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A PATRIOT’S PRAYER (Psalm 85)

We are going to make a prayer list today, so take a moment to find something with which you can make a written list before we get started. It needs to be in writing because I want to challenge you to use it after we finish today’s study.

Psalm 85 contains an amazing prayer, and what is distinct about it is that it is a patriot’s prayer. The psalmist was praying for his nation, which was Israel.

We all understand that our nation and Israel in the Old Testament are not the same, but we have the same problems and needs. The problem is forgetfulness, and the need is spiritual awakening. Resolving this problem and need requires someone who knows how to pray, and who can be an intercessor.

Psalm 85 is a prayer for a nation with a pattern that all of us can follow. As we walk through it, make a list that you can use to pray for your nation.

Verses 1-3: “Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.”

Pray with gratitude. In this passage so far, the psalmist simply reviewed what God had already done. The opening verses of I Timothy 2, deal with praying for kings and those in authority. They make it clear that these prayers should include thankfulness. We are instructed in Philippians 4:6, “… in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

Gratitude opens the gates of Heaven. Thankfulness brings you into the presence of God. Praise increases your faith so that you can believe in God for much more. When the psalmist looked at all of the past blessings, he was convinced of God’s faithfulness and that He was still able to do what they needed Him to do.

Always begin prayer not with negativity, but with a grateful heart for what the Lord has done. Whatever He has done in the past, He can do again.

Verses 4-5: “Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?”

Pray that God would turn our hearts back to Him. We have seen already in the book of Psalms this principle of asking the Lord to turn us: “… turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God.” (Jer. 31:18) We should pray for God to work in us.

Pray for a spiritual awakening. Verse 6: “Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?” The word “again” suggests to us that God is still able.

Do I believe that God can send revival now? Absolutely. The situation is desperate without a doubt, but we are not in despair because God has not forsaken us.

Notice also in verse 6 that the people would rejoice after revival takes place. Too often I am afraid that we are trying to get the rejoicing without the reviving. We miss the fact that rejoicing is not just so we can have a good time and enjoy our prosperity, but to rejoice in the Lord again. That is the essence of a spiritual awakening.

When we pray for our nation, what are we praying for? Economic reform, social recovery, political revolution? No, none of the above. We should be praying for a spiritual revival so that people will know God and rejoice in Him again. Of course, it is ultimately so that the Lord will find joy in us.

Pray that we might see and hear God. We want to get a fresh glimpse of the Lord and hear from Him.

Verses 7-8: “Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation. I will hear what God the Lord will speak …”

Do you see it? God commits to show us something, and we commit to hear whatever He says. We have His hand at work as well as His voice.

Pray that we will not turn away from God. The rest of verse 8 says, “… for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.”

Sometimes a change comes and it is temporary. But when God brings a transformation, it is not a fleeting thing. We should want God to transform us and keep us close to Him so we will not turn away again.

Pray that God would increase those who fear Him. Verse 9: “Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.” We need to pray that people would fear God again. We often pray that He would be glorified, but His glory is the byproduct of our fear of Him.

A precious elderly couple, who had truly seen revival many years ago, told me one day over lunch that the reason we had not seen revival again was because people had lost the fear of God. I believe the fear of God is interconnected to great awakenings.

Pray that Jesus Christ would be lifted up. Verses 10-11: “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.”

Mercy and truth met together in the person of Jesus Christ. Righteousness and peace kissed each other at the cross of Calvary. I believe this passage is a direct reference to Jesus.

Pray that God would provide every good thing. Verse 12: “Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.”

I fear that too often we have started at the end of this prayer by asking for the increase, the prosperity, the blessing. My friend, when we get where we need to be spiritually — closer to the Blesser — the blessings will come.

Pray that God would guide us in the right way. Of course, that is His way. Verse 13: “Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.”

Pray for yourself. The psalmist included himself in this chapter, and too many of our prayers are in the third person. Do not pray for “them” as much as you pray for “us.” Include yourself. National answers come through personal prayers.

Take Psalm 85 and make it your prayer. Call out to God on behalf of our own land, and see what He will do.