Restoration And Glory In Psalm 85:13
Psalm 85:13 concludes a psalm of lament and prayer for restoration, stating, "Righteousness goes before him, And prepares the way for his steps" [1]. This verse encapsulates the psalmist's hope for God's full redemption of Israel, following a period of exile and continued hardship [5, 6]. The psalm begins with an acknowledgment of God's past goodness in restoring Israel's fortunes (Psalm 85:1-3) and then transitions into a plea for further evidence of God's favor and complete restoration (Psalm 85:4-7) [5]. God's response is a message of peace (Psalm 85:8-9), leading to a lyrical expression of the grandeur of God's salvation in the concluding verses (Psalm 85:10-13) [5].
The historical context for Psalm 85 is generally understood to be after the return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity [6]. Despite their return, the community still experienced difficulties, prompting prayers for the removal of God's displeasure [6]. The psalmist's concern is for the public interests of the congregation, reflecting a time when the church faced significant challenges [6].
The phrase "Righteousness goes before him" in Psalm 85:13 suggests a herald or a forerunner [8]. This righteousness is depicted as preparing the path for God's actions, specifically His "steps" [1, 8]. In this context, righteousness is not merely an abstract quality but an active agent that precedes and facilitates God's coming in response to the prayers of His people [8]. This imagery aligns with other biblical passages where God's attributes are personified as active forces in salvation history. For instance, Isaiah 58:8 speaks of "light" and "health" going before the people, with God's "glory" serving as a rear guard [7]. The "light" symbolizes prosperity, and "health" signifies restoration from calamities, while God's "glory" is compared to the pillar of cloud and fire that guided Israel [7].
The broader context of Psalm 85:10-13 emphasizes a convergence of divine attributes in the process of renewal and salvation. These verses speak of "love, truth, righteousness, and peace" coming together to transform the created order [4]. This transformation is depicted as making "something new," echoing themes found in Isaiah 32:15-20 [4]. The idea is that God's care, expressed through these qualities, leads to a profound renewal.
The concept of righteousness preparing the way for God's steps can be interpreted in several ways. One perspective is that God's righteousness, being an inherent aspect of His character, ensures that His interventions are just and lead to ultimate good. Another view is that the righteousness of God's people, perhaps through their repentance and obedience, paves the way for divine favor. However, the psalm's emphasis on God's initiative in restoration (Psalm 85:1-3) suggests that it is primarily God's own righteousness that is at work. The psalmist acknowledges God's past actions, such as turning away wrath and pardoning iniquity (Psalm 85:3), which are acts of divine righteousness [2].
The "steps" of God refer to His actions and interventions in the world [1]. The preparation of the way by righteousness implies that God's coming and His subsequent actions are always in accordance with His just and holy nature. This provides assurance to the community praying for restoration that God's response will be one of integrity and faithfulness. The psalmist's prayer for God to "restore us again" (Psalm 85:4) and "show us your steadfast love" (Psalm 85:7) is rooted in the belief that God's character, particularly His righteousness, guarantees a positive response [5].
The theme of God's glory and restoration is prevalent throughout the Psalms. For example, Psalm 135:13 speaks of God's name enduring forever and His renown through all generations [3]. Psalm 8:1 and 8:9 also highlight the glory of God's name in all the earth [3]. The expectation in Psalm 85:13 is that God's righteous actions will lead to a manifestation of His glory and a complete restoration for His people.
The patristic tradition, as seen in Augustine's expositions on the Psalms, often interprets such passages with a Christological lens. While not directly commenting on Psalm 85:13, Augustine frequently connects the Psalms to Christ's work, resurrection, and the sending of the Holy Spirit [9, 10]. For instance, he interprets "the King shall rejoice in Thy strength" (Psalm 21:1) as referring to Christ rejoicing in God's strength [9]. The idea of God's righteousness preparing the way could thus be seen as foreshadowing Christ's coming and His work of salvation, which establishes true righteousness.
Reformed theology, as articulated by John Calvin, emphasizes regeneration and renewal into the righteousness of God through Christ [11]. Calvin states that believers are "renewed in the spirit of your minds" and "put ye on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" [11]. This theological framework would view the righteousness mentioned in Psalm 85:13 as ultimately fulfilled in the righteousness imparted by Christ, which enables God's people to walk in His ways and experience His full restoration.
The psalm's conclusion, with righteousness preparing the way for God's steps, offers a hopeful vision. It suggests that the divine attributes of love, truth, righteousness, and peace are not disparate but work in concert to bring about God's redemptive purposes [4]. The expectation is that God's righteous character will ensure that His future actions will lead to the complete renewal and salvation that the community earnestly desires [5, 8]. This final verse serves as an affirmation of God's faithfulness and the certainty of His intervention on behalf of His people, guided by His unwavering righteousness.
Sources
- Psalms “Righteousness goes before him, And prepares the way for his steps. -- Psalms 85:13”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Psalms 85:3 cross-references: Exodus 32:11, Exodus 32:22, Deuteronomy 13:17, Deuteronomy 32:43, 2 Chronicles 6:39, Psalms 78:38, Psalms 106:23, Isaiah 6:7, Isaiah 12:1, Isaiah 40:1, Isaiah 40:2, Isaiah 54:7, Jeremiah 50:20, Ezekiel 16:63, Jonah 3:9, Micah 7:19, John 1:29”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Psalms 135:13 cross-references: Exodus 3:15, Exodus 34:5, Psalms 8:1, Psalms 8:9, Psalms 72:17, Psalms 89:1, Psalms 102:12, Psalms 102:13, Psalms 102:21, Hosea 12:5, Matthew 6:9, Matthew 6:13”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 85:10: 85:10-13 In the glorious world of renewal and salvation, all the qualities of God’s care—love, truth, righteousness, and peace—come together and transform the created order into something new (see Isa 32:15-20).”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 85:1: Ps 85 The psalmist leads the postexilic community in lament and prayer for full redemption. He ponders God’s past rescue of Israel from exile (85:1-3), longs for greater evidence of God’s goodness, and leads the community in prayer for full restoration (85:4-7). God responds with a message of peace (85:8-9), and the psalm concludes with a lyrical outburst at the grandeur of God’s salvation (85:10-13). 85:1-5 Though the psalmist gratefully acknowledges God’s goodness, he also asks God whether his wrath will last forever. 85:1 God restored the fortunes of Israel by ”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 85 (introduction): Interpreters are generally of the opinion that this psalm was penned after the return of the Jews out of their captivity in Babylon, when they still remained under some tokens of God's displeasure, which they here pray for the removal of. And nothing appears to the contrary, but that it might be penned then, as well as Psa 137:1-9. They are the public interests that lie near the psalmist's heart here, and the psalm is penned for the great congregation. The church was here in a deluge; above were clouds, below were waves; every thing was dark and disma”
- Isaiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Isaiah 58:8: light--emblem of prosperity (Isa 58:10; Job 11:17). health--literally, a long bandage, applied by surgeons to heal a wound (compare Isa 1:6). Hence restoration from all past calamities. go before thee--Thy conformity to the divine covenant acts as a leader, conducting thee to peace and prosperity. glory . . . reward--like the pillar of cloud and fire, the symbol of God's "glory," which went behind Israel, separating them from their Egyptian pursuers (Isa 52:12; Exo 14:19-20).”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 85:13: 85:13 Righteousness is like a messenger preparing the world for God’s coming in response to the prayers of his people (85:4-7; 89:14).”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 8: Augustine — Exposition on Psalms — TO THE END, A PSALM OF DAVID HIMSELF. (part 1): 1. The title is a familiar one; the Psalm is of Christ.[6] 2. "O Lord, the King shall rejoice in Thy strength" (ver. 1). O Lord, in Thy strength, whereby the Word was made flesh, the Man Christ Jesus shall rejoice. "And shall exult exceedingly in Thy salvation." And in that, whereby Thou quckenest all things, shall exult exceedingly. 3. "Thou hast given Him the desire of His soul" (vet. 2). He desired to eat the Passover,[7] and to lay down His life when He would, and again when He would to take it;”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 8: Augustine — Exposition on Psalms — A PSALM TO DAVID HIMSELF, WHICH HE SUNG TO THE LORD, FOR THE WORDS OF CHUSI, SON OF JEMINI.(2) (part 7): resurrection and ascension into heaven. For being thus glorified He gave the Holy Ghost, which before His exaltation could not be given, as it is written in the Gospel, "for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified."(12) Having then returned on high for the sake of the congregation of the people, He sent the Holy Ghost: by whom the preachers of the Gospel being filled, filled the whole world with Churches. 7. ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 58: the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Again, “Be renewed in the spirit of your minds” and “put ye on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Again, “Put ye on 516 the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” 310 310 2 Cor. 3:18 ; Eph. 4:23, 24 ; Col. 3:10 ; 2 Cor. 4:16 . Accordingly through the blessing of Christ we are renewed by that regeneration into the righteousness of God from which we had falle”