Tap Here for a video meditation on Psalm 85.

[From the version for families with children]

Verb tenses mix in an interesting way in this prayer.  It begins with the past tense.  Notice how many times the past tense is used in the first three verses.  There’s a look at the future tense in three questions about God’s anger with the hope that God will revive His people again.

Then, beginning with verse 6, there is mixture of past and present tenses as the psalmist gets in touch with how active God is in saving us.  There is a beautiful image of union as the writer pictures righteousness and peace kissing each other.  Just as a kiss is a spiritual blending of two persons, so do these two virtues come together into a new and powerful unity.  There is no real peace without righteousness—meaning justice—and there is no justice without peace.

    Catch the spiritual warmth in this psalm that seeks to become one with your own inner feelings.  Let in all this love and grace from God.  Jot down a few notes of what you are feeling and thinking in the course of your time of prayer.

Psalm 85

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We follow a reading of the Psalms in numerical order.

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