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“Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?” (Ps. 85:6). This is a plea for God to restore the joy through spiritual renewal and revival.
Ps. 85 has no attribution.  The main idea of restoration of God’s people due to the mercies of the LORD is captivating.  Renewal comes through the mercies of the LORD.  The whole Psalm heralds a greater revival under the reign of the Messiah.
Keep your eye on God.  God acts in behalf of His people and so is able to renew them in spiritual ways with His mercy, truth, righteousness and peace.  When God’s people are undone, estranged by their sins, only He can revive them.
See What God Hath Done
God has been favourable unto their land.  He has brought back the captivity of Judah.  He has forgiven the iniquity of the people.  He has covered all their sin.  He has taken away all His wrath.  He has turned from the fierceness of His anger (Ps. 85:1-3).   Revival is dependent upon the mercies of the LORD.  Where God is, there is hope.  God is everywhere at all times and so His people are never without hope.  The hopeless are Godless (destitute of God, Eph. 2:12).
The Ernest Plea of God’s People
The plea for mercy is recorded in Ps. 85:4-7.  Turn us, O God of our salvation.  God’s chastisement turns the people back to Him.  If they turn to God, God will turn away from His wrath.  Our trials frequently arise out of our own sins.  These sins are self-inflicted wounds.  However, we can change course or direction and end up at a different destination.  Movement in God’s direction brings His mercies to us.  Wilt thou be angry forever?  Is there no boundary to God’s wrath?  Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?  Wilt thou revive us again?  God will return in all of His power to save and to restore the joy.  Joy follows revival.  Joy follows repentance.  Joy follows restoration.  Revive us, O LORD, that we may rejoice in Thee!
The Goodness of God Brings Peace
In Ps. 85:8-13, God’s peace is restored.  Sin agitates the soul.  Through God’s mercy, truth and righteousness, peace can be realized.  The perfections of God act together to bless.  Mercy and truth are a powerful combination for revival.  Truth guides the soul while mercy heals it.  Righteousness and peace kiss.  This is another powerful combination.  Righteousness preserves relationship with God and prevents backsliding.  Through mercy, truth, and righteousness there is peace with God.  Peace is the cessation of enmity between humanity and God that results in the tranquility of soul that fears nothing from God, but basks in His grace.  It is contentment (I shall not want).  It is satisfaction (lying down in green pastures beside still waters).  It is the result of the pursuit of the pathway of righteousness.  It is fearlessness in the face of death because of God’s presence and power.  It is abundant provision from God in the face of the enemy. It is God’s goodness and mercy in pursuit of us for a lifetime.  It culminates in the hope that we will dwell with God forever (Ps. 23).  A beautiful metaphor captures the essence of the the spiritual realities.  The earth yielding flowers of truth.  The heavens shining with stars of holiness.  The spheres mirroring each other’s beauties.  This is the beauty of God- His mercy, truth, righteousness and peace.
First, there is trouble.  Sin interrupts and separates us from God.  Then, there is God!  See what God hath done.  The plea for mercy is answered.  When we turn away from our iniquities and God returns to us in the fullness of His glory and goodness, then, through His mercy, truth, and righteousness, we have peace.  The joy has been restored!

Psalm 63 is a psalm of David.  It was probably written when he was in the wilderness of Judah fleeing from Absalom, his son, during the time of insurrection.  David did not quit singing while in the wilderness.  He made his worship suitable to his circumstances.  The wilderness was a barren place.  But, there was no barrenness in his heart.  His heart was full of praise for God.
The reason for this unique, unquenchable longing for God is found in v. 3, “Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.”  David’s circumstances did not dictate the passions of his heart.  His love for God did.  He compares God’s lovingkindness to life itself, indeed, a monumental comparison.
First, There is Life
There is life with all of its benefits.  The accumulation of experiences, wisdom, relationships, and accomplishments.  Add to that all of its riches.  Over the years, we accumulate wealth in property, material objects, and money.  And, to that add, all of its pleasures.  The things that we enjoy, derive pleasure from, and experience through recreational pursuits.  In addition we must add all of its honor and fame.  Every accomplishment recognized by people.  All of the applause and accolades and popularity we have obtained.  Don’t forget all of the educational attainments and the positions that we occupy along with the power that those positions give to us.  All of life must be placed on one side of the balance.  Yes, life is precious, but it is also temporal, fleeting, and filled with trouble.    “Man that is born of woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (Job 14:1).
Second, There Is God’s Lovingkindness
On the other side of the balance, we must put the lovingkindness of God.  The lovingkindness of God is a combination of His love, mercy and grace.  None of these is temporal.  They are eternal aspects of the nature of God that benefit His people.  These qualities of God’s nature and character are greater in effect than any of the aspects of life because they transform life now and prepare it for eternity.  The word better is a term of comparison wherein one thing is placed above another in value, esteem glory, and effect.  Men weary of life, but no man has ever yet been found who was weary of the love and favor of God.  What could be so desirable in life if a person hath no place in the heart of God?  The grace/favor of God is all good.  There is no sorrow in it nor is there any evil attendant in it.  The grace of God bestows the abundant life (John 10:10).  This is the spiritually optimal life.  Life cannot be any better than life in Christ with the expectation of life with God forever.  The grace of God saves (Eph. 2:8-9).  Salvation is the deliverance from the penalty and practice of sin.  Sin corrupts and destroys and leads to spiritual death.  To be saved from that condemnation is to be given life in its fullest measure.  This is spiritual life and eternal life.  The grace of God transforms us into new creatures that God claims as His people.  His people are redeemed, special, distinct from the world (Titus 2:11-12).  In short, the grace of God shapes us for eternity.  David realized in the midst of dark and desperate times that God’s lovingkindness was to be prized above life.  While contemplating this monumental comparison, it lifted his spirit and brought hope in the midst of despair.  It made his heart sing.  Fortunately, he wrote about it and preserved for all generations after him these lofty thoughts drenched with spiritual insight.
I Will Praise Thy Name
Is it possible that any man should have a dog or some other possession that he loves and he would not commend it?  Yet, none of these can stand with the love of God.  How often do we speak of Him to others?  David wrote a hymn of praise in which he declares the difference between life without God and life with God.  What can God add to my life?  His lovingkindness is better than life itself!  Interestingly, Solomon, David’s son, discerned the same thing.  After Solomon had experienced everything life had to offer, he declares, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccl. 12:13).  Oneness with God is priceless.  Everything else is vanity.

In Luke 7:1-10, Luke records a message received by Jesus from a Roman soldier–a centurion.  The man was a God-fearer.  He was known among the elders of the Jews in the city of Capernaum.  Capernaum is Jesus’ temporary home.  It is located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee and functioned primarily as a fishing village.
The Request
The centurion has a servant that is very sick. He believes that Jesus can heal his servant.  He sends his request to Jesus through the elders of the Jews.  The elders tell Jesus that the man is worthy of a miracle because he has helped support the Jewish religion and had built them a synagogue.  Jesus went with them.

The Request Enhanced.
As Jesus neared the centurion’s house, his friends met Jesus with a message.  They were instructed to tell Jesus, “Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof. Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee:  but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed (vv. 6-7).  The centurion said, “I am not worthy.”  The elders of the Jews said, “He is worthy.”  The plea of the centurion is from someone who is keenly aware of his own unworthiness and, yet, he asked for a special blessing from Jesus.  Say in a word and my servant shall be healed. The centurion trusts in the power of Jesus’ words to heal his servant.  He understands that Jesus possess special authority.  As a centurion, he has commanded both his servants and his soldiers to come or to go and they obeyed him.  He believes that Jesus has authority that can be communicated by His words to heal his servant.

Jesus Marvels
“When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, “I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel” (v. 9).  Luke uses seven different Greek words to capture the amazement of characters in his gospel.  The shepherds were amazed and so were Joseph and Mary.  The people of Nazareth and the residents of Capernaum were amazed.  But, this is the only time that Jesus marvels in Luke’s gospel. The Greek word translated marvel is ekthaumazō.  This is an intensive form of thaumazō.  It means to wonder or to marvel.  It refers to the astonishment of the mind.  Why did Jesus marvel?  The answer is given by Jesus.  The centurion’s faith was great.  Faith is dynamic.  Sometimes it is weak or little and sometimes it is strong or great.  The centurion’s faith involved trust in Jesus’ true identity, the authority with which Jesus could speak and the lovingkindness which characterized the heart of Jesus.  It is the faith of one who is unworthy seeking a special blessing and confident in the asking because of certain knowledge of the heart of God.  Jesus is surprised by great faith in an unexpected heart.

The Heart of God
God, by grace, is willing to give us everything when we are deserving of nothing.  God’s mercies are great and continually available to us.  The bigness that characterizes God’s heart must be met with a greatness in our faith.  Faith that works by love (Gal. 5:6).  Faith that obeys God’s will (Rom. 1:5).  Faith that knows God. Faith that trusts in the power of God’s Word.  Faith that trusts in the lovingkindness which characterizes the heart of God.   Such faith is not fearful of asking God for great and good things even though it is found in a heart that is unworthy.