Psalm 84–86

The Joy of Worshiping in the Temple

84For the music director; on the Gittith.

Of the sons of Korah. A psalm.^a

¹How lovely are your dwelling places,

O Yahweh of hosts!

²My soul longs and even fails

for the courtyards of Yahweh.

My heart and flesh sing for joy

to the living God.

³Even a bird finds a home, and a swallow a nest for herself,

where she may lay her young,

near your altars, O Yahweh of hosts,

my king and my God.

⁴Blessed are those who dwell in your house;^b

they can ever praise you. Selah

⁵Blessed is the man whose strength is in you;

in their heart are the highways to Zion.

⁶Passing through the Valley of Baca,^c

they make it a spring.

The early rain covers it with blessings^d as well.

⁷They go from strength to strength,

until each appears before God in Zion.^e

⁸O Yahweh, God of hosts, hear my prayer;

give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah

⁹Look at our shield, O God,

and have regard for the face of your anointed one.

¹⁰Because better is a day in your courtyards

than a thousand elsewhere.

I would rather be at the threshold of the house^f of my God

than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

¹¹Because Yahweh God is a sun and a shield;

Yahweh gives grace and honor.

He does not withhold good from those who walk blamelessly.

¹²O Yahweh of hosts,

blessed is the man who trusts you.

Hope in God’s Future Help

85For the music director. Of the sons of Korah. A psalm.^a

¹O Yahweh, you favored your land.

You restored the fortunes^b of Jacob.

²You took away the guilt^c of your people;

you covered all their sin. Selah

³You withdrew all your wrath;

you turned from your burning anger.

⁴Restore us, O God of our salvation,

and annul your vexation with us.

⁵Will you be angry against us forever?

Will you prolong your anger generation after generation?

⁶Will you not again revive us,

that your people might rejoice in you?

⁷Show us, O Yahweh, your loyal love,

and grant us your salvation.

⁸I will hear what God, Yahweh, will speak,

because he will speak peace

to his people, even his faithful ones,^d

but let them not return to folly.

⁹Surely his salvation is near for those who fear him,

that glory may abide in our land.

¹⁰Loyal love and faithfulness^e will meet one another;

righteousness and peace will kiss.

¹¹Faithfulness^f will sprout from the ground,

and righteousness will look down from heaven.

¹²Yes, Yahweh will give what is good,

and our land will give its produce.

¹³Righteousness will go before him,

and it will make his steps a pathway.

A Prayer for Help against Ruthless Men

86A prayer of David.^a

¹Incline, O Yahweh, your ear and answer me,

because I am poor and needy.

²Watch over my life because I am faithful.

You are my God; save your servant.

I am the one who trusts you.

³Be gracious to me, O Lord,

because I call to you all day long.^b

⁴Make glad the soul of your servant,

because I desire you,^c O Lord.

⁵For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,

and abundant in loyal love^d for all who call to you.

⁶Heed, O Yahweh, my prayer,

and attend to the voice of my supplications.

⁷In the day of my trouble I call to you,

because you answer me.

⁸There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,

and there are no works like yours.

⁹All the nations that you have made will come

and bow down^e before you, O Lord,

and glorify your name.

¹⁰For you are great and doing wondrous things;

you alone are God.

¹¹Teach me, O Yahweh, your way,

that I may walk in your truth.

Unite my heart^f to fear your name.

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

and glorify your name forever,

¹³because your loyal love is great toward me,

and you will have delivered my life from Sheol^g below.

¹⁴O God, arrogant men have risen up against me,

even a gang of ruthless men seek my life,

but they do not set you before them.^h

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

slow to angerⁱ and abundant in loyal love and faithfulness.

¹⁶Turn to me and be gracious to me.

Give your strength to your servant,

and grant victory to the son^j of your maidservant.

¹⁷Do a sign that benefits me,

that those who hate me may see and be put to shame,

because you, O Yahweh, have helped me and comforted me.