Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.
Parallel translations
- WEB For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. Yahweh, you have been favorable to your land. You have restored the fortunes of Jacob.
- BSB For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. You showed favor to Your land, O LORD; You restored Jacob from captivity.
- NKJV Lord, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.
- NASB Lord, You showed favor to Your land; You restored the fortunes of Jacob.
- NLT Lord, you poured out blessings on your land! You restored the fortunes of Israel.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The sons of Korah recall how God showed past favor to the land and restored Jacob's fortunes. Remembering God's former mercies grounds present prayer.
Overview
Psalm 85 opens by rehearsing God's gracious dealings, likely recalling the return from exile or another deliverance. By beginning with what God 'has' done, the psalmist builds a foundation for petitioning renewed grace. This pattern of remembering redemption to fuel faith anticipates how the church looks back to the cross as the assurance of God's ongoing favor.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Ps 14:7Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
- Jer 30:18Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof.
- Ezek 39:25Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;
- Ps 77:7Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?
- Joel 2:18Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.
- Ps 126:1–2When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
- Ps 42:1As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
- Lev 26:42Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.
- Zech 1:16Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.
- Joel 3:1For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,
- Jer 31:23Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.
- Ezra 1:11All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 85:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.