Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends

Chapter 5: Psalms 81–101

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Psalm 85 with Augustine – Peace and Rejoicing in God O God, will you not revive us again? (v. 6). Not as if we turn to you of our own accord, without your mercy, and you make us alive. But our very conversion is from you, so we may be made alive. That your people may rejoice in you. For when we wanted to find joy in ourselves, we found distress. But now because God is all our joy, we will rejoice securely. Let us rejoice in him who cannot perish.

He promises peace to his people (v. 8). What is peace? Where there is no war. Without war there is no contradiction, no resistance, nothing to oppose. Are we already there? There is conflict with the devil. All the

Augustine on Psalm 85 “For whatever he gives us now, then he will give us himself instead; this will be full and perfect peace.”

faithful wrestle with the prince of demons. And how do they wrestle with one they cannot see? As they wrestle with their own desires, he suggests sins, and by not consenting to his suggestions, they fight. What peace do people have here—opposed by troubles, desires, wants, weariness? This is no true peace. One day there will be pure peace among the children of God, all loving one another, seeing one another full of God, since God will be all in all. God will be our common vision, our common possession, our common peace. For whatever he gives us now, then he will give us himself instead; this will be full and perfect peace. Our joy, our peace, our rest, the end of all troubles, is none but God. Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other (v. 10). Do righteousness, and you will have peace. That way righteousness and peace may kiss each other. If you do not love righteousness, you will not have