Longing for the Temple Worship.

For the music director; [a]on the Gittith. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

84 How lovely are Your (A)dwelling places,
Lord of armies!
My (B)soul longed and even yearned for the courtyards of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the (C)living God.
The bird also has found a house,
And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may put her young:
Your (D)altars, Lord of armies,
(E)My King and my God.
(F)Blessed are those who dwell in Your house!
They are (G)ever praising You. Selah

Blessed is the person whose (H)strength is in You,
In [b]whose heart are the (I)roads to Zion!
Passing through the Valley of [c]Baca they make it a [d]spring;
The (J)early rain also covers it with blessings.
They (K)go from strength to strength,
[e]Every one of them (L)appears before God in Zion.

(M)Lord God of armies, hear my prayer;
Listen, (N)God of Jacob! Selah
See our (O)shield, God,
And look at the face of (P)Your anointed.
10 For (Q)a day in Your courtyards is better than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God
Than live in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is (R)a sun and (S)shield;
The Lord gives grace and (T)glory;
(U)He withholds no good thing [f]from those who walk with integrity.
12 Lord of armies,
(V)Blessed is the person who trusts in You!

Prayer for God’s Mercy upon the Nation.

For the music director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

85 Lord, You showed (W)favor to Your land;
You (X)restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You (Y)forgave the guilt of Your people;
You (Z)covered all their sin. Selah
You (AA)withdrew all Your fury;
You (AB)turned away from Your burning anger.

(AC)Restore us, God of our salvation,
And (AD)cause Your indignation toward us to cease.
Will (AE)You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger to [g]all generations?
Will You not [h](AF)revive us again,
So that Your people may (AG)rejoice in You?
Show us Your mercy, Lord,
And (AH)grant us Your salvation.

[i]I will hear what God the Lord will say;
For He will (AI)speak peace to His people, to His godly ones;
And may they not (AJ)turn back to [j]foolishness.
Certainly (AK)His salvation is near to those who [k]fear Him,
That (AL)glory may dwell in our land.
10 (AM)Graciousness and [l]truth have met together;
(AN)Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 [m]Truth (AO)sprouts from the earth,
And righteousness looks down from heaven.
12 Indeed, (AP)the Lord will give what is good,
And our (AQ)land will yield its produce.
13 (AR)Righteousness will go before Him
And will make His footsteps into a way.

Pleading and Trust.

A Prayer of David.

86 (AS)Incline Your ear, Lord, and answer me;
For I am (AT)afflicted and needy.
(AU)Protect my [n]soul, for I am (AV)godly;
You my God, save Your servant who (AW)trusts in You.
Be (AX)gracious to me, Lord,
For (AY)I call upon You all day long.
Make the soul of Your servant joyful,
For to You, Lord, (AZ)I lift up my soul.
For You, Lord, are (BA)good, and (BB)ready to forgive,
And (BC)abundant in mercy to all who call upon You.
(BD)Listen, Lord, to my prayer;
And give Your attention to the sound of my pleading!
On (BE)the day of my trouble I will call upon You,
For (BF)You will answer me.
There is (BG)no one like You among the gods, Lord,
Nor are there any works (BH)like Yours.
(BI)All nations whom You have made will come and worship before You, Lord,
And they will glorify Your name.
10 For You are (BJ)great, and you (BK)do [o]wondrous deeds;
You alone (BL)are God.

11 (BM)Teach me Your way, Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
(BN)Unite my heart to fear Your name.
12 I will (BO)give thanks to You, Lord my God, with all my heart,
And I will glorify Your name forever.
13 For Your graciousness toward me is great,
And You have (BP)saved my soul from the [p]depths of [q]Sheol.

14 God, arrogant men have (BQ)risen up against me,
And a gang of violent men have sought my [r]life,
And they have not set You before them.
15 But You, Lord, are a (BR)compassionate and gracious God,
Slow to anger and abundant in mercy and [s]truth.
16 (BS)Turn to me, and be gracious to me;
(BT)Grant Your strength to Your servant,
And save the (BU)son of Your maidservant.
17 (BV)Show me a sign of good,
That those who hate me may (BW)see it and be ashamed,
Because You, Lord, (BX)have helped me and comforted me.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 84 Title Or according to
  2. Psalm 84:5 Lit their
  3. Psalm 84:6 Prob. Weeping; or Balsam-shrubs
  4. Psalm 84:6 Or place of springs
  5. Psalm 84:7 Some ancient versions The God of gods will be seen in Zion
  6. Psalm 84:11 Lit with regard to
  7. Psalm 85:5 Lit generation and generation
  8. Psalm 85:6 Or bring to life
  9. Psalm 85:8 Or Let me hear
  10. Psalm 85:8 I.e., foolish self-confidence
  11. Psalm 85:9 Or revere
  12. Psalm 85:10 Or faithfulness
  13. Psalm 85:11 Or Faithfulness
  14. Psalm 86:2 Or life
  15. Psalm 86:10 Or miracles
  16. Psalm 86:13 Lit lowest Sheol
  17. Psalm 86:13 I.e., the netherworld
  18. Psalm 86:14 Lit soul
  19. Psalm 86:15 Or faithfulness

Psalm 84[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

How lovely is your dwelling place,(A)
    Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns,(B) even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.(C)
Even the sparrow has found a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,(D)
    Lord Almighty,(E) my King(F) and my God.(G)
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
    they are ever praising you.[c]

Blessed are those whose strength(H) is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.(I)
As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;(J)
    the autumn(K) rains also cover it with pools.[d]
They go from strength to strength,(L)
    till each appears(M) before God in Zion.(N)

Hear my prayer,(O) Lord God Almighty;
    listen to me, God of Jacob.
Look on our shield,[e](P) O God;
    look with favor on your anointed one.(Q)

10 Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper(R) in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun(S) and shield;(T)
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold(U)
    from those whose walk is blameless.

12 Lord Almighty,
    blessed(V) is the one who trusts in you.

Psalm 85[f]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

You, Lord, showed favor to your land;
    you restored the fortunes(W) of Jacob.
You forgave(X) the iniquity(Y) of your people
    and covered all their sins.[g]
You set aside all your wrath(Z)
    and turned from your fierce anger.(AA)

Restore(AB) us again, God our Savior,(AC)
    and put away your displeasure toward us.
Will you be angry with us forever?(AD)
    Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
Will you not revive(AE) us again,
    that your people may rejoice(AF) in you?
Show us your unfailing love,(AG) Lord,
    and grant us your salvation.(AH)

I will listen to what God the Lord says;
    he promises peace(AI) to his people, his faithful servants—
    but let them not turn to folly.(AJ)
Surely his salvation(AK) is near those who fear him,
    that his glory(AL) may dwell in our land.

10 Love and faithfulness(AM) meet together;
    righteousness(AN) and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
    and righteousness(AO) looks down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give what is good,(AP)
    and our land will yield(AQ) its harvest.
13 Righteousness goes before him
    and prepares the way for his steps.

Psalm 86

A prayer of David.

Hear me, Lord, and answer(AR) me,
    for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
    save your servant who trusts in you.(AS)
You are my God; have mercy(AT) on me, Lord,
    for I call(AU) to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
    for I put my trust(AV) in you.

You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
    abounding in love(AW) to all who call to you.
Hear my prayer, Lord;
    listen to my cry(AX) for mercy.
When I am in distress,(AY) I call(AZ) to you,
    because you answer(BA) me.

Among the gods(BB) there is none like you,(BC) Lord;
    no deeds can compare with yours.
All the nations you have made
    will come(BD) and worship(BE) before you, Lord;
    they will bring glory(BF) to your name.
10 For you are great(BG) and do marvelous deeds;(BH)
    you alone(BI) are God.

11 Teach me your way,(BJ) Lord,
    that I may rely on your faithfulness;(BK)
give me an undivided(BL) heart,
    that I may fear(BM) your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;(BN)
    I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
    you have delivered me(BO) from the depths,
    from the realm of the dead.(BP)

14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
    ruthless people are trying to kill me—
    they have no regard for you.(BQ)
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious(BR) God,
    slow to anger,(BS) abounding(BT) in love and faithfulness.(BU)
16 Turn to me(BV) and have mercy(BW) on me;
    show your strength(BX) in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
    just as my mother did.(BY)
17 Give me a sign(BZ) of your goodness,
    that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
    for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 84:1 In Hebrew texts 84:1-12 is numbered 84:2-13.
  2. Psalm 84:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 84:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 8.
  4. Psalm 84:6 Or blessings
  5. Psalm 84:9 Or sovereign
  6. Psalm 85:1 In Hebrew texts 85:1-13 is numbered 85:2-14.
  7. Psalm 85:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.