Prayer that the Lord Will Restore Favor to the Land

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm (A)of the sons of Korah.

85 Lord, You have been favorable to Your land;
You have (B)brought back the captivity of Jacob.
You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people;
You have covered all their sin. Selah
You have taken away all Your wrath;
You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.

(C)Restore us, O God of our salvation,
And cause Your anger toward us to cease.
(D)Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
Will You not (E)revive us again,
That Your people may rejoice in You?
Show us Your mercy, Lord,
And grant us Your salvation.

I will hear what God the Lord will speak,
For He will speak peace
To His people and to His saints;
But let them not turn back to [a]folly.
Surely (F)His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
(G)That glory may dwell in our land.

10 Mercy and truth have met together;
(H)Righteousness and peace have kissed.
11 Truth shall spring out of the earth,
And righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 (I)Yes, the Lord will give what is good;
And our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before Him,
And shall make His footsteps our pathway.

Prayer for Mercy, with Meditation on the Excellencies of the Lord

A Prayer of David.

86 Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me;
For I am poor and needy.
Preserve my [b]life, for I am holy;
You are my God;
Save Your servant who trusts in You!
Be merciful to me, O Lord,
For I cry to You all day long.
[c]Rejoice the soul of Your servant,
(J)For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
For (K)You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.

Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
And attend to the voice of my supplications.
In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,
For You will answer me.

(L)Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord;
Nor are there any works like Your works.
All nations whom You have made
Shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
And shall glorify Your name.
10 For You are great, and (M)do wondrous things;
(N)You alone are God.

11 (O)Teach me Your way, O Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
[d]Unite my heart to fear Your name.
12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
13 For great is Your mercy toward me,
And You have delivered my soul from the depths of [e]Sheol.

14 O God, the proud have risen against me,
And a mob of violent men have sought my life,
And have not set You before them.
15 But (P)You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious,
Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.

16 Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me!
Give Your strength to Your servant,
And save the son of Your maidservant.
17 Show me a sign for good,
That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed,
Because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

The Glories of the City of God

A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.

87 His foundation is in the holy mountains.
(Q)The Lord loves the gates of Zion
More than all the dwellings of Jacob.
(R)Glorious things are spoken of you,
O city of God! Selah

“I will make mention of [f]Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me;
Behold, O Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia:
‘This one was born there.’ ”

And of Zion it will be said,
“This one and that one were born in her;
And the Most High Himself shall establish her.”
The Lord will record,
When He (S)registers the peoples:
“This one was born there.” Selah

Both the singers and the players on instruments say,
“All my springs are in you.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 85:8 foolishness
  2. Psalm 86:2 Lit. soul
  3. Psalm 86:4 Make glad
  4. Psalm 86:11 Give me singleness of heart
  5. Psalm 86:13 The abode of the dead
  6. Psalm 87:4 Egypt

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]
You set aside all your wrath(D)
    and turned from your fierce anger.(E)

Restore(F) us again, God our Savior,(G)
    and put away your displeasure toward us.
Will you be angry with us forever?(H)
    Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
Will you not revive(I) us again,
    that your people may rejoice(J) in you?
Show us your unfailing love,(K) Lord,
    and grant us your salvation.(L)

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

10 Love and faithfulness(Q) meet together;
    righteousness(R) and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
    and righteousness(S) looks down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give what is good,(T)
    and our land will yield(U) 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(V) me,
    for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
    save your servant who trusts in you.(W)
You are my God; have mercy(X) on me, Lord,
    for I call(Y) to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
    for I put my trust(Z) in you.

You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
    abounding in love(AA) to all who call to you.
Hear my prayer, Lord;
    listen to my cry(AB) for mercy.
When I am in distress,(AC) I call(AD) to you,
    because you answer(AE) me.

Among the gods(AF) there is none like you,(AG) Lord;
    no deeds can compare with yours.
All the nations you have made
    will come(AH) and worship(AI) before you, Lord;
    they will bring glory(AJ) to your name.
10 For you are great(AK) and do marvelous deeds;(AL)
    you alone(AM) are God.

11 Teach me your way,(AN) Lord,
    that I may rely on your faithfulness;(AO)
give me an undivided(AP) heart,
    that I may fear(AQ) your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;(AR)
    I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
    you have delivered me(AS) from the depths,
    from the realm of the dead.(AT)

14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
    ruthless people are trying to kill me—
    they have no regard for you.(AU)
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious(AV) God,
    slow to anger,(AW) abounding(AX) in love and faithfulness.(AY)
16 Turn to me(AZ) and have mercy(BA) on me;
    show your strength(BB) in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
    just as my mother did.(BC)
17 Give me a sign(BD) of your goodness,
    that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
    for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Psalm 87

Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.

He has founded his city on the holy mountain.(BE)
The Lord loves the gates of Zion(BF)
    more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.

Glorious things are said of you,
    city of God:[c](BG)
“I will record Rahab[d](BH) and Babylon
    among those who acknowledge me—
Philistia(BI) too, and Tyre(BJ), along with Cush[e]
    and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”[f](BK)
Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
    “This one and that one were born in her,
    and the Most High himself will establish her.”
The Lord will write in the register(BL) of the peoples:
    “This one was born in Zion.”

As they make music(BM) they will sing,
    “All my fountains(BN) are in you.”

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.
  3. Psalm 87:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 6.
  4. Psalm 87:4 A poetic name for Egypt
  5. Psalm 87:4 That is, the upper Nile region
  6. Psalm 87:4 Or “I will record concerning those who acknowledge me: / ‘This one was born in Zion.’ / Hear this, Rahab and Babylon, / and you too, Philistia, Tyre and Cush.”