Will You Not Revive Us Again: Five Questions About Revival

I recently prepared a talk to my church’s men’s gathering on Psalm 85 and revival. During that time of preparation, I was reminded of a sermon from Ray Ortlund in September 2018. During that sermon, he answered five questions about revival from Psalm 85:6, “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?”

1. One, what is revival?

It is God refreshing sinners with more mercy than we’ve ever known before. Revival isn’t God recycling the same-old-same-old but God visiting us with fresh blessing.

2. Two, who needs revival?

We do. God’s people do. Can we be above it? Would we even want to be? It was the Laodiceans who said, “I need nothing,” which only proved that they needed everything.

3. Three, who is the reviver?

God alone. The word “you” in verse 6 is emphatic in the original text: “ Will you not revive us again”? Grace for the undeserving through the finished work of Christ on the cross – it’s who God is. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). We are weak and foolish. That’s who we are. But the most important thing about our future is not who we are but who God is.

4. Four, what is the impact of revival?

We are lifted up with new life, so that we rejoice in him again. He puts a new thrill in our hearts. He puts a new spring in our step, a whole new outlook on life, new energy for obeying him and we walk out of church thinking, “Man, I want to live for Jesus this week!”

5. Five, what are our chances?

Excellent. Verse 6 is not the psalmist wringing his hands and moaning, “Will you revive us again?” He asks with expectancy, “Will you not revive us again?” In fact, the version of the Old Testament published by the Jewish Publication Society – and they know their Hebrew – paraphrases verse 6 not as a question but as an assertion: “Surely you will revive us again.” That’s exactly right. In other words, “Given who you are, Lord – let’s look beyond who we are, since that’s depressing – but given who you are, surely you will. We’re a mess. But we’re your mess. Will you not pour out your newness of life again, that we may rejoice in you?”