Psalm 85

The sons of Korah wrote this psalm for the music leader.

A prayer for peace

85:1In this psalm, God's people remember how he has been kind to them and helped them in past times. They pray that he will return to bless them and give them peace.

1 Lord, you have blessed your land.

You have made Jacob's descendants strong again.

85:1Jacob's descendants are God's people, the Israelites.

2 You forgave your people's sins.

You took away their guilt.

Selah

3 You stopped being so angry with them.

You did not punish them any more.

4 But now turn back to us,

and make us strong again, God.

You are the one who rescues us.

Please stop being angry with us.

5 Will you continue to be angry with us for ever?

Will you be angry with our children too?

6 Please turn back to us

and give us new life!

Then your people will be happy

and they will praise you.

7 Lord, show us again your faithful love!

Please rescue us!

8 Now I will listen to what the Lord God says.

He will give peace to his people,

to those who serve him.

But they must not turn back

to do foolish things again.

9 Yes, God will soon rescue his people who serve him.

Then we will see his glory again in our land.

10 God will be faithful to us

and he will love us with his faithful love.

His justice and his peace will join together,

like dear friends.

11 Faithful truth will grow like a plant in the ground.

Justice will look down from the sky above.

85:11The writer uses pictures to show what happens when God blesses his people. He helps his people to live in a good way, so that there is peace and justice and truth among them.

12 Yes! The Lord will bless us with many good things.

Plenty of food will grow in our land.

13 Justice will go before our God,

and it will make a way for him to walk on.