LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored
the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all
their sin. You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger. Restore
us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us!
Psalms 85:1-4
Here, the psalmist
remembers a former time when Yahweh forgave His people and restored life to the
way it was. And he is asking God to do that again.
Two things to note
here. First, it is possible for God to discipline His people so severely that
life is turned completely upside down. This is a result of His 'indignation' at
their sins. Yes, God is loving and very merciful. But there are times when what
His people need is a good spanking. And God, as a good Father, does exactly
that - as an act of love.
But second, it's
also important to remember that as awful as their sin was, the faith of the
psalmist was bold enough to ask for forgiveness. There was good reason for him
to think in this way. Consider how our church's confession of faith expresses
this.
As there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation; so there is no sin so great, that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent.
We need to hold on
to both of these thoughts, God's indignation and His willingness to forgive.
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