Psalms 85 (GNV)

Chapter Text

85:1 To him that excelleth. A Psalme committed to the sonnes of Korah. Lord, thou hast bene fauourable vnto thy land: thou hast brought againe the captiuitie of Iaakob.

85:2 Thou hast forgiuen the iniquitie of thy people, and couered all their sinnes. Selah.

85:3 Thou hast withdrawen all thine anger, and hast turned backe from the fiercenes of thy wrath.

85:4 Turne vs, O God of our saluation, and release thine anger toward vs.

85:5 Wilt thou be angry with vs for euer? and wilt thou prolong thy wrath from one generation to another?

85:6 Wilt thou not turne againe and quicken vs, that thy people may reioyce in thee?

85:7 Shew vs thy mercie, O Lord, and graunt vs thy saluation.

85:8 I will hearken what the Lord God will say: for he will speake peace vnto his people, and to his Saintes, that they turne not againe to follie.

85:9 Surely his saluation is neere to them that feare him, that glory may dwell in our land.

85:10 Mercie and trueth shall meete: righteousnes and peace shall kisse one another.

85:11 Trueth shall bud out of the earth, and righteousnes shall looke downe from heauen.

85:12 Yea, the Lord shall giue good things, and our land shall giue her increase.

85:13 Righteousnesse shall go before him, and shall set her steps in the way.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "excelleth", "psalme", "committed", "sonnes", "korah", "lord", "thou", and "hast". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "excelleth" and "psalme", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The local GNV text gives this verse as the immediate unit, so "excelleth" and "psalme" carries the first interpretive weight. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "excelleth" and "psalme" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.