Today, we find ourselves delving into our daily devotional on Psalms 85-88—poignant and reflective passages that ask us to consider the nature of our reliance on God. Do we only call upon Him when we are in desperate need, or is He a constant presence in our lives? These psalms are filled with cries of desperation, longing, and a deep-seated trust in God’s mercy, faithfulness, and grace. Reflecting on our own patterns, we might ask ourselves if we turn to God as a last resort, or if He is the first to whom we call out. Let us open our hearts, seeking to understand the deeper invitation to walk closely with Him at all times, not only in times of need. To learn how to truly seek God, read the daily devotional on Psalms 79-84.
Psalms 85-88 Commentary by Allen J. Huth
Today is day seventeen in our journey through the Book of Psalms. We are going to look at four psalms, Psalms 85-88. Do you ignore God, or is He far from you, until you are in trouble? When do you “cry out to God”? Please read or listen to Psalms 85-88.
What Happens When We Cry to God?
In 2007 (NASB), I read all these psalms on the same day and wrote this as a summary, “Life is not easy. Often the psalmist cries out in desperation, but who does he cry out to? God. Life happens. The question is, who do we cry out to? Usually, it’s only after we’ve exhausted our own resources when we remember to cry out to God.” Then I quoted a couple of verses, “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in your truth” (86:11). And 88:1-3 remind us to cry out to God. Then, “I have called upon You every day, O Lord; I have spread out my hands to You” (88:9).
What Is the Main Message of Psalm 85?
In 2015, I read two of these psalms on one day and two on another. Here are two journal entries from 2015. “Psalms 85 and 86. Sometimes God blesses the land of Israel. Sometimes He held back His blessings. Psalm 85 is a plea to bless the land. Revive, restore.” Then I quoted a great verse, “love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other” (85:10). Then verse 12, “and our land will yield its increase.”
“David cries out to God, describing himself as poor and needy in the day of trouble. David sees in God: good, forgiveness, steadfast love, grace, great wonderful things, deliverance, mercy, faithfulness, help, and comfort. All good reasons to cry out to God.”
Why Does the Lord Love Zion?
The next day, I read Psalms 87 and 88 together and wrote, “God loves Zion, His Holy City, His dwelling place on earth. A city not just for Jews, but open to Gentiles as well. Sometimes life seems overwhelming, full of troubles. Even so, cry out to the Lord.”
Where to Turn When You Need Help?
There are a couple of consistent themes in these four psalms. Like Israel, sometimes we are in trouble. The question is, where do we go? Who do we cry out to? These psalms make it pretty clear the only place to cry out to is God in heaven above. Yet Israel did not often cry out to God until they were absolutely desperate.
How Do You Change the Pattern of Your Life?
Is that your life pattern? Do you ignore God, or is God far away until you are in trouble, until you desperately need Him? Throughout the Psalms, we learn that is not the pattern God wants, but it is certainly the pattern He sees in most of His children. If that is your pattern, then let’s break that pattern today.
Prayer
Father, we cry out to You right now. Like the nation of Israel of old, we ask for Your forgiveness. We ask for Your mercy. We ask for Your grace. We ask for Your restoration in our lives. Return us, O Lord, to the joy of our salvation. We thank You, Lord that You hear us and You forgive us. But, You want us to change our behavior. You want us to stay close to You. You would like us to be in the palm of Your hand.
Even Jesus said in the New Testament, He often longed to gather Israel together like a hen would gather its chicks. That is a loving, compassionate illustration of what You want from us. Lord, we love You. We thank You for loving us and we recommit ourselves to walk steadfastly in You. Draw me closer. In Your name, we pray. Amen.
Stay In the Word
One way to draw close and to stay close in the Lord is to stay consistent in His Word. These Day by Day Through the Bible devotions are available to you every day, and I hope you engage in them daily. I heard a pastor once use this illustration. He had a pill box, with pills for each day of the week, but he decided, rather than take them daily, he would just take them all on Sunday. Is that a healthy thing to do? Of course not, nor is ignoring your “daily bread” from the Word of God. We need spiritual food each day. Stay in the Word each and every day. May God bless you as He draws you closer to Him through His Word.
