Psalms 85:1-10

Prayer for God's Mercy upon the Nation.

1 O LORD, You showed ¹favor to Your land; You ²restored the captivity of Jacob.

2 You ³forgave the iniquity of Your people; You ⁴covered all their sin. Selah.

3 You ⁵withdrew all Your fury; You ⁶turned away from Your burning anger.

4 ⁷Restore us, O God of our salvation, And ⁸cause Your indignation toward us to cease.

5 Will ⁹You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?

6 Will You not Yourself ¹⁰revive us again, That Your people may ¹¹rejoice in You?

7 Show us Your lovingkindness, O LORD, And ¹²grant us Your salvation.

8 I will hear what God the LORD will say; For He will ¹³speak peace to His people, to His godly ones; But let them not ¹⁴turn back to folly.

9 Surely ¹⁵His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That ¹⁶glory may dwell in our land.

10 ¹⁷Lovingkindness and truth have met together; ¹⁸Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

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Psalms 85:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. This psalm is generally thought to have been composed after the return of the Jews from their captivity in Babylon; and yet when they were in some distress from their neighbours, either in the times of Ezra and Nehemiah, or in the times of Antiochus; but then this deliverance from captivity must be considered as typical of redemption by Christ; for as the title of the Syriac version is, "it is a prophecy concerning Christ;" it speaks of his dwelling in the land, of his salvation being near, and of the glory of the divine perfections as displayed in it; and perhaps some parts of it may respect the conversion of the Jews in the latter day; and Aben Ezra and Kimchi say, it is concerning the captivity of Babylon, yet also of their present captivity.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 18

1. Psalms 77:7; Psalms 106:4
2. Ezra 1:11; Psalms 14:7; Psalms 126:1; Jeremiah 30:18; Ezekiel 39:25; Hosea 6:11; Joel 3:1
3. Numbers 14:19; 1 Kings 8:34; Psalms 78:38; Psalms 103:3; Jeremiah 31:34
4. Psalms 32:1
5. Psalms 78:38; Psalms 106:23
6. Exodus 32:12; Deuteronomy 13:17; Psalms 106:23; Jonah 3:9
7. Psalms 80:3,7
8. Daniel 9:16
9. Psalms 74:1; Psalms 79:5; Psalms 80:4
10. Psalms 71:20; Psalms 80:18
11. Psalms 33:1; Psalms 90:14; Psalms 149:2
12. Psalms 106:4
13. Psalms 29:11; Haggai 2:9; Zechariah 9:10
14. Psalms 78:57; 2 Peter 2:21
15. Psalms 34:18; Isaiah 46:13
16. Psalms 84:11; Haggai 2:7; Zechariah 2:5; John 1:14
17. Psalms 25:10; Psalms 89:14; Proverbs 3:3
18. Psalms 72:3; Isaiah 32:17

Footnotes 9

[a]. Or "restore the fortunes"
[b]. "Selah" may mean: "Pause, Crescendo" or "Musical interlude"
[c]. Lit "generation and generation"
[d]. Or "bring to life"
[e]. Or "Let me hear"
[f]. Lit "even to"
[g]. Or "stupidity"
[h]. Or "reverence"
[i]. Or "faithfulness"