Psalm 84–86

Psalm 84

LONGING FOR GOD’S HOUSE

For the choir director: on the Gittith.^b A psalm of the sons of Korah.

¹How lovely is your dwelling place,

Lord of Armies.^c

²I long and yearn

for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and flesh cry out for^A the living God.^d

³Even a sparrow finds a home,

and a swallow, a nest for herself

where she places her young—

near your altars, Lord of Armies,

my King and my God.^e

⁴How happy are those who reside in your house,

who praise you continually.^f

Selah

⁵Happy are the people whose strength is in you,

whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.^g

⁶As they pass through the Valley of Baca,^B

they make it a source of spring water;

even the autumn rain will cover it with blessings.^Ch

⁷They go from strength to strength;

each appears before God in Zion.ⁱ

⁸Lord God of Armies, hear my prayer;

listen, God of Jacob.^j

Selah

⁹Consider our shield,^D God;^k

look on the face of your anointed one.^l

¹⁰Better a day in your courts

than a thousand anywhere else.

I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God

than live in the tents of wicked people.^m

¹¹For the Lord God is a sun and shield.ⁿ

The Lord grants favor and honor;

he does not withhold the good

from those who live with integrity.^o

¹²Happy is the person who trusts in you,

Lord of Armies!^p

Psalm 85

RESTORATION OF FAVOR

For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.

¹Lord, you showed favor to your land;^q

you restored the fortunes of Jacob.^Ar

²You forgave your people’s guilt;

you covered all their sin.^s

Selah

³You withdrew all your fury;

you turned from your burning anger.^t

⁴Return to us, God of our salvation,

and abandon your displeasure with us.^u

⁵Will you be angry with us forever?

Will you prolong your anger for all generations?^v

⁶Will you not revive us again

so that your people may rejoice in you?^w

⁷Show us your faithful love, Lord,

and give us your salvation.^x

⁸I will listen to what God will say;

surely the Lord will declare peace

to his people, his faithful ones,

and not let them go back to foolish ways.^y

⁹His salvation is very near those who fear him,

so that glory may dwell in our land.^z

¹⁰Faithful love and truth will join together;

righteousness and peace will embrace.^aa

¹¹Truth will spring up from the earth,

and righteousness will look down from heaven.^ab

¹²Also, the Lord will provide what is good,

and our land will yield its crops.^ac

¹³Righteousness will go before him

to prepare the way for his steps.^ad

Psalm 86

LAMENT AND PETITION

A prayer of David.

¹Listen, Lord, and answer me,

for I am poor and needy.^ae

²Protect my life, for I am faithful.^af

You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you.^ag

³Be gracious to me, Lord,

for I call to you all day long.^ah

⁴Bring joy to your servant’s life,

because I appeal to you, Lord.^a

⁵For you, Lord, are kind and ready to forgive,^b

abounding in faithful love to all who call on you.^c

⁶Lord, hear my prayer;

listen to my cries for mercy.^d

⁷I call on you in the day of my distress,

for you will answer me.^e

⁸Lord, there is no one like you among the gods,

and there are no works like yours.^f

⁹All the nations you have made

will come and bow down before you, Lord,

and will honor your name.^g

¹⁰For you are great and perform wonders;

you alone are God.^h

¹¹Teach me your way, Lord,

and I will live by your truth.

Give me an undivided mind to fear your name.ⁱ

¹²I will praise you with all my heart, Lord my God,

and will honor your name forever.^j

¹³For your faithful love for me is great,

and you rescue my life from the depths of Sheol.^k

¹⁴God, arrogant people have attacked me;

a gang of ruthless men intends to kill me.

They do not let you guide them.^Al

¹⁵But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,

slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth.^m

¹⁶Turn to me and be gracious to me.

Give your strength to your servant;

save the son of your female servant.ⁿ

¹⁷Show me a sign of your goodness;

my enemies will see and be put to shame

because you, Lord, have helped and comforted me.^o