Psalm 85:5

Psalm 85:5

Will You prolong Your anger?

The history of Israel reveals a rather disturbing fact, that God’s displeasure is not always a momentary thing. Of course, He dispenses justice and reveals His wrath in ways that quickly pass. The Philistines were routed in a day, the Egyptian and Midianite armies were destroyed in a night. Jericho fell in 7 days and in more recent times, the Six Day War in Israel lasted – just 6 days!

However, sometimes the anger of God affects whole generations. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years and because of their unbelief, a whole generation was wiped out. The captivity in Babylon lasted for 70 years because the people had turned to other gods and had failed to obey the Lord’s commandments. It’s obvious that God can display His displeasure over a long period of time, and this is what concerns the writer of the Psalm. 

I think that we can sometimes view the Christian faith as an easy fix, some preachers encourage us to just ask the Lord, and everything will be put right immediately. We forget that, like David, we may be compelled to walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Darkness, and for some people that can be a difficult and lengthy journey. I wonder if our nations are suffering from God’s anger right now as we lurch from one disaster to another, and people still refuse to acknowledge the God who has watched over them and delivered them in previous times of trouble? Let us pray that there will be a turning point, that God’s displeasure may be taken away and that His blessings may be restored.

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