In this message we will cover Psalms 85 through 89. In order to enter into the intrinsic significance of these five psalms, we need to realize that the aim of the entire book of Psalms is to turn God's people from so many things which they regard as positive to Christ. For example, Psalms 1 and 2 indicate that we need to be turned to Christ from certain things that in our eyes are very positive. Of the five psalms which we will consider in this message, three psalms (Psa. 85, 86, 88) show us a particular background, and the other two (Psa. 87, 89) show us the way to go on from this background.
The background in Psalms 85, 86, and 88 involves three things: the restoration of God's people, personal salvation, and release from sufferings. Throughout the centuries, God's people have been praying for revival, for corporate restoration. God's people have also been concerned about personal salvation, not only from eternal perdition but also from various bothering and entangling things in their daily life. Furthermore, all Christians pray about their sufferings, asking God to release them from their sufferings. In our eyes these three matters are positive, but in God's eyes they are not positive.
Psalms 87 and 89 present Christ with God's saints, God's house, God's city, and God's earth. The Christ unveiled in these psalms is versus the restoration of God's people, personal salvation, and the release from sufferings spoken of in Psalms 85, 86, and 88. For this reason, I have entitled this message "Christ versus Restoration of God's People, Personal Salvation, and Release from Sufferings." Today many Christians do not care for anything concerning God. If they do care for God, their concern is related mainly to restoration, personal salvation, and release from sufferings.
Let us now go on to consider Psalms 85 through 89 one by one.