Psalm 85-86

Easy-to-Read Version

To the director: A song of praise from the Korah family.

85 Lord, you have been so kind to your land.
You have brought success again to the people of Jacob.
²You have forgiven the bad things your people did.
You have taken away the guilt of their sins! Selah

³You stopped being angry with them.
    Your terrible anger has gone away.
⁴Our God and Savior, accept us again.
    Don’t be angry with us anymore.
⁵Will you be angry with us forever?
    Will your anger reach to our children and to their children?
⁶Please, give us new life!
    Make your people happy to be yours.
⁷Lord, save us
    and show us your love.

⁸I heard what the Lord God said.
    He said there would be peace for his people and his loyal followers.
    So they must not go back to their foolish way of living.
⁹He will soon save his faithful followers.
    His glory will again live in our land.^[a]
¹⁰God’s love will come together with his faithful people.
    Goodness and peace will greet them with a kiss.
¹¹People on earth will be loyal to God,
    and God in heaven will be good to them.^[b]
¹²The Lord will give us many good things.
    The ground will grow many good crops.
¹³Goodness will go before the Lord
    and prepare the way for him.

A prayer of David.

86 I am a poor, helpless man.
    Lord, please listen to me and answer my prayer!
²I am your follower, so please protect me.
    I am your servant, and you are my God.
    I trust in you, so save me.
³My Lord, be kind to me.
    I have been praying to you all day.
⁴My Lord, I put my life in your hands.
    I am your servant, so make me happy.
⁵My Lord, you are good and merciful.
    You love all those who call to you for help.
⁶Lord, hear my prayer.
    Listen to my cry for mercy.
⁷I am praying to you in my time of trouble.
    I know you will answer me.
⁸My Lord, there is no God like you.
    No one can do what you have done.
⁹My Lord, you made everyone.
    I wish they all would come worship you and honor your name.
¹⁰You are great and do amazing things.
    You and you alone are God.
¹¹Lord, teach me your ways,
    and I will live and obey your truths.
Help me make worshiping your name
    the most important thing in my life.
¹²My Lord God, I praise you with all my heart.
    I will honor your name forever!
¹³You have such great love for me.
    You save me from the place of death.
¹⁴Proud people are attacking me, God.
    A gang of cruel men is trying to kill me.
    They don’t respect you.
¹⁵My Lord, you are a kind and merciful God.
    You are patient, loyal, and full of love.
¹⁶Show that you hear me and be kind to me.
    I am your servant, so give me strength.
    I am your slave, as my mother was, so save me!
¹⁷Lord, show me a sign that you care for me.
    My enemies will see it and be disappointed,
    because you helped and comforted me.

Footnotes

Psalm 85:9 His … land Or “We will soon live with honor in our land.”
Psalm 85:11 Literally, “Loyalty will sprout from the ground, and goodness will look down from the sky.”