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Psalm 85:9-11
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 85:9-11
New Catholic Bible
9 [a]I will listen for God’s response;
surely the Lord will proclaim peace to his people, his saints,[b]
to those who turn to him with their whole heart.
10 His salvation is indeed near for those who fear him;
his glory[c] will dwell in our land.
11 [d]Kindness and faithfulness[e] will meet;
righteousness and peace will embrace.
Footnotes
- Psalm 85:9 God answers the prayer through a reassuring word of a priest or Levite.
- Psalm 85:9 Saints: see notes on Pss 4:4; 16:3; 34:10. To those . . . heart: other translations possible are: “and to those who turn from folly” and “but let them not return to folly” (the Hebrew word for “folly” includes the connotation of moral deficiency).
- Psalm 85:10 Only those who fear God in the spirit of wisdom (in contrast to the spirit of folly, v. 9) will inherit his benefits, which will be their glory. They will experience a renewed spirit since they are the heirs of the new age of restoration, which is described by various terms: salvation and glory (v. 10), kindness, faithfulness, righteousness, and peace (vv. 11-12), good and harvest (v. 13). Glory: the Lord’s glory—a visible manifestation of his power and divinity—had left the temple and the holy city (see Ezek 11:23); it would return there once the temple was restored (see Ezek 43:2; Hag 2:9). See also Jn 1:14.
- Psalm 85:11 People will regulate their lives by the divine norms. The divine attributes, as well as the moral virtues that correspond to them, are here personified (see Pss 89:15; 97:2) as courtiers of the returning king.
- Psalm 85:11 Kindness and faithfulness: often found together to express God’s loyalty (see Pss 25:10; 40:12f; 57:11; 61:8; Ex 34:6).
