Psalm 85 — Love & Faithfulness — Aneel Aranha  

You, LORD, showed favor to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your people
and covered all their sins.
You set aside all your wrath
and turned from your fierce anger.
Restore us again, God our Savior,
and put away your displeasure toward us.
Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
Show us your unfailing love, LORD,
and grant us your salvation.
I will listen to what God the LORD says;
he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—
but let them not turn to folly.
Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.
The LORD will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.
Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.

In this psalm, the Sons of Korah rejoice in God's restoration of his land and reconciliation with his people, singing: "Love and faithfulness meet together, righteousness and peace kiss each other." It's a very poetic expression that has some deep meaning.

The first phrase — love and faithfulness meet together — portrays the unity of God's attributes. God's love, often associated with his mercy, compassion, and affection for his people, is depicted as harmonizing with his faithfulness. God's faithfulness refers to his commitment to keep his promises and fulfill his covenant with his people. Love and faithfulness are perfectly balanced in God and work together in remarkable harmony.

The second phrase — righteousness and peace kiss each other — portrays righteousness and peace as characters who express affection toward one another. Righteousness represents God's divine justice and adherence to what is right and good. Peace symbolizes the wholeness, tranquility, and well-being resulting from God's righteous rule. Again, righteousness and peace come together in another harmonious balance in God.

Put together, the verse speaks of God's redemptive work and his desire to reconcile all things according to his perfect plan. And he made this happen through his Son, Jesus Christ. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we witness the perfect meeting of love and faithfulness, as well as righteousness and peace. 

The cross of Christ becomes the place where these divine attributes come together, offering forgiveness and reconciliation to all who believe in him. Let us experience the beauty of love, faithfulness, righteousness, and peace as a beautiful symphony in our lives.

God bless you.