Chapter Eighty-Four

The first verse clearly indicates the time and reason for the writing of the psalm. This is the return of the Hebrews from Babylonian captivity. It is impossible to say precisely when after the captivity it was written. From the fact that in Ps 84:5-8 the condition of those returning from captivity is depicted as rather disastrous, and in Ps 84:10-14 there is expressed confidence in receiving mercy from God, one may suppose that the psalm was written during the ministry of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, when the Hebrews suffered crop failures for their negligence in building the temple, and when the inspired words of the prophets filled them with enthusiasm and determination to devote themselves to this work, and from this arose the confidence that the mercies of the Lord would not depart from them. Thanksgiving to God for liberation from captivity, prayer for deliverance from present troubles, and confidence in obtaining what is asked – these constitute the main content of this psalm full of meaning.

You, O Lord, have restored us from captivity and turned away the fierceness of Your anger (2–4). Restore to us again Your former mercy and Your salvation (5–9). To this the Lord will answer by sending peace to His people, if the latter does not “fall into foolishness,” and then “mercy and truth will meet, righteousness and peace will embrace,” then good and righteousness will be established on the earth (9–14).

Psalm 84:2. Lord! You have been favorable to Your land; You have restored the captivity of Jacob; Psalm 84:3. You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin, Psalm 84:4. You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger. The Hebrew people are filled with grateful feeling toward God for their liberation from heavy captivity. The very fact of their return to their homeland testifies that the Lord has “forgiven” them their sins, does not count (“covered”) and those transgressions which they committed during the captivity. The stay of the Hebrews in captivity, deprivation of their land, their defenseless and insecure economic and civil condition testified to the strength of God’s anger against them; the return of the land and the rights of an independent people pointed already to the cessation of this anger.

Psalm 84:5. Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your anger toward us to cease. Psalm 84:6. Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? Psalm 84:7. Will You not again give us life, that Your people may rejoice in You? Psalm 84:8. Show us Your mercy, O Lord, and grant us Your salvation. The Hebrew people pray to God for the continuation of His mercies at this present time. “Restore our prosperity and do not extend Your anger forever. Give the people the ability to rejoice before You.” “Restore,” “again give life,” in accord with verses 10–12, indicate the desire for the return of such mercies from God as the Hebrew people enjoyed in the best moments of their pre-captivity life, when righteousness and peace reigned on earth, and when the Lord poured abundant blessings on the people. Such a flourishing period of Hebrew life was the era of the reign of David.

Psalm 84:9. I will hear what God the Lord will speak. He will speak peace to His people and to His godly ones, but let them not turn to foolishness. Psalm 84:10. So indeed, salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land! Psalm 84:11. Mercy and truth have met; righteousness and peace have kissed each other; Psalm 84:12. Truth will spring up from the earth, and righteousness will look down from heaven; Psalm 84:13. yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will give its produce; Psalm 84:14. Righteousness will go before Him and will make His footsteps a path. Such sincere prayer gives confidence that the Lord will answer it with the satisfaction of the people’s request, the Lord will pour out mercies (“peace”) on all the righteous (“to His godly ones”) before Him, on all those who sincerely turn to Him. Such chosen ones were all Hebrews by their very descent from Abraham, who was called from among the nations, and by their liberation from captivity, by which the Lord separated them from all other peoples. “Mercy” – the general merciful relation of God to the Hebrews, expressed through the satisfaction of their prayer; “truth” – the true, faithful, and penitent renewal of the Hebrew people; (one may also understand by “truth,” as some do, the faithfulness of God to His promises concerning the liberation of the Hebrews from captivity); “righteousness” – justification, the forgiveness by God of the sins of the people; “peace” – reconciliation with God, and from this – a calm, content, and peaceful life. This “truth” on earth will arise, appear among people, among Hebrews, and “justification,” cleansing from sins will be given from heaven by God. By this union of “mercy and truth,” “righteousness and peace,” the bestowal of all blessings from God will be assured, the fertility of the land will be assured. Justification (“righteousness”) will always go before God, that is, the Hebrew people are promised to be faithful to God, which is why this mercy of God will be established for the Hebrew people (“will make His footsteps a path” – will walk firmly, live among the people). Such fullness of good can be given to the Hebrew people on condition that they do “not turn to foolishness,” for which they were punished with captivity, that is, they will not reject the Lord, will not offend Him by disobedience to His commandments, will not arrange their life according to their own desires alone. Verses 11–14 depict the fullness of spiritual and external, material blessings which the Hebrews may receive by observing the aforesaid condition – not falling into foolishness. The very fact of the return from captivity and the external renewal of the Hebrews shows that the state of captivity awakened in them a consciousness of their sins and a correction of their behavior, and with their complete submission and obedience to God, the Lord will pour out on them the fullness of His mercies; then “truth will spring up from the earth,” from among people, and “righteousness will look down from heaven,” that is, from heaven forgiveness of their sins will be given and through it – reconciliation with Him. This is a brief but powerful depiction of the inner meaning of the fact of the return of the Hebrews from captivity, as well as the writer’s expectation of complete reconciliation with God, which the Church Fathers (St. Athanasius) apply to Christ and His ministry. In His earthly life and death the mercy of God to the sinful human race was manifested; through His death every person was justified and reconciled with God; Christ is truth, shone forth from the earth, was born on earth of the Ever-Virgin.