John Calvin Commentary Psalms 85:1

"Jehovah, thou hast been favorable unto thy land; Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob." — Psalms 85:1 (ASV)

O Jehovah! You have been favorable to Your land. Those who translate these words in the future tense, in my opinion, damage their meaning. This psalm, it is likely, was composed to be sung by the people when they were persecuted by the cruel tyranny of Antiochus. From the deliverance accomplished for them in the past, they were encouraged to expect in the future fresh and continued tokens of divine favor—God having thus testified that their sins, however numerous and aggravated, could not erase from his memory the remembrance of his covenant, so as to render him unyielding towards the children of Abraham and deaf to their prayers.

Had they not previously experienced such remarkable proofs of the divine goodness, they must necessarily have been overwhelmed with the load of their present afflictions, especially when so long prolonged. The cause of their deliverance from captivity they attribute to the free love with which God had embraced the land which he had chosen for himself.

From this it follows that the course of his favor was uninterrupted; and the faithful also were inspired with confidence in prayer by the reflection that, mindful of his choice, he had shown himself merciful to his own land. We have remarked elsewhere that nothing contributes more effectively to encourage us to come to the throne of grace than the remembrance of God’s former benefits.

Our faith would immediately succumb under adversity, and sorrow would choke our hearts, if we were not taught by past experience to believe that he is inclined to compassionately hear the prayers of his servants and always provides them aid when their urgent needs require it. This is especially true as there always remains the same reason for him to continue his goodness. Thus the prophet aptly applies to believers of his own day the benefits which God in former times bestowed upon their fathers, because both they and their fathers were called to the hope of the same inheritance.