Psalms

Chapter 85

You Showed Favor to Your Land

This psalm remembers how God once showed favor to the land by restoring Jacob, forgiving his people's iniquity, and turning away his wrath. On the basis of that past mercy, the community now asks to be restored again, pleading for the end of divine anger and for renewed life so that the people may rejoice in God. The psalm then turns to hopeful listening, expecting a word of peace for those who fear him. It ends with a radiant vision of salvation near at hand, where steadfast love and faithfulness meet, righteousness and peace kiss, and God himself gives what is good to a fruitful land.

Psalm 85 is a prayer for renewal that stands between memory and promise. It teaches the people of God to appeal to prior acts of forgiveness, to ask candidly for revival, and to hope for a future in which divine mercy and righteousness shape the whole life of the community.

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Psalms 85

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vv. 1-13

You Showed Favor to Your Land

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F¹or the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. ²You forgave the iniquity of Your people; ³You withheld all Your fury;

⁴Restore us, O God of our salvation, ⁵Will You be angry with us forever? ⁶Will You not revive us again, ⁷Show us Your loving devotion, O LORD,

⁸I will listen to what God the LORD will say; ⁹Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,

¹⁰Loving devotion and faithfulness have joined together; ¹¹Faithfulness sprouts from the earth, ¹²The LORD will indeed provide what is good, ¹³Righteousness will go before Him

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01vv. 1-13You Showed Favor to Your LandThe psalm begins by recalling that the LORD once favored the land, restored Jacob, forgave iniquity, and withdrew fierce anger from his people. From that remembered mercy the prayer turns to present need, asking God to restore them again, end his anger, revive them, and show his steadfast love. The speaker then waits to hear God's answer, confident that he will speak peace to his people if they do not return to folly. The psalm closes with a portrait of salvation drawing near, where covenant virtues meet and the land itself shares in the blessing of God's righteous presence.