Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 85:5
Wilt thou be angry with us forever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?
5. For the pleading question cp. Psa 77:7 ff.
wilt thou draw out &c.] I.e. protract, prolong, continue thine anger to one generation after another (Psa 77:8).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? – Thine anger is so long continued that it seems as if it would never cease.
Wilt thou draw out thine anger – Wilt thou protract or prolong it? The idea is that of a determined purpose, in retaining his anger, as if his wrath would cease of necessity unless there were such a direct exercise of will.
To all generations – literally, from generation to generation. That is, – so that not merely the generation which has sinned, and which has brought down these tokens of displeasure, shall suffer, but the next, and the next, and the next, forever. The plea is that the judgment might terminate, and not reach coming generations.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. Wilt thou draw out thine anger] We have already suffered much and long; our fathers have suffered, and we have succeeded to their distresses. Draw not out thy anger against us from generation to generation.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
5. draw outor, “prolong”(Ps 36:10).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Wilt thou be angry with us for ever?…. God is angry with the wicked every day, their life being a continued series of sin, without repentance for it, or confession of it; and he will be so for ever, of which they will have a constant sense and feeling; and is the worm that never dies, and the fire that is inextinguishable; but he does not retain his anger for ever with his own people; though he is displeased with them, and chastises them for their sins, his anger endures but for a moment; he is pacified towards them and turns away his anger from them, by discovering his pardoning love, and withdrawing his afflicting hand:
wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? out of his heart, where it is supposed to be conceived; and out of his treasury, where it is thought to be laid up: this has been drawn out to a great length of time upon the Jewish nation; it has been upon them for almost twenty centuries, or ages, and still remains, and will until the fulness of the Gentiles is brought in; but it will not be drawn out to “all” ages or generations; for they shall return to the Lord, and seek him; and he will come to them, and turn away iniquity from them, and so all Israel shall be saved.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
5 Wilt thou be wroth against us for ever? Here the godly bewail the long continuance of their afflictions, and derive an argument in prayer from the nature of God, as it is described in the law, —
“
The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin,” (Exo 34:6,)
—
a truth which has also been brought under our notice in Psa 30:5, “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” It thus becomes us, when we engage in prayer, to meditate upon the Divine promises that we may be furnished with suitable expressions. It may seem, at first view, that these devout Jews find fault with God, as if he exhibited his character to them in a light very different from that in which he was wont to exhibit it; but the object they had in view undoubtedly was to obtain, in the struggle they were resolutely maintaining against temptation, hope of relief from the contemplation of the nature of God; as if they laid it down as a fixed principle, that it is impossible for Him to be angry for ever. We may observe, by the way, that it is evident, from their praying in this manner, that they were weighed down with such an oppressive load of calamities, as to be almost unable any longer to endure them. Let us therefore learn, that although God may not immediately grant us manifest tokens of his returning favor, yet we must not cease to persevere in earnest prayer. If it is objected, that then God has promised in vain that his anger would be of short duration, I answer, that if we entertain suitable views of our own sins, his anger will assuredly appear to be always of short continuance; and if we call to remembrance the everlasting course of his mercy, we will confess that his anger endures but for a moment. As our corrupt nature is ever relapsing into the wanton indulgence of its native propensities, manifold corrections are indispensably necessary to subdue it thoroughly.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
5. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever The obstacles to the return of the exiled Israelites appeared insurmountable. So the joy of the passage of the Red Sea was soon damped by the discouragements of Marah and Rephidim. Exo 15:23; Exo 17:1. It was over twenty years after the edict of liberation by Cyrus before the temple was built, and nearly one hundred years before Jerusalem was much populated and the city walls restored.
See on Psalms 87. Thus human selfishness and unbelief retard the work of God! On “forever,” see note on Psa 33:11
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
These are divine breathings, and they speak the language of a truly awakened, regenerated, pardoned sinner. These cries suit the church, and every member of the church. They comprise in three leading blessings, many more that are included in them: the total removal of all displeasure; the light of the divine countenance; and joy in the Holy Ghost. Reader, I hope you know somewhat of those pleadings: they form the richest enjoyments of the soul, when made with reference to Christ. Oh! it is blessed to enter into the retirings, as it were, of God; and there to plead with him his promises, in Jesus, and to point, by faith, to the blood of his dear Son!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 85:5 Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?
Ver. 5. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? ] Dilato Christo tuo vel tuo adventu? Such expostulations mixed with faith are Vis Deo grata, as saith Tertullian, such as God is well pleased with.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
angry: Psa 74:1, Psa 77:9, Psa 79:5, Psa 80:4, Psa 89:46, Isa 64:9-12, Mic 7:18
draw: Luk 21:24, Rev 18:21-23
Reciprocal: Psa 13:1 – How Psa 77:7 – and will Isa 57:16 – I will not Jer 3:5 – he reserve Lam 5:20 – dost Dan 9:19 – defer Amo 1:11 – kept
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
85:5 Wilt thou be angry with us {d} for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?
(d) As in times past they had felt God’s mercies, so now being oppressed by the long continuance of evil, they pray to God that according to his nature he would be merciful to them.