Psalm 85:1-9

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.

Psalm 85:1-9 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.

Cross References

• 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

Footnotes

• [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"