Psalms 84-86

Psalm 84

¹To the chief music-maker; put to the Gittith A Psalm. Of the sons of Korah. How dear are your tents, O Lord of armies!

²The passion of my soul's desire is for the house of the Lord; my heart and my flesh are crying out for the living God.

³The little birds have places for themselves, where they may put their young, even your altars, O Lord of armies, my King and my God.

⁴Happy are they whose resting-place is in your house: they will still be praising you. (Selah.)

⁵Happy is the man whose strength is in you; in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

⁶Going through the valley of balsam-trees, they make it a place of springs; it is clothed with blessings by the early rain.

⁷They go from strength to strength; every one of them comes before God in Zion.

⁸O Lord God of armies, let my prayer come to you: give ear, O God of Jacob. (Selah.)

⁹O God, let your eyes be on him who is our safe cover, and let your heart be turned to your king.

¹⁰For a day in your house is better than a thousand. It is better to be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to be living in the tents of sin.

¹¹The Lord God is our sun and our strength: the Lord will give grace and glory: he will not keep back any good thing from those whose ways are upright.

¹²O Lord of armies, happy is the man whose hope is in you.

Psalm 85

¹To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of the sons of Korah. Lord, you were good to your land: changing the fate of Jacob.

²The wrongdoing of your people had forgiveness; all their sin had been covered. (Selah.)

³You were no longer angry: you were turned from the heat of your wrath.

⁴Come back to us, O God of our salvation, and be angry with us no longer.

⁵Will you go on being angry with us for ever? will you keep your wrath against us through all the long generations?

⁶Will you not give us life again, so that your people may be glad in you?

⁷Let us see your mercy, O Lord, and give us your salvation.

⁸I will give ear to the voice of the Lord; for he will say words of peace to his people and to his saints; but let them not go back to their foolish ways.

⁹Truly, his salvation is near to his worshippers; so that glory may be in our land.

¹⁰Mercy and faith have come together; righteousness and peace have given one another a kiss.

¹¹Faith comes up from the earth like a plant; righteousness is looking down from heaven.

¹²The Lord will give what is good; and our land will give its increase.

¹³Righteousness will go before him, making a way for his footsteps.

Psalm 86

¹A Prayer. Of David. Let your ears be open to my voice, O Lord, and give me an answer; for I am poor and in need.

²Keep my soul, for I am true to you; O my God, give salvation to your servant, whose hope is in you.

³Have mercy on me, O Lord; for my cry goes up to you all the day.

⁴Make glad the soul of your servant; for it is lifted up to you, O Lord.

⁵You are good, O Lord, and full of forgiveness; your mercy is great to all who make their cry to you.

⁶O Lord, give ear to my prayer; and take note of the sound of my requests.

⁷In the day of my trouble I send up my cry to you; for you will give me an answer.

⁸There is no god like you, O Lord; there are no works like your works.

⁹Let all the nations whom you have made come and give worship to you, O Lord, giving glory to your name.

¹⁰For you are great, and do great works of wonder; you only are God.

¹¹Make your way clear to me, O Lord; I will go on my way in your faith: let my heart be glad in the fear of your name.

¹²I will give you praise, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will give glory to your name for ever.

¹³For your mercy to me is great; you have taken my soul up from the deep places of the underworld.

¹⁴O God, men of pride have come up against me, and the army of violent men would take my life; they have not put you before them.

¹⁵But you, O Lord, are a God full of pity and forgiveness, slow to get angry, great in mercy and wisdom.

¹⁶O be turned to me and have mercy on me: give your strength to your servant, and your salvation to the son of her who is your servant.

¹⁷Give me a sign for good; so that my haters may see it and be shamed; because you, Lord, have been my help and comfort.