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Prayer for God’s mercy upon the nation.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

85 Jehovah, thou hast been favorable unto thy land;
Thou hast [a]brought back the captivity of Jacob.
Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people;
Thou hast covered all their sin. Selah
Thou hast taken away all thy wrath;
Thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.
[b]Turn us, O God of our salvation,
And cause thine indignation toward us to cease.
Wilt thou be angry with us for ever?
Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?
Wilt thou not quicken us again,
That thy people may rejoice in thee?
Show us thy lovingkindness, O Jehovah,
And grant us thy salvation.
I will hear what God Jehovah 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 springeth out of the earth;
And righteousness hath looked down from heaven.
12 Yea, Jehovah will give that which is good;
And our land shall yield its increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him,
And shall [c]make his footsteps a way to walk in.

A psalm of supplication and trust.

A Prayer of David.

86 Bow down thine ear, O Jehovah, and answer me;
For I am poor and needy.
Preserve my soul; for I am godly:
O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
Be merciful unto me, O Lord;
For unto thee do I cry all the day long.
Rejoice the soul of thy servant;
For unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in lovingkindness unto all them that call upon thee.
Give ear, O Jehovah, unto my prayer;
And hearken unto the voice of my supplications.
In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee;
For thou wilt answer me.
There is none like unto thee among the gods, O Lord;
Neither are there any works like unto thy works.
All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord;
And they shall glorify thy name.
10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things:
Thou art God alone.
11 Teach me thy way, O Jehovah; I will walk in thy truth:
Unite my heart to fear thy name.
12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with my whole heart;
And I will glorify thy name for evermore.
13 For great is thy lovingkindness toward me;
And thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.
14 O God, the proud are risen up against me,
And a company of violent men have sought after my soul,
And have not set thee before them.
15 But thou, O Lord, art a God merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.
16 Oh turn unto me, and [d]have mercy upon me;
Give thy strength unto thy servant,
And save the son of thy handmaid.
17 Show me a token for good,
That they who hate me may see it, and be put to shame,
Because thou, Jehovah, hast helped me, and comforted me.

The privileges of citizenship in Zion.

A Psalm of the sons of Korah; a Song.

[e]87 His foundation is in the holy mountains.
Jehovah loveth the gates of Zion
More than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah
I will make mention of [f]Rahab and Babylon as among them that know me:
Behold, Philistia, and Tyre, with [g]Ethiopia:
This one was born there.
Yea, of Zion it shall be said, This one and that one was born in her;
And the Most High himself will establish her.
Jehovah will count, when he writeth up the peoples,
This one was born there. Selah
They that sing as well as [h]they that dance shall say,
All my fountains are in thee.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 85:1 Or, returned to
  2. Psalm 85:4 Or, Turn to us
  3. Psalm 85:13 Or, set us in the way of his steps
  4. Psalm 86:16 Or, be gracious unto
  5. Psalm 87:1 Or, His foundation in the holy mountains Jehovah loveth, even the gates etc.
  6. Psalm 87:4 Or, Egypt
  7. Psalm 87:4 Hebrew Cush.
  8. Psalm 87:7 Or, the players on instruments shall be there

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.”