Easy Bible Crafts

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You Showed Favor to Your Land

Psalm 85 is a prayer-song that remembers Yahweh’s past mercy, asks for fresh help, and listens for his peace. Its poetry joins forgiveness, warning, hope, and the goodness God gives.

Psalms 85:1–13Read together with an adultPoetry and song
A lyre beside an olive tree and a stream, companion artwork for biblical poetry

Understanding the passage

Read these words in context

This psalm speaks directly to Yahweh about his land and his people. It first recalls restored fortunes, forgiven sin, and wrath turned away. Then it asks for renewal and salvation. The closing lines answer with peace and vivid pictures of mercy, truth, righteousness, and the land’s increase.

Psalms 85:1–13

Main takeaway

This psalm teaches that God’s people can remember his mercy, ask for renewed help, and receive his peace without turning back to folly.

Explore the poem and its images

Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.

01Remembered mercyThe psalm begins by naming what Yahweh has already done. He showed favour to the land, restored the fortunes of Jacob, forgave iniquity, covered sin, and turned from wrath.

Explanation

The psalm begins by naming what Yahweh has already done. He showed favour to the land, restored the fortunes of Jacob, forgave iniquity, covered sin, and turned from wrath. The song starts with God’s mercy before it moves to present need.

Psalms 85:1Psalms 85:2Psalms 85:3
02A fresh pleaThe next lines ask God to act again. “Turn us” and “cause your indignation toward us to cease” are urgent requests.

Explanation

The next lines ask God to act again. “Turn us” and “cause your indignation toward us to cease” are urgent requests. The psalm asks for revival, rejoicing, loving kindness, and salvation. Remembering past mercy leads into prayer for present renewal.

Psalms 85:4Psalms 85:5Psalms 85:6Psalms 85:7
03Peace with a warningVerse 8 changes from speaking to God to listening for God. The singer expects Yahweh to speak peace to his people and his saints.

Explanation

Verse 8 changes from speaking to God to listening for God. The singer expects Yahweh to speak peace to his people and his saints. Yet the same verse adds a warning: they must not turn again to folly. Peace is not joined with careless living.

Psalms 85:8
04Poetic hope for the landThe final lines say salvation is near those who fear God, so glory may dwell in the land. The poetry pictures mercy, truth, righteousness, and peace together.

Explanation

The final lines say salvation is near those who fear God, so glory may dwell in the land. The poetry pictures mercy, truth, righteousness, and peace together. Yahweh gives what is good, the land yields increase, and righteousness goes before him.

Psalms 85:9Psalms 85:10Psalms 85:11Psalms 85:12Psalms 85:13

Questions to explore

Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.

01Which past acts of Yahweh are remembered at the start of the psalm?

List the actions in the opening verses: favour, restoration, forgiveness, covering sin, and turning from wrath.

Psalms 85:1Psalms 85:2Psalms 85:3
02What does the psalm ask God to do in the middle section?

Notice the requests for turning, ending indignation, reviving, showing loving kindness, and granting salvation.

Psalms 85:4Psalms 85:6Psalms 85:7
03How does verse 8 balance promise and warning?

Read the whole verse and note both God’s peace and the call not to return to folly.

Psalms 85:8

Read the Bible passage

World English Bible Classic

Scripture quotation · Public domain

Psalms 85:1–13

1Yahweh, you have been favorable to your land. You have restored the fortunes of Jacob.

2You have forgiven the iniquity of your people. You have covered all their sin. Selah.

3You have taken away all your wrath. You have turned from the fierceness of your anger.

4Turn us, God of our salvation, and cause your indignation toward us to cease.

5Will you be angry with us forever? Will you draw out your anger to all generations?

6Won’t you revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?

7Show us your loving kindness, Yahweh. Grant us your salvation.

8I will hear what God, Yahweh, will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, his saints; but let them not turn again to folly.

9Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.

10Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11Truth springs out of the earth. Righteousness has looked down from heaven.

12Yes, Yahweh will give that which is good. Our land will yield its increase.

13Righteousness goes before him, and prepares the way for his steps.

Source passages

Source: Psalms 85 ↗
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