Psalm 84–86

Psalm 84

For the choir director; on the gittith; a psalm by Korah’s descendants. 

¹Your dwelling place is lovely, O Lord of Armies! 

²My soul longs and yearns 

for the Lord’s courtyards. 

My whole body shouts for joy to the living God. 

³Even sparrows find a home, 

and swallows find a nest for themselves. 

There they hatch their young 

near your altars, O Lord of Armies, 

my king and my God. 

⁴Blessed are those who live in your house. 

They are always praising you. 

Selah 

⁵Blessed are those who find strength in you. 

Their hearts are on the road ⸤that leads to you⸥. 

⁶As they pass through a valley where balsam trees grow,^b

they make it a place of springs. 

The early rains cover it with blessings.^c

⁷Their strength grows as they go along 

until each one of them appears 

in front of God in Zion. 

⁸O Lord God, commander of armies, hear my prayer. 

Open your ears, O God of Jacob. 

Selah 

⁹Look at our shield, O God. 

Look with favor on the face of your anointed one. 

¹⁰One day in your courtyards is better than a thousand ⸤anywhere else⸥. 

I would rather stand in the entrance to my God’s house 

than live inside wicked people’s homes. 

¹¹The Lord God is a sun and shield. 

The Lord grants favor and honor. 

He does not hold back any blessing 

from those who live innocently. 

¹²O Lord of Armies, blessed is the person who trusts you. 

Psalm 85

For the choir director; a psalm by Korah’s descendants. 

¹You favored your land, O Lord. 

You restored the fortunes of Jacob. 

²You removed your people’s guilt. 

You pardoned all their sins. 

Selah 

³You laid aside all your fury. 

You turned away from your burning anger. 

⁴Restore us, O God, our savior. 

Put an end to your anger against us. 

⁵Will you be angry with us forever? 

Will you ever let go of your anger in the generations to come? 

⁶Won’t you restore our lives again 

so that your people may find joy in you? 

⁷Show us your mercy, O Lord, 

by giving us your salvation. 

⁸I want to hear what God the Lord says, 

because he promises peace to his people, to his godly ones. 

But they must not go back to their stupidity. 

⁹Indeed, his salvation is near those who fear him, 

and ⸤his⸥ glory will remain in our land. 

¹⁰Mercy and truth have met. 

Righteousness and peace have kissed. 

¹¹Truth sprouts from the ground, 

and righteousness looks down from heaven. 

¹²The Lord will certainly give us what is good, 

and our land will produce crops. 

¹³Righteousness will go ahead of him 

and make a path for his steps. 

Psalm 86

A prayer by David. 

¹Turn your ear ⸤toward me⸥, O Lord. 

Answer me, because I am oppressed and needy. 

²Protect me, because I am faithful ⸤to you⸥. 

Save your servant who trusts you. You are my God. 

³Have pity on me, O Lord, 

because I call out to you all day long. 

⁴Give me joy, O Lord, 

because I lift my soul to you. 

⁵You, O Lord, are good and forgiving, 

full of mercy toward everyone who calls out to you. 

⁶Open your ears to my prayer, O Lord. 

Pay attention when I plead for mercy. 

⁷When I am in trouble, I call out to you 

because you answer me. 

⁸No god is like you, O Lord. 

No one can do what you do. 

⁹All the nations that you have made 

will bow in your presence, O Lord. 

They will honor you. 

¹⁰Indeed, you are great, a worker of miracles. 

You alone are God. 

¹¹Teach me your way, O Lord, 

so that I may live in your truth. 

Focus my heart on fearing you. 

¹²I will give thanks to you with all my heart, O Lord my God. 

I will honor you forever 

¹³because your mercy toward me is great. 

You have rescued me from the depths of hell. 

¹⁴O God, arrogant people attack me, 

and a mob of ruthless people seeks my life. 

They think nothing of you. 

¹⁵But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God. 

You are patient, always faithful and ready to forgive. 

¹⁶Turn toward me, and have pity on me. 

Give me your strength because I am your servant. 

Save me because I am the son of your female servant. 

¹⁷Grant me some proof of your goodness 

so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame. 

You, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.