Prayer for God’s Mercy upon the Nation.

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

85 O Lord, You showed (A)favor to Your land;
You [a](B)restored the captivity of Jacob.
You (C)forgave the iniquity of Your people;
You (D)covered all their sin. [b]Selah.
You (E)withdrew all Your fury;
You (F)turned away from Your burning anger.

(G)Restore us, O God of our salvation,
And (H)cause Your indignation toward us to cease.
Will (I)You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger to [c]all generations?
Will You not Yourself [d](J)revive us again,
That Your people may (K)rejoice in You?
Show us Your lovingkindness, O Lord,
And (L)grant us Your salvation.

[e]I will hear what God the Lord will say;
For He will (M)speak peace to His people, [f]to His godly ones;
But let them not (N)turn back to [g]folly.
Surely (O)His salvation is near to those who [h]fear Him,
That (P)glory may dwell in our land.
10 (Q)Lovingkindness and [i]truth have met together;
(R)Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 [j]Truth (S)springs from the earth,
And righteousness looks down from heaven.
12 Indeed, (T)the Lord will give what is good,
And our (U)land will yield its produce.
13 (V)Righteousness will go before Him
And will make His footsteps into a way.

A Psalm of Supplication and Trust.

A Prayer of David.

86 (W)Incline Your ear, O Lord, and answer me;
For I am (X)afflicted and needy.
(Y)Preserve my [k]soul, for I am a (Z)godly man;
O You my God, save Your servant who (AA)trusts in You.
Be (AB)gracious to me, O Lord,
For (AC)to You I cry all day long.
Make glad the soul of Your servant,
For to You, O Lord, (AD)I lift up my soul.
For You, Lord, are (AE)good, and (AF)ready to forgive,
And (AG)abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.
(AH)Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
And give heed to the voice of my supplications!
In (AI)the day of my trouble I shall call upon You,
For (AJ)You will answer me.
There is (AK)no one like You among the gods, O Lord,
Nor are there any works (AL)like Yours.
(AM)All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
And they shall glorify Your name.
10 For You are (AN)great and (AO)do [l]wondrous deeds;
You alone (AP)are God.

11 (AQ)Teach me Your way, O Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
(AR)Unite my heart to fear Your name.
12 I will (AS)give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And will glorify Your name forever.
13 For Your lovingkindness toward me is great,
And You have (AT)delivered my soul from the [m]depths of [n]Sheol.

14 O God, arrogant men have (AU)risen up against me,
And [o]a band of violent men have sought my [p]life,
And they have not set You before them.
15 But You, O Lord, are a God (AV)merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and [q]truth.
16 (AW)Turn to me, and be gracious to me;
Oh (AX)grant Your strength to Your servant,
And save the (AY)son of Your handmaid.
17 (AZ)Show me a sign for good,
That those who hate me may (BA)see it and be ashamed,
Because You, O Lord, (BB)have helped me and comforted me.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 85:1 Or restore the fortunes
  2. Psalm 85:2 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
  3. Psalm 85:5 Lit generation and generation
  4. Psalm 85:6 Or bring to life
  5. Psalm 85:8 Or Let me hear
  6. Psalm 85:8 Lit even to
  7. Psalm 85:8 Or stupidity
  8. Psalm 85:9 Or reverence
  9. Psalm 85:10 Or faithfulness
  10. Psalm 85:11 Or Faithfulness
  11. Psalm 86:2 Or life
  12. Psalm 86:10 Or miracles
  13. Psalm 86:13 Lit lowest Sheol
  14. Psalm 86:13 I.e. the nether world
  15. Psalm 86:14 Or an assembly
  16. Psalm 86:14 Lit soul
  17. Psalm 86:15 Or faithfulness