Can two opposites come together, two diametrically opposed positions? One would think that could not happen. In our psalm for today we have two opposing positions that the Lord will bring together. Let’s take a look, and see how this can happen.
As we read Psalm 85, we come upon two opposite positions one can have. On the one hand there is mercy and peace, and the seemingly opposite position of righteousness and truth on the other hand (vs. 10-11). A person who is obediently following God’s Laws is considered a righteous person. They are practicing righteousness. The truth would reveal anyone who was not obediently following the Law. By that Law there would not be any mercy given to that person. There would be no peace between the righteous and the unrighteous, nor peace with God. Showing mercy would seemingly be contradicting or opposing the truth of righteousness.
How could these two sides ever come together? Under the Law, mercy and truth could not meet. Righteousness and peace could not kiss or greet each other. How discouraging that is for all of us, for there is not a single one of us who can keep all of God’s Law perfectly. As Scripture says, “There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10). We need to be righteous in order to come to God, but alas, we are incapable of that. We need mercy! We need some way to have peace with God. Since there is no way to accomplish this on our own, is there any hope?
Through our own efforts, the answer is definitely no. However, there is hope, because God, Himself, provided a way. That way is through His Son, Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ these two opposing sides meet. Jesus was righteous in every way, having never sinned. Thus, He, alone was able to satisfy God’s righteousness, and pay the price for our salvation through His death on the cross. Only a heaven-born righteousness could undertake the justification of sinners. Jesus satisfied the Law in every capacity at the Cross. Truth and righteousness judged sin at Calvary.
With that settled through Jesus’s sacrifice, mercy and peace flow freely to sinners. God is able to show His great mercy to all who come to Him through His Son, Jesus. We can now have peace with God. Now, very importantly, we who have had mercy shown to us, can and should show and extend that mercy to others, instead of being judgmental and self-righteous.
When this happens, when we accept the Lord’s salvation and His righteousness, and we experience His mercy and peace, we are spiritually brought to life, and have a spiritual revival (vs. 6). A spiritual revival restores us to a right relationship with God. It also returns us to a place where we can delight in Him, and joyfully celebrate His goodness, love, and mercy.
So many Christians today, though they are saved, are just lukewarm in their faith. They are just going through the motions. Some find it difficult to rejoice in the Lord when they are going through tough times. Others see no need for God when their life is going smoothly. They need a spiritual revival. They need to turn away from the sins they have become complacent about, and return wholeheartedly to the Lord.
This world desperately needs a spiritual revival, as well. We need another great awakening. As believers, we need to be praying for a great revival, both in the Church and in the world. When we get right with God, and the spark of revival from the Holy Spirit gets reignited within us, that little flame can grow and spread. It will spread from one believer to another within our churches, and then like a fire, it will spread into the neighborhoods, and on and on, bringing the lost to Christ. As the psalmist does, we need to pray for revival in ourselves, our neighborhoods, in our country, and in the world.
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