TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 85

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1For the leader. Of the Korahites. A psalm.

אלַמְנַצֵּחַ לִבְנֵי־קֹרַח מִזְמוֹר׃

2Hashem, You will favor Your land, restore Yaakov's fortune;

ra-TZEE-ta a-do-NAI ar-TZE-kha SHAV-ta sh'-VEET ya-a-KOV

ברָצִיתָ יְהֹוָה אַרְצֶךָ שַׁבְתָּ שבות [שְׁבִית] יַעֲקֹב׃

 85:2   Restore Yaakov’s fortune

After a period of exile, the Children of Israel return home. Contemporary commentator Amos Hakham sees this as a reference to the return of the Jews to the Land of Israel after seventy years of Babylonian exile. In 538 BCE, Cyrus the Great, king of the Persian empire, defeats the Babylonian empire and issues a declaration that the Jews may return to their homeland and rebuild the Beit Hamikdash (Ezra chapter 1). This is considered the beginning of the second Temple period. The psalmist acknowledges Hashem’s desire for His nation to return to the Promised Land. Upon their return, the land will again bring forth its bountiful produce and flourish (verse 13).

3You will forgive Your people's iniquity, pardon all their sins; selah

גנָשָׂאתָ עֲוׂן עַמֶּךָ כִּסִּיתָ כָל־חַטָּאתָם סֶלָה׃

4You will withdraw all Your anger, turn away from Your rage.

דאָסַפְתָּ כָל־עֶבְרָתֶךָ הֱשִׁיבוֹתָ מֵחֲרוֹן אַפֶּךָ׃

5Turn again, O Hashem, our helper, revoke Your displeasure with us.

השׁוּבֵנוּ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעֵנוּ וְהָפֵר כַּעַסְךָ עִמָּנוּ׃

6Will You be angry with us forever, prolong Your wrath for all generations?

והַלְעוֹלָם תֶּאֱנַף־בָּנוּ תִּמְשֹׁךְ אַפְּךָ לְדֹר וָדֹר׃

7Surely You will revive us again, so that Your people may rejoice in You.

זהֲלֹא־אַתָּה תָּשׁוּב תְּחַיֵּנוּ וְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂמְחוּ־בָךְ׃

8Show us, Hashem, Your faithfulness; grant us Your deliverance.

חהַרְאֵנוּ יְהֹוָה חַסְדֶּךָ וְיֶשְׁעֲךָ תִּתֶּן־לָנוּ׃

9Let me hear what Hashem, Hashem, will speak; He will promise well-being to His people, His faithful ones; may they not turn to folly.

טאֶשְׁמְעָה מַה־יְדַבֵּר הָאֵל יְהֹוָה כִּי יְדַבֵּר שָׁלוֹם אֶל־עַמּוֹ וְאֶל־חֲסִידָיו וְאַל־יָשׁוּבוּ לְכִסְלָה׃

10His help is very near those who fear Him, to make His glory dwell in our land.

יאַךְ קָרוֹב לִירֵאָיו יִשְׁעוֹ לִשְׁכֹּן כָּבוֹד בְּאַרְצֵנוּ׃

11Faithfulness and truth meet; justice and well-being kiss.

יאחֶסֶד־וֶאֱמֶת נִפְגָּשׁוּ צֶדֶק וְשָׁלוֹם נָשָׁקוּ׃

12Truth springs up from the earth; justice looks down from heaven.

יבאֱמֶת מֵאֶרֶץ תִּצְמָח וְצֶדֶק מִשָּׁמַיִם נִשְׁקָף׃

13Hashem also bestows His bounty; our land yields its produce.

יגגַּם־יְהֹוָה יִתֵּן הַטּוֹב וְאַרְצֵנוּ תִּתֵּן יְבוּלָהּ׃

14Justice goes before Him as He sets out on His way.

ידצֶדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ וְיָשֵׂם לְדֶרֶךְ פְּעָמָיו׃