Adam. What has it so derived? That frailty of the flesh, this torture of pains, this house of poverty, this chain of death, and snares of temptations; all these things we carry about in this flesh; and this is the anger of God, because it is the vengeance of God. But because it was so to be, that we should be regenerated, and by believing should be made new, and all that mortality was to be removed in our resurrection, and the whole man was to be restored in newness; "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive;" [1 Corinthians 15:22] seeing this the Prophet says, "Be not angry with us for ever, nor stretch out Your wrath from one generation to another." The first generation was mortal by Your wrath: the second generation shall be immortal by Your mercy....
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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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). 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). 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).
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. 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.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
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). 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.
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
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 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 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 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. 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. 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).
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). 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). 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).