Psalm 85 1

Psalm 85:1 kjv

Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.

Psalm 85:1 nkjv

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. LORD, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.

Psalm 85:1 niv

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. You, LORD, showed favor to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.

Psalm 85:1 esv

LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.

Psalm 85:1 nlt

LORD, you poured out blessings on your land!
You restored the fortunes of Israel.

Psalm 85 verses

Psalm 85 1 Meaning

Psalm 85:1 speaks of God's gracious and saving intervention in the history of His people. It declares that the Lord has shown favor to His land and brought back the captives of Israel. This verse recalls a past act of divine restoration, specifically pointing to the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylonian captivity, signifying God's covenant faithfulness and benevolent disposition towards His chosen land and people.

Psalm 85 1 Context

Psalm 85 is typically understood as a post-exilic psalm, reflecting the experiences of the Jewish people who had returned from their seventy-year Babylonian captivity. The initial verses (like 85:1) recount God's past mercy and deliverance, acknowledging that He has already performed a great act of restoration by bringing the exiles back to the land of Israel. This retrospective view sets the stage for the rest of the psalm, which transitions into a fervent prayer for a deeper spiritual renewal and for God to turn His "anger" or "indignation" away fully, seeking prosperity and righteousness in the land after their return. The historical context is crucial for understanding the initial gratitude and the subsequent petition, highlighting the partial yet significant nature of the physical return from Babylon, and the desire for full spiritual flourishing.

Psalm 85 1 Word analysis

• LORD (YHWH): The proper, covenantal name of God. This term (יְהוָה, YHWH) emphasizes God's personal faithfulness, His self-existence, and His unique relationship with Israel as revealed in His acts of redemption throughout their history. It points to Him as the sovereign ruler and the one true God who performs such mighty acts of deliverance, standing in contrast to the false deities worshipped in surrounding nations.
• thou hast been favourable (רָצִיתָ - ratzita): From the root רָצָה (ratzah), meaning "to be pleased with," "to accept," "to have good will towards," or "to show favor." The perfect tense indicates a completed action in the past. It conveys a deep divine approval and delight, a disposition of grace and kindness, going beyond mere toleration to active benevolence. This signifies God's sovereign initiative and mercy.
• unto thy land (אַצְרְךָ - artzekha): Literally "your land." This refers to the promised land of Canaan, Israel, a sacred inheritance tied directly to God's covenant with Abraham. The designation "thy land" highlights God's ownership and special concern for it, as it is the place where His presence dwells and where His people are meant to flourish. This specific reference reinforces the historical context of their physical return to the geographical land.
• thou hast brought back (שַׁבְתָּ - shavta): This is the Hiphil perfect form of the verb שׁוּב (shuv), meaning "to turn," "to return," "to bring back." The Hiphil causation emphasizes that God Himself is the agent of this return; it wasn't a natural process or a result of human strategy but a direct act of divine will and power.
• the captivity of Jacob (שְׁבִית יַעֲקֹב - shvut Ya'aqov):
  • the captivity (שְׁבִית/שְׁבוּת - shvut): This noun refers to a state of being exiled or imprisoned, specifically the literal captivity in Babylon. However, in prophetic and poetic texts, shvut (or shevit) often appears in the idiom "to restore the shvut," which signifies "to restore the fortunes/prosperity" or "to reverse the adversity." It's not just about bringing people back, but restoring their entire well-being, their social, economic, and spiritual state. This implies a complete turning around of their circumstances from desolation to flourishing.
  • of Jacob (יַעֲקֹב - Ya'aqov): Jacob here functions as a poetic and foundational name for the entire nation of Israel. Using "Jacob" evokes the patriarch, symbolizing the covenant people from their very origins, highlighting God's faithfulness to His promises made to their ancestors despite their corporate failings that led to exile.

Psalm 85 1 Bonus section

The concept of "bringing back the captivity" (שׁוּב שְׁבִית – shuv shevit) is a powerful biblical idiom that signifies much more than just the literal return of exiles. It encapsulates the idea of a complete reversal of adverse circumstances, a comprehensive restoration of national well-being, prosperity, and spiritual vitality. This is why some translations render it as "restoring the fortunes." This deeper meaning suggests that God’s act was not merely repatriation but also revitalizing the people and their land after a period of barrenness and divine discipline. This theological emphasis highlights God's role as the restorer of brokenness, applicable to individuals seeking spiritual renewal as well as to collective bodies of believers. Furthermore, the selection of "Jacob" instead of "Israel" is often a deliberate poetic choice. "Jacob" can evoke a sense of the struggling, wrestling patriarch (Gen 32:22-32), highlighting the challenging journey and ultimate deliverance God's people undergo. This particular verse provides the anchor for the entire psalm's plea for future blessings and emphasizes that any true spiritual revival or national restoration must always begin with and rely upon God's initiative and favor.

Psalm 85 1 Commentary

Psalm 85:1 opens with a profound statement of theological truth: God's active, benevolent intervention in the history of His people. The Psalmist directly addresses Yahweh, emphasizing His personal involvement. The phrase "thou hast been favourable" speaks to God's inherent good pleasure and unmerited grace toward Israel, not merely a passive acceptance but an active disposition of kindness. This divine favor manifested concretely in the "bringing back the captivity of Jacob," a clear historical reference to the return from the Babylonian exile. This verse establishes that the restoration was not due to human effort or political machination but was solely God's sovereign act. It reminds the hearers that God, in His faithfulness, honors His covenant promises to the land and to the descendants of Jacob, even after periods of judgment and discipline. It grounds future prayers for full restoration (as found in the rest of the psalm) in the solid foundation of God's proven past mercy, implying that what God has done before, He can and will do again. The restoration was multifaceted, involving both a physical return and the promise of restored fortune, reflecting God's desire for the holistic well-being of His people.