Psalm 85 is a prayer for a nation that has known God’s anger and is longing to be revived. Its writer remembers that the LORD has forgiven his people in the past, then asks him to do it again. People read it today because it speaks to any season when life feels bruised by failure and the hope of renewal seems distant, and it points to a God who restores, forgives, and brings peace.
Psalm 85 Summary
The psalm opens by remembering what God has already done. The writer recalls that the LORD has been favorable to the land, restored the fortunes of Jacob, forgiven iniquity, and turned away from his wrath. The past becomes the foundation for the present request.
The tone then shifts to petition. The writer asks God to turn back to his people, to stop his indignation, and to revive them again so they may rejoice in him. The question “Will you be angry with us forever?” shows honest grief over a relationship that has been strained, not a claim of perfect innocence.
The final section turns toward listening and hope. The writer resolves to hear what God will speak, trusting that he will speak peace to his people. The psalm closes with a vision of righteousness and peace meeting together, of the land yielding its harvest, and of righteousness going before the LORD to prepare his way.
Background and Setting
Psalm 85 belongs to the Psalter, the collection of Hebrew songs and prayers that forms the poetry section of the Old Testament. It is attributed to the sons of Korah in its superscription, a Levitical family associated with temple worship. Most scholars date the psalm to the postexilic period, after the return from Babylonian exile, when Judah was trying to rebuild its life under God’s covenant. Its language of restored fortunes and a restored land fits that setting well.
The psalm was written for the worshiping community of Israel gathered in prayer, speaking as a people rather than an individual. Its placement among the psalms of the sons of Korah means it would have been sung in the context of corporate worship, where the congregation could make its own the confession of past mercy and present need.
Psalm 85 Section by Section
Verses 1-3: The God Who Has Already Acted
1 The LORD, you have been favorable to your land. You have restored the fortunes 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.
Psalm 85:1-3 (WEB)
The psalm begins with a review of God’s past faithfulness. The writer names concrete mercies: the land has received God’s favor, the fortunes of Jacob have been restored, and sin has been covered. These are not vague sentiments but memories of real deliverance that the community holds onto.
Notice the word “Selah” in verse 2, a musical or liturgical marker probably signaling a pause for reflection. Before asking for anything new, the worshiper stops to let the truth of forgiveness settle. Remembering what God has already done is the first act of faith in this psalm.
Verses 4-7: Asking God to Turn Back
4 Turn us, God of our salvation, and cause your indignation toward us to cease. 5 Will you be angry with us forever? Will you draw out your anger to all generations? 6 Won’t you revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?
Psalm 85:4-6 (WEB)
Here the mood changes from remembrance to request. The writer asks God to turn them, to cause his indignation to cease, and to revive them again. The questions “Will you be angry forever?” and “Won’t you revive us again?” are honest. They do not pretend that the people have been untouched by the consequences of their failure, but they also refuse to accept that God’s anger is the final word.
Verse 7 makes the request simple and direct: show us your loving kindness and grant us your salvation. The Hebrew word for loving kindness, often rendered hesed, speaks of steadfast covenant love. The prayer is not for a change of mind on God’s part alone but for the renewal of a faithful bond.
Verses 8-9: Listening for the Word of Peace
8 I will hear what God, the LORD, will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, his saints; but let them not turn again to folly. 9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.
Psalm 85:8-9 (WEB)
After asking, the writer chooses to listen. “I will hear what God, the LORD, will speak.” This is a striking posture for someone in distress: rather than only speaking, the worshiper waits to hear God’s answer. The promise is that God will speak peace to his people, his saints.
The warning follows gently: let them not turn again to folly. Hearing God’s peace is linked with a commitment to live in a way that honors him. Salvation is described as near to those who fear him, and that nearness is connected to glory dwelling in the land, a picture of God’s presence returning to his people.
Verses 10-13: Mercy, Truth, Righteousness, and Peace Meeting Together
10 Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 11 Truth springs out of the earth. Righteousness has looked down from heaven.
Psalm 85:10-11 (WEB)
The final verses paint one of the most memorable images in the Psalter. Mercy and truth meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. These qualities, which often seem to pull against one another in human experience, are shown harmonizing in God’s restoring work. Truth springs up from the earth and righteousness looks down from heaven, as if heaven and earth are answering each other.
The psalm ends with fruitfulness and preparation. The LORD gives what is good, the land yields its increase, and righteousness goes before him to prepare the way for his steps. The writer’s hope is not just private comfort but a renewed community and a land flourishing under God’s rule.
Key Themes in Psalm 85
- Remembered mercy: The psalm grounds its hope in what God has already done, forgiving sin and restoring the people.
- Honest lament: The writer asks hard questions about God’s anger without pretending the problem is imaginary.
- Listening prayer: The worshiper waits to hear God speak peace rather than only talking at him.
- Harmony of God’s attributes: Mercy, truth, righteousness, and peace are shown meeting together in God’s restoring work.
- Renewed land and people: Spiritual restoration leads to visible fruitfulness and God’s glory dwelling among his people.
Lessons From Psalm 85 for Today
Psalm 85 teaches that a season of spiritual dryness or family strain does not have to end in despair. Imagine a person who has drifted from church and feels that the relationship with God has cooled. This psalm gives permission to name that distance honestly, to remember the times God was faithful, and to ask him to turn back. The prayer begins with memory and moves to petition.
It also teaches the value of waiting to hear. In a noisy world of constant messages, the writer’s decision to say “I will hear what God will speak” is countercultural. A parent sitting quietly before a difficult conversation, or a worker pausing before a hard decision, can borrow that posture. Prayer includes space for God to answer.
Finally, the picture of mercy and truth meeting together invites believers to hold grace and honesty in the same hand. A friend who must confront a hard truth can do so with mercy, and a community that calls for justice can also seek peace. The psalm shows that these are not enemies in God’s way of working.
Questions for Reflection
- What past act of God’s faithfulness can you remember when your present feels uncertain?
- Where in your life do you need to ask honestly, “Will you be angry with us forever?” and what would it look like to bring that question to God?
- When did you last pause long enough to listen for God’s word of peace rather than only speaking?
- How might mercy and truth work together in a relationship you are struggling to handle well?
- What would it mean for your home or community to experience the kind of renewal the psalm describes?
A Prayer From Psalm 85
Lord, you have been good to me and to your people in ways I have often forgotten. Help me remember your past mercies when the present feels heavy. Forgive what I have done that has pulled me away from you, and cover my sin with your grace. Turn me back to yourself and revive what has grown tired in my heart. Show me your steadfast love, and grant me the salvation I cannot earn. I want to hear what you will say to me today, so speak your peace into my life. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Psalm 85?
The superscription attributes Psalm 85 to the sons of Korah, a family of Levitical singers. Most scholars date it to the period after the Babylonian exile, when Judah was seeking to rebuild its life under God’s covenant.
What does “Selah” mean in Psalm 85?
Selah is a liturgical marker that appears several times in the Psalms. Its exact meaning is uncertain, but it most likely signals a pause for musical or contemplative reflection before continuing.
What is the main message of Psalm 85?
The psalm moves from remembering God’s past forgiveness to asking for renewal, and finally to listening for God’s word of peace. Its central hope is that God will restore his people and that mercy, truth, righteousness, and peace will flourish together.
