Verse 1. "Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob." All true believers are the sons of Jacob and the seed of Abraham. The Church of these true Jacobins and Israelites is the "land" of the Lord, and the captivity here mentioned is bondage under sin. In this captivity, Satan is the Jailer, the flesh is our prison, ungodly lusts are the manacles, a bad conscience, the tormentor - all of them against us. But, Christ is Immanuel, God with us, and He turns away the captivity of Jacob in forgiving all our offences, and in covering all our sins."
Verse 4. "Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease." This prayer for God to "turn" towards His people in favour comes on the back of no less than six statements of what God has already done on their behalf. In verse 1 - "thou hast been favourable ... thou hast brought back ..." In verse 2 - "thou hast forgiven ... thou hast covered ..." In verse 3 - "thou hast taken away ... thou hast turned ..." As John Trapp puts it, the fact that "God has, therefore, God will is a strong medium of hope, if not a demonstration of scripture-logic. 2nd Corinthians chapter 1 verse 10, 'Who hath delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver us' ... in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us."
Verse 6. "Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?" "You enquire about the state of the churches in Wales. I have nothing but what is favourable to communicate, And here at Bala, we have had a very great, powerful, and glorious outpouring of the Spirit on the people .... Their convictions have been very clear and powerful, and in some instances so deep as to bring them to the brink of despair. Their consolations have also been equally strong. If the Lord should be graciously pleased to continue the work in the way that it has prevailed for some weeks past, the devil's kingdom will be in ruins in this neighbourhood. 'Ride on, ride on, thou King of Glory!' is the present cry of my soul day and night. I verily believe that the Lord means to give the kingdom of darkness a dreadful shake, for He takes away its pillars. Those that were foremost in the service of Satan and rebellion against God are now the foremost in seeking salvation through the blood of the Lamb. It is an easy work to preach the gospel of the kingdom here at this time. Divine truths have their own infinite weight and importance on the minds of the people. Beams of divine light, together with divine irresistible energy, accompany every truth delivered. It is glorious to see how the stoutest hearts are bowed down, and the hardest melted. I would not have missed seeing what I have lately seen, no, not for the world."
Verse 6. "... that thy people may rejoice in thee." The words before us teach us that gratitude has an eye to the giver, even beyond the gift - "that thy people may rejoice in Thee." Those who were revived would rejoice not only in the new life but in the Lord who was the author of it. Joy in the Lord is the ripest fruit of grace.
Verse 6. "... that thy people may rejoice in thee." Hope, too, can be a source of rejoicing. Abraham rejoiced not in present things but do you wish to hear whence he drew his joy? Listen to the Lord speaking to the Jews, John chapter 8 verse 56: "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad." Hope heaped up his joys.
Verse 7. "Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation." It is not merely of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, but all is mercy from first to last - mercy that met us by the way - mercy that looked upon us in our misery - mercy that washed us from our sins in his own blood - mercy that covered our nakedness and clad us in His own robe of righteousness - mercy that led and guided us by the way - and mercy that will never leave us nor forsake us till mercy has wrought its perfect work in the eternal salvation of our souls through Jesus Christ.
Verse 7. "Shew us thy mercy ..." 'Tis true I am a mighty sinner, but He is a more mighty Saviour. Have I sinned to the uttermost? He has saved to the uttermost. True, I am death, but Christ is life; I am darkness, but Christ is light; I am sin, but Christ is holiness; I am guilt, but Christ is righteousness; I am emptiness and nothingness, but Christ is fulness and sufficiency; I have broken the law, but Christ has fulfilled the law. On Him, therefore, I'll lean, and live, and hope.