Psalm 85

A Prayer for the Nation’s Welfare^d

85 Lord,

you have been merciful to your land; you have made Israel prosperous again.

²You have forgiven your people’s sins

and pardoned all their wrongs.

³You stopped being angry with them

and held back your furious rage.

⁴Bring us back, O God our saviour,

and stop being displeased with us!

⁵Will you be angry with us for ever?

Will your anger never cease?

⁶Make us strong again,

and we, your people, will praise you.

⁷Show us your constant love, O Lord,

and give us your saving help.

⁸I am listening to what the Lord God is saying;

he promises peace to us, his own people,

if we do not go back to our foolish ways.

⁹Surely he is ready to save those who honour him,

and his saving presence will remain in our land.

¹⁰Love and faithfulness will meet;

righteousness and peace will embrace.

¹¹Human loyalty will reach up from the earth,

and God’s righteousness will look down from heaven.

¹²The Lord will make us prosperous,

and our land will produce rich harvests.

¹³Righteousness will go before the Lord

and prepare the path for him.