Psalm 85 7

Psalm 85:7 kjv

Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.

Psalm 85:7 nkjv

Show us Your mercy, LORD, And grant us Your salvation.

Psalm 85:7 niv

Show us your unfailing love, LORD, and grant us your salvation.

Psalm 85:7 esv

Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation.

Psalm 85:7 nlt

Show us your unfailing love, O LORD,
and grant us your salvation.

Psalm 85 verses

Psalm 85 7 Meaning

Psalm 85:7 is a heartfelt plea by a community that has experienced God's discipline, expressing their desire for renewed favor. It asks God to vividly reveal and actively bestow His unwavering covenant love and complete deliverance. The verse encapsulates a yearning for both divine compassion and restoration, trusting in God's faithfulness despite their past failures. It's a prayer for God to once again intervene mercifully and powerfully, leading His people to wholeness and flourishing.

Psalm 85 7 Context

Psalm 85 is a communal lament and prayer of trust, believed to have been composed in the post-exilic period, likely after the return of the Israelites from Babylonian captivity. The initial verses (Ps 85:1-3) acknowledge God's past favor, remembering when He brought them back and forgave their iniquity. However, the current reality described in Ps 85:4-6 indicates ongoing displeasure or unfulfilled restoration, possibly due to renewed disobedience or the difficulties of rebuilding. The community is still experiencing God's discipline and is suffering. Verse 7, therefore, represents a turning point in the psalm, a direct petition for God to complete the work of restoration He began. It's a prayer born out of the tension between God's historical faithfulness and the present hardship, articulating a fervent hope for a return to full fellowship and blessing.

Psalm 85 7 Word analysis

• Show us (Hare'enu / הַרְאֵנוּ): An imperative verb derived from ra'ah (רָאָה), meaning "to see," but here in the Hiphil stem, it means "cause us to see," "let us see," or "reveal to us." This is a strong plea not just for knowledge, but for an experiential, manifest demonstration of God's presence and action. It implies a longing for visible evidence of God's favor.

• your steadfast love (ḥeseḏ / חֶסֶד): A rich Hebrew term often translated as "mercy," "lovingkindness," "loyal love," or "covenant faithfulness." It denotes a deep and abiding loyalty, especially in the context of a covenant relationship. It is not mere pity or transient affection but a committed, unwavering devotion, rooted in God's promises and His very nature. Here, the community appeals to God's faithful adherence to His covenant with His people, reminding Him of His promises despite their failings.

• O Lord (Yahweh / יְהוָה): God's personal covenant name, revealed to Moses, signifying His self-existence, eternal presence, and faithful covenant-keeping nature. Using this name highlights the deep relational plea—they are appealing to the God who bound Himself to them.

• and grant us (w'titen-lanu / וְתִתֶּן־לָנוּ): "And give to us." This phrase parallels "Show us," indicating a complementary petition. While "show us" asks for revelation, "grant us" asks for active bestowal and possession. It's a plea for God to directly intervene and confer His promised blessings upon them.

• your salvation (yešū‘āh / יְשׁוּעָה): Derived from yasha' (יָשַׁע), meaning "to save," "deliver," or "help." Yeshu'ah is broad, encompassing deliverance from various troubles—physical enemies, sickness, sin, and spiritual death. In this context, it speaks to comprehensive well-being, wholeness, peace, and ultimate restoration from the lingering effects of exile and God's displeasure. It implies a full, holistic deliverance that would restore their national identity, prosperity, and relationship with God. The New Testament fully reveals this as the complete redemption offered in Jesus Christ.

• "Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.": This phrasing represents a plea for God to both reveal and implement His fundamental attributes and promises. The linking of ḥeseḏ (loyal love/mercy) with yešū‘āh (salvation/deliverance) is profound: God's salvation is presented as flowing directly from His steadfast love. It’s because of His unwavering faithfulness that He saves. The order implies that the experience of His loyal love is the prerequisite and foundation for experiencing His complete salvation. They long for the visible manifestation and direct bestowing of what God inherently is and has promised to do. It’s a dual petition for both a spiritual assurance and a tangible rescue.

Psalm 85 7 Bonus section

The phrase reflects a deep understanding of God's character where His unwavering love (ḥeseḏ) is not just an emotion but an active commitment that undergirds His saving acts. It implicitly counters any belief that human merit is the basis for divine intervention, foregrounding instead God's faithful nature. This petition sets the stage for the psalm's pivot to hearing what God will speak—peace to His people (Ps 85:8). The verse's resonance extends prophetically to the New Covenant, where the ultimate manifestation of God's ḥeseḏ and yešū‘āh is found in Jesus Christ, whose saving work demonstrates God's steadfast love for humanity and provides ultimate salvation from sin and its consequences. It’s a pattern of plea: recognition of need, reliance on God's character, expectation of His divine response.

Psalm 85 7 Commentary

Psalm 85:7 stands as a poignant cry for renewed divine favor, encapsulating the post-exilic community's desperate hope for full restoration. It is a corporate prayer that understands God's past discipline yet clings to His immutable character. The petition for God to "show" His steadfast love (חֶסֶד, ḥeseḏ) is not just for an abstract understanding, but for an experiential, manifest display of His covenant fidelity, which has been challenged by their ongoing hardships. This ḥeseḏ is the bedrock upon which all their hopes rest; it is God's unwavering commitment to His people, deeper than any human failing. Coupled with this is the plea to "grant" His "salvation" (יְשׁוּעָה, yešū‘āh), signifying a longing for a holistic and complete deliverance that goes beyond mere physical rescue. This salvation is comprehensive—spiritual restoration, communal peace, and a re-established flourishing in the land, all flowing from God's character. The verse teaches us that genuine repentance includes a confident appeal to God’s nature and promises, believing that His faithful love will inevitably lead to salvation, even when current circumstances seem bleak. It underscores the profound truth that our deliverance always originates from God’s gracious initiative, rooted in His loyal love rather than our merit.