When I read Psalm 85, I hear the cry of a people who are tired and broken. They know what it feels like to live under God’s favour, but now they feel the weight of His discipline. We are not sure exactly when this psalm was written. Perhaps it was in Nehemiah’s time, when the exiles returned to a ruined city, a fallen temple, and a hostile land. Or perhaps earlier, during the end of Saul’s reign, when God’s people were weary of constant turmoil. Whatever the case, the experience is familiar: they feel distant from God, and they long for His nearness again.

The psalm begins with a memory: “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” (v.1–2). The people look back and remember God’s mercy. They recall how He once forgave, once restored, once turned His anger away. That memory gives them hope for the present. If God has done it before, surely He can do it again!

This teaches me something important: revival always begins with remembering. When my heart feels cold or distant, I need to pause and look back. I need to recall the times God forgave me, when He carried me through trials, when His love covered my shame. That memory fuels fresh hope that He has not changed. He is still the same merciful God.

Then comes their prayer: “Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us” (v.4). “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” (v.6). They know revival is not something they can manufacture by effort or emotion. True revival is the work of God’s mercy. Only He can breathe life into dry bones. Only He can soften a stubborn heart. Only He can restore joy to a weary soul.

But the psalm also shifts my attention inward. The problem is not with God. He is not reluctant to bless. He is not stingy with His goodness. Verse 9 reminds us: “Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him.” The problem is often with me. Do I fear Him? Do I approach Him with reverence, or do I treat Him lightly? Do I long for His will, or do I insist on my own way? Sometimes I want the blessing of revival without the surrender it requires.

Too often we think of revival as a spiritual high, as a wave of excitement, a sense of being fired up for God. But if it doesn’t lead to lasting obedience, then it isn’t true revival. True revival is when I turn from my sin, bow my will before Him, and let His Word shape my steps. It is when my heart finds joy not in fleeting feelings but in faithfully walking with Him.

The psalm closes with a beautiful picture: “Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky” (vv.10–11). When God revives His people, His character is displayed in them. Love, faithfulness, righteousness, and peace begin to flourish. Revival is not just about God doing something to me, it is about God producing His life through me.

So today, I must ask myself: Do I only want a burst of emotion, or do I long for God to truly revive my heart in obedience? Am I willing to lay down my stubbornness, turn from my sin, and walk in reverence before Him? That is the soil where revival grows.

How about you, my dear brothers and sisters, what past mercies of God can you remember and give thanks for today? Where have you been seeking revival as a feeling, instead of surrendering in obedience? What step of turning back to God is He calling you to take right now?

Prayer:

Lord, I confess that I often want the joy of revival without the surrender it requires. Forgive me for treating You lightly, for turning my back instead of bowing in reverence. Revive me again, O Lord, not with temporary excitement, but with a lasting change of heart. Let Your steadfast love, faithfulness, and righteousness take root in me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, that I may rejoice in You and walk in Your ways. Amen.