Psalm 85:2

Modern

You forgave the iniquity of Your people; You covered all their sin. Selah

Traditional

Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.

Literal

You have borne away the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. Selah

Latin

Remisisti iniquitatem plebis tuæ; operuisti omnia peccata eorum.

Hebrew

English

You forgave the iniquity of Your people; You covered all their sin. Selah

When God forgave the guilt of their sins, he gave the people the possibility of fellowship with him (see Psalm 32:5).

Though the psalmist gratefully acknowledges God’s goodness, he also asks God whether his wrath will last forever.

The psalmist leads the community that returned from exile in a lament and a prayer for complete restoration:

God answers with a message of peace (Psalm 85:8–9). The psalm ends with a poetic description of the greatness of God’s salvation (85:10–13).

Theme notes and profiles

Micah 7:18
Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance—who does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in loving devotion?
Psalm 32:1
Of David. A Maskil. Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Colossians 2:13
When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses,
Jeremiah 50:20
In those days and at that time, declares the LORD, a search will be made for Israel’s guilt, but there will be none, and for Judah’s sins, but they will not be found; for I will forgive the remnant I preserve.
Numbers 14:19
Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people, in keeping with the greatness of Your loving devotion, just as You have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.”
Acts 13:39
Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Psalm 79:8–9
Do not hold past sins against us; let Your compassion come quickly, for we are brought low.
Psalm 78:38
And yet He was compassionate; He forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them. He often restrained His anger and did not unleash His full wrath.

Selah: A musical or liturgical term of uncertain meaning