UNROLL
A terraced Judean hillside with most of its stone walls tumbled and gone to thistle, and one narrow strip of thin new barley on a repaired terrace, under a soft bright overcast.

Lament · Sons of Korah

Psalm 85

God rescued you once. So why does it feel like this now? A prayer for the in-between.

13 verses≈ 3 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

Tap any post to go deeper

Where we are

  1. 1–41Book IDavid's prayers: 'The LORD is my shepherd'
  2. 42–72Book II'As the deer pants'; the throne under pressure
  3. 73–89Book IIIAsaph and Korah: the kingdom fallsPsalm 85
  4. 90–106Book IVBack to Moses: the LORD reigns
  5. 107–150Book VSongs of ascents, and the last Hallelujah

You Showed Favor to Your Land

Morning in the terraced hills of Judah: a returned family at their overgrown hillside plot, the father lifting a fallen stone back onto a broken terrace wall while his wife and children unload bundles from a donkey beside a roofless stone house and an old olive tree.

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

You showed favor to Your land, O LORD;

You restored Jacob from captivity.

You forgave the iniquity of Your people;

You covered all their sin.

Selah

You withheld all Your fury;

You turned from Your burning anger.

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

Looking along a plowed furrow in pale cracked earth to a stony ridge, the field unsown, high thin cloud in a wide empty sky.

Restore us, O God of our salvation,

and put away Your displeasure toward us.

Will You be angry with us forever?

Will You draw out Your anger to all generations?

Will You not revive us again,

that Your people may rejoice in You?

Show us Your loving devotion, O LORD,

and grant us Your salvation.

0:18

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

I will listen to what God the LORD will say;

for He will surely speak peace to His people and His saints;

He will not let them return to folly.

Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,

that His glory may dwell in our land.

Reflect

Both at once

What has God already done for you? What are you still asking Him for? Write down both. This psalm says both.

Loving devotion and faithfulness have joined together; righteousness and peace have kissed.

Psalm 85:10

You’ve experienced

Psalm 85

0 of 150 psalms read

A verse to carry with you

Loving devotion and faithfulness have joined together; righteousness and peace have kissed.

Psalm 85:10

or swipe left