Psalm 85[a]

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

You, Lord, showed favor to your land;
    you restored the fortunes(A) of Jacob.
You forgave(B) the iniquity(C) of your people
    and covered all their sins.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 85:1 In Hebrew texts 85:1-13 is numbered 85:2-14.
  2. Psalm 85:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

85 Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.

Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.

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

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

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I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.

Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.

10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

12 Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.

13 Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.

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Israel Unrepentant

“Come, let us return(A) to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces(B)
    but he will heal us;(C)
he has injured us
    but he will bind up our wounds.(D)
After two days he will revive us;(E)
    on the third day(F) he will restore(G) us,
    that we may live in his presence.
Let us acknowledge the Lord;
    let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises,
    he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,(H)
    like the spring rains that water the earth.(I)

“What can I do with you, Ephraim?(J)
    What can I do with you, Judah?
Your love is like the morning mist,
    like the early dew that disappears.(K)
Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets,
    I killed you with the words of my mouth(L)
    then my judgments go forth like the sun.[a](M)
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,(N)
    and acknowledgment(O) of God rather than burnt offerings.(P)

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 6:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.

Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.

Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

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Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians’ Faith

We always thank God for all of you(A) and continually mention you in our prayers.(B) We remember before our God and Father(C) your work produced by faith,(D) your labor prompted by love,(E) and your endurance inspired by hope(F) in our Lord Jesus Christ.

For we know, brothers and sisters[a] loved by God,(G) that he has chosen you, because our gospel(H) came to you not simply with words but also with power,(I) with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know(J) how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us(K) and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering(L) with the joy(M) given by the Holy Spirit.(N) And so you became a model(O) to all the believers in Macedonia(P) and Achaia.(Q) The Lord’s message(R) rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.(S) Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned(T) to God from idols(U) to serve the living and true God,(V) 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven,(W) whom he raised from the dead(X)—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.(Y)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 1:4 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 2:1, 9, 14, 17; 3:7; 4:1, 10, 13; 5:1, 4, 12, 14, 25, 27.

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.

So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

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