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Psalm 81-85
New King James Version
Psalm 81-85
New King James Version
An Appeal for Israel’s Repentance
To the Chief Musician. (A)On[a] an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of Asaph.
81 Sing aloud to God our strength;
Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob.
2 Raise a song and strike the timbrel,
The pleasant harp with the lute.
3 Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon,
At the full moon, on our solemn feast day.
4 For (B)this is a statute for Israel,
A law of the God of Jacob.
5 This He established in Joseph as a testimony,
When He went throughout the land of Egypt,
(C)Where I heard a language I did not understand.
6 “I removed his shoulder from the burden;
His hands were freed from the baskets.
7 (D)You called in trouble, and I delivered you;
(E)I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I (F)tested you at the waters of [b]Meribah. Selah
8 “Hear,(G) O My people, and I will admonish you!
O Israel, if you will listen to Me!
9 There shall be no (H)foreign god among you;
Nor shall you worship any foreign god.
10 (I)I am the Lord your God,
Who brought you out of the land of Egypt;
(J)Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 “But My people would not heed My voice,
And Israel would have (K)none of Me.
12 (L)So I gave them over to [c]their own stubborn heart,
To walk in their own counsels.
13 “Oh,(M) that My people would listen to Me,
That Israel would walk in My ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies,
And turn My hand against their adversaries.
15 (N)The haters of the Lord would pretend submission to Him,
But their [d]fate would endure forever.
16 He would (O)have fed them also with [e]the finest of wheat;
And with honey (P)from the rock I would have satisfied you.”
A Plea for Justice
A Psalm of Asaph.
82 God (Q)stands in the congregation of [f]the mighty;
He judges among (R)the [g]gods.
2 How long will you judge unjustly,
And (S)show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 [h]Defend the poor and fatherless;
Do justice to the afflicted and (T)needy.
4 Deliver the poor and needy;
Free them from the hand of the wicked.
5 They do not know, nor do they understand;
They walk about in darkness;
All the (U)foundations of the earth are [i]unstable.
6 I said, (V)“You are [j]gods,
And all of you are children of the Most High.
7 But you shall die like men,
And fall like one of the princes.”
8 Arise, O God, judge the earth;
(W)For You shall inherit all nations.
Prayer to Frustrate Conspiracy Against Israel
A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.
83 Do(X) not keep silent, O God!
Do not hold Your peace,
And do not be still, O God!
2 For behold, (Y)Your enemies make a [k]tumult;
And those who hate You have [l]lifted up their head.
3 They have taken crafty counsel against Your people,
And consulted together (Z)against Your sheltered ones.
4 They have said, “Come, and (AA)let us cut them off from being a nation,
That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”
5 For they have consulted together with one [m]consent;
They [n]form a confederacy against You:
6 (AB)The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites;
Moab and the Hagrites;
7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek;
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assyria also has joined with them;
They have helped the children of Lot. Selah
9 Deal with them as with (AC)Midian,
As with (AD)Sisera,
As with Jabin at the Brook Kishon,
10 Who perished at En Dor,
(AE)Who became as refuse on the earth.
11 Make their nobles like (AF)Oreb and like Zeeb,
Yes, all their princes like (AG)Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 Who said, “Let us take for ourselves
The pastures of God for a possession.”
13 (AH)O my God, make them like the whirling dust,
(AI)Like the chaff before the wind!
14 As the fire burns the woods,
And as the flame (AJ)sets the mountains on fire,
15 So pursue them with Your tempest,
And frighten them with Your storm.
16 Fill their faces with shame,
That they may seek Your name, O Lord.
17 Let them be [o]confounded and dismayed forever;
Yes, let them be put to shame and perish,
18 (AK)That they may know that You, whose (AL)name alone is the Lord,
Are (AM)the Most High over all the earth.
The Blessedness of Dwelling in the House of God
To the Chief Musician. (AN)On[p] an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
84 How (AO)lovely [q]is Your tabernacle,
O Lord of hosts!
2 (AP)My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
And the swallow a nest for herself,
Where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in Your (AQ)house;
They will still be praising You. Selah
5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley (AR)of [r]Baca,
They make it a spring;
The rain also covers it with [s]pools.
7 They go (AS)from strength to strength;
[t]Each one (AT)appears before God in Zion.
8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 (AU)O God, behold our shield,
And look upon the face of Your [u]anointed.
10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather [v]be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is (AV)a sun and (AW)shield;
The Lord will give grace and glory;
(AX)No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts,
(AY)Blessed is the man who trusts in You!
Prayer that the Lord Will Restore Favor to the Land
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm (AZ)of the sons of Korah.
85 Lord, You have been favorable to Your land;
You have (BA)brought back the captivity of Jacob.
2 You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people;
You have covered all their sin. Selah
3 You have taken away all Your wrath;
You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.
4 (BB)Restore us, O God of our salvation,
And cause Your anger toward us to cease.
5 (BC)Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
6 Will You not (BD)revive us again,
That Your people may rejoice in You?
7 Show us Your mercy, Lord,
And grant us Your salvation.
8 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 [w]folly.
9 Surely (BE)His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
(BF)That glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth have met together;
(BG)Righteousness and peace have kissed.
11 Truth shall spring out of the earth,
And righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 (BH)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.
Footnotes
- Psalm 81:1 Heb. Al Gittith
- Psalm 81:7 Lit. Strife or Contention
- Psalm 81:12 the dictates of their heart
- Psalm 81:15 Lit. time
- Psalm 81:16 Lit. fat of wheat
- Psalm 82:1 Heb. El, lit. God
- Psalm 82:1 Judges; Heb. elohim, lit. mighty ones or gods
- Psalm 82:3 Vindicate
- Psalm 82:5 moved
- Psalm 82:6 Judges; Heb. elohim, lit. mighty ones or gods
- Psalm 83:2 uproar
- Psalm 83:2 Exalted themselves
- Psalm 83:5 Lit. heart
- Psalm 83:5 Lit. cut a covenant
- Psalm 83:17 ashamed
- Psalm 84:1 Heb. Al Gittith
- Psalm 84:1 are Your dwellings
- Psalm 84:6 Lit. Weeping
- Psalm 84:6 Or blessings
- Psalm 84:7 LXX, Syr., Vg. The God of gods shall be seen
- Psalm 84:9 Commissioned one, Heb. messiah
- Psalm 84:10 stand at the threshold
- Psalm 85:8 foolishness
Psalm 81-85
New International Version
Psalm 81-85
New International Version
Psalm 81[a]
For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of Asaph.
1 Sing for joy to God our strength;
shout aloud to the God of Jacob!(A)
2 Begin the music, strike the timbrel,(B)
play the melodious harp(C) and lyre.(D)
3 Sound the ram’s horn(E) at the New Moon,(F)
and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;
4 this is a decree for Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob.(G)
5 When God went out against Egypt,(H)
he established it as a statute for Joseph.
I heard an unknown voice say:(I)
6 “I removed the burden(J) from their shoulders;(K)
their hands were set free from the basket.
7 In your distress you called(L) and I rescued you,
I answered(M) you out of a thundercloud;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.[c](N)
8 Hear me, my people,(O) and I will warn you—
if you would only listen to me, Israel!
9 You shall have no foreign god(P) among you;
you shall not worship any god other than me.
10 I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.(Q)
Open(R) wide your mouth and I will fill(S) it.
11 “But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.(T)
12 So I gave them over(U) to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.
13 “If my people would only listen to me,(V)
if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subdue(W) their enemies
and turn my hand against(X) their foes!
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe(Y) before him,
and their punishment would last forever.
16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;(Z)
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
Psalm 82
A psalm of Asaph.
2 “How long will you[d] defend the unjust
and show partiality(AC) to the wicked?[e](AD)
3 Defend the weak and the fatherless;(AE)
uphold the cause of the poor(AF) and the oppressed.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
5 “The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing.(AG)
They walk about in darkness;(AH)
all the foundations(AI) of the earth are shaken.
6 “I said, ‘You are “gods”;(AJ)
you are all sons of the Most High.’
7 But you will die(AK) like mere mortals;
you will fall like every other ruler.”
Psalm 83[f]
A song. A psalm of Asaph.
1 O God, do not remain silent;(AO)
do not turn a deaf ear,
do not stand aloof, O God.
2 See how your enemies growl,(AP)
how your foes rear their heads.(AQ)
3 With cunning they conspire(AR) against your people;
they plot against those you cherish.(AS)
4 “Come,” they say, “let us destroy(AT) them as a nation,(AU)
so that Israel’s name is remembered(AV) no more.”
5 With one mind they plot together;(AW)
they form an alliance against you—
6 the tents of Edom(AX) and the Ishmaelites,
of Moab(AY) and the Hagrites,(AZ)
7 Byblos,(BA) Ammon(BB) and Amalek,(BC)
Philistia,(BD) with the people of Tyre.(BE)
8 Even Assyria(BF) has joined them
to reinforce Lot’s descendants.[g](BG)
9 Do to them as you did to Midian,(BH)
as you did to Sisera(BI) and Jabin(BJ) at the river Kishon,(BK)
10 who perished at Endor(BL)
and became like dung(BM) on the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,(BN)
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,(BO)
12 who said, “Let us take possession(BP)
of the pasturelands of God.”
13 Make them like tumbleweed, my God,
like chaff(BQ) before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest
or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,(BR)
15 so pursue them with your tempest(BS)
and terrify them with your storm.(BT)
16 Cover their faces with shame,(BU) Lord,
so that they will seek your name.
17 May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;(BV)
may they perish in disgrace.(BW)
18 Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord(BX)—
that you alone are the Most High(BY) over all the earth.(BZ)
Psalm 84[h]
For the director of music. According to gittith.[i] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,(CA)
Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns,(CB) even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.(CC)
3 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,(CD)
Lord Almighty,(CE) my King(CF) and my God.(CG)
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.[j]
5 Blessed are those whose strength(CH) is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.(CI)
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;(CJ)
the autumn(CK) rains also cover it with pools.[k]
7 They go from strength to strength,(CL)
till each appears(CM) before God in Zion.(CN)
8 Hear my prayer,(CO) Lord God Almighty;
listen to me, God of Jacob.
9 Look on our shield,[l](CP) O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.(CQ)
10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper(CR) in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun(CS) and shield;(CT)
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold(CU)
from those whose walk is blameless.
12 Lord Almighty,
blessed(CV) is the one who trusts in you.
Psalm 85[m]
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 You, Lord, showed favor to your land;
you restored the fortunes(CW) of Jacob.
2 You forgave(CX) the iniquity(CY) of your people
and covered all their sins.[n]
3 You set aside all your wrath(CZ)
and turned from your fierce anger.(DA)
4 Restore(DB) us again, God our Savior,(DC)
and put away your displeasure toward us.
5 Will you be angry with us forever?(DD)
Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
6 Will you not revive(DE) us again,
that your people may rejoice(DF) in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love,(DG) Lord,
and grant us your salvation.(DH)
8 I will listen to what God the Lord says;
he promises peace(DI) to his people, his faithful servants—
but let them not turn to folly.(DJ)
9 Surely his salvation(DK) is near those who fear him,
that his glory(DL) may dwell in our land.
10 Love and faithfulness(DM) meet together;
righteousness(DN) and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness(DO) looks down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give what is good,(DP)
and our land will yield(DQ) its harvest.
13 Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.
Footnotes
- Psalm 81:1 In Hebrew texts 81:1-16 is numbered 81:2-17.
- Psalm 81:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 81:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 82:2 The Hebrew is plural.
- Psalm 82:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 83:1 In Hebrew texts 83:1-18 is numbered 83:2-19.
- Psalm 83:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 84:1 In Hebrew texts 84:1-12 is numbered 84:2-13.
- Psalm 84:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 84:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 8.
- Psalm 84:6 Or blessings
- Psalm 84:9 Or sovereign
- Psalm 85:1 In Hebrew texts 85:1-13 is numbered 85:2-14.
- Psalm 85:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.