Salmos 85:2 Midrash: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Bereshit Rabbah & Midrash Tehillim

R. Chama b. Chanina said: "The day of rain is of equal importance with the day on which heaven and earth were created; as it is said (Is. 46, 8) Drop down, ye heavens, from above and let the skies distill blessing; let the earth open, and let them all be fruitful of prosperity, and let righteousness spring up likewise I the Lord have created it; i.e., created them [the heaven and earth] is not said, but created it [referring to the rain]." R. Oshiya said: "The day of rain is so great that even prosperity is increased because of it; as it is written (Ib.) Let the earth open, and let them all be fruitful of prosperity." R. Tanchun b. Chanilai said: "Rain does not descend unless the sins of Israel are forgiven; as it is said (Ps. 83, 2) Thou hast been favorable, O Lord, unto thy land [with rain, only after]; thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people; thou hast covered over all their sin. Selah." Zeiri of Dehobath said to Rabina: "This ye learn from the above passage. We, however, infer it from the following: (I Kings 8, 34) Then hear Thou in heaven, and forgive the sin, etc."

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It [rain] indicates [divine] favor [meratze] comparable to [that which is facilitated by] offerings, as it is stated [regarding rain]: “Lord, You showed favor to [ratzita] Your land” (Psalms 85:2), and elsewhere it is written: “They will be offered up with acceptance [ratzon] upon My altar” (Isaiah 56:7, 60:7). Rabbi Simon said: It is even [compared to] ingathering of the exiles,¹⁴In terms of the salvation that it brings to the world. as it is stated [there]: “You returned Jacob from captivity” (Psalms 85:2). Rabbi Yoḥanan bar Marya says: It is a [sign of] quelling fury, as it is stated [there]: “You quelled all Your fury” (Psalms 85:4). Rabbi Tanḥum bar Ḥanilai said: It is even [a sign of] atonement for sins, as it is stated [there]: “You bore the iniquity of Your people” (Psalms 85:3).

"To the conductor, a wise psalm of the sons of Korah. God, we have heard with our ears. This is what the scripture says (Isaiah 63:12), 'He led them with the right hand of Moses, etc.' From here we learn that when the Israelites left Egypt, they did not have any deeds that would redeem them, and it was not because of their ancestors that the sea was split, but rather to make a name for God. Similarly, it says (Ibid. 14), 'As the cattle go down into the valley.' And when they were redeemed from Egypt, Moses told them that they were not redeemed because of their own deeds, but rather so that they could tell their children and give glory to God among the nations. As it says (Psalm 96:1), 'Sing unto the Lord a new song.' (Ibid. 3), 'Declare His glory among the nations.' And the sons of Korah said to our ancestors, 'Tell us,' but they themselves also recount how they left Egypt. And what is the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, that His children recount His glory among the nations? It is that they prophesied about the generations. The sons of Korah said to our ancestors, 'You did it, not us, what benefit do we have in what you did for our ancestors?' And when do we benefit? When you do a sign with me for good (Psalm 86:17), 'Do a sign with me for good.' The patriarchs worked a great deed in the days of Abraham, as it says (Genesis 15:15), 'And he divided himself against them by night.' Similarly, in the wilderness, the children did a deed for themselves and for their own desire, not for us. And it says (Psalm 47:3), 'God has chosen for us our inheritance.' "