Psalms 85:9
in Psalms 85Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that His glory may dwell in our land.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him, That glory may dwell in our land.
KJV
Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.
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This verse in Psalms 85
Commentary
14 notes on this verseNevertheless his salvation is near to those who fear him. See what he says. Those who fear the Lord have the Lord near, since fear does not yet possess perfection: "For perfect love casts out fear." Therefore we who love the Lord have him not nearby, but within. "For I will dwell in them, and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." That glory may dwell in our land. This is the land of which he says in another place, "The earth has given its fruit."
This site's exposition
what God the LORD will say
on Psalms 85:8-9
The prayer stops and listens. The word coming is peace for His people, with a guard on it, that they will not go back to folly. Glory in verse 9 is kavod, a word that plainly means weight, and it is to dwell in the land.
This site's exposition
His salvation is near
The nearness is promised to those who fear Him. Adam Clarke read the glory dwelling in the land as worship restored and the temple rebuilt. Matthew Henry saw it reach further, to the Messiah who came and dwelt among His people.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"Nevertheless, His salvation is nigh them that fear Him" (ver. 9). There were some even then who feared Him in the Jewish people. Everywhere throughout the earth idols were worshipped: devils were feared, not God: in that nation God was feared. But why was He feared? In the Old Testament He was feared, lest He should give them up to captivity, lest He should take away their land from them, lest He should destroy their vines with hail, lest He should make their wives barren, lest He should take away their children from them. For these carnal promises of God captivated their minds, which as yet were of small growth, and for these things God was feared: but He was near unto them who even for these things feared Him. The Pagan prayed for land to the devil: the Jew prayed for land to God: it was the same thing which they prayed for, but not the same to whom they prayed. The latter, though seeking what the Pagan sought, yet was distinguished from the Pagan; for He sought it of Him who had made all things. And God, who was far from the Gentiles, was near unto them: yet He had regard even to those who were afar off, and to those who were near, as the Apostle said: "And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off, and to them that were near." Whom did He mean by those near? The Jews, because they worshipped one God. Whom by those who were afar off? The Gentiles, because they had left Him by whom they were made and worshipped things which themselves had made. For it is not in space that any one is far from God, but in affections. Thou lovest God, thou art near unto Him. Thou hatest God, thou art far off. Thou art standing in the same place, both while thou art near and far off. […]
You have covered all their sins, and right up to the end the psalm is about the coming of the Savior, as I said. Mercy and truth. Nevertheless His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land. For truly the glory of God dwelt in our land, and thereafter righteousness looked down from heaven. For the Lord shall give loving-kindness. What loving-kindness? Our land shall yield its fruit. Mary, our land, our flesh, yielded her fruit. Righteousness shall walk before Him. The virgin land gave forth its righteous fruit.
Nevertheless His salvation is near to those who fear Him. I have shown the way of salvation, I grant mercy. Although you are not yet turned to the heart, still I wait, I grant room for repentance. And all this, indeed, that glory may dwell in our land. For this reason He calls you to repentance, that you, who were a leper, may have Christ as your guest.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And the psalmist might well say this salvation was nigh, because the seventy weeks determined by Daniel were begun. Glory - The glorious presence of God, and the God of glory himself, even Christ, who is the brightness of his father's glory.
Honour secured: " That glory may dwell in our land, that we may have the worship of God settled and established among us; for that is the glory of a land. When that goes, Ichabod--the glory has departed; when that stays glory dwells." This may refer to the Messiah, who was to be the glory of his people Israel, and who came and dwelt among them ( John i.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him,....
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him. Faith knows that a saving God is always near at hand, but only (for such is the true rendering) to those who fear the Lord, and worship him with holy awe. In the gospel dispensation this truth is conspicuously illustrated. If to seeking sinners salvation is nigh, it is assuredly very nigh to those who have once enjoyed it, and have lost its present enjoyment by their folly; they have but to turn unto the Lord and they shall enjoy it again.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
They are here termed "them that fear him"; and grace produces glory (Ps 84:11).
Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him. Faith knows that a saving God is always near at hand, but only (for such is the true rendering) to those who fear the Lord, and worship him with holy awe. In the gospel dispensation this truth is conspicuously illustrated. If to seeking sinners salvation is nigh, it is assuredly very nigh to those who have once enjoyed it, and have lost its present enjoyment by their folly; they have but to turn unto the Lord and they shall enjoy it again. We have not to go about by a long round of personal mortifications or spiritual preparations, we may come to the Lord, through Jesus Christ, just as we did at the first, and he will again receive us into his loving embrace. Whether it be a nation under adversity, or a single individual under chastisement, the sweet truth before us is rich with encouragement to repentance, and renewed holiness. That glory may dwell in our land. The object of the return of grace will be a permanent establishment of a better state of things, so that gloriously devout worship shall be rendered to God continuously, and a glorious measure of prosperity shall be enjoyed in consequence. Israel was glorious whenever she was faithful—her dishonour always followed her disloyalty; believers also live glorious lives when they walk obediently, and they only lose the true glory of their religion when they fall from their steadfastness. In these two verses we have, beneath the veil of the letter, an intimation of the coming of The Word of God to the nations in times of deep apostacy and trouble, when faithful hearts would be looking and longing for the promise which had so long tarried. By his coming salvation is brought near, and glory, even the glory of the presence of the Lord, tabernacles among men. Of this the succeeding verses speak without obscurity.
Surely his salvation is nigh - To him who fears God, and trembles at his word, his salvation is nigh at hand. That glory may dwell in our land - That thy worship may be restored, the temple rebuilt, and the Divine shechinah, or symbol of the presence of God, resume its place. The pure and undefiled religion of God preached, professed, and experienced in a nation, is the glory of that land. The Prophet Haggai had said that the glory of the latter house - the temple built after their return from Babylon, should be greater than the glory of the former, viz., of that built by Solomon: but, as a building, it was far inferior to the former; yet it had a superior glory in being visited by Jesus Christ. This was the glory that excelled.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Surely his salvation - His help; his aid. The word here does not mean salvation in the restricted use of the term as applied to the future life, but it means deliverance of all kinds - rescue from trouble, danger, calamity. Is nigh them that fear him - All who truly reverence him, and look to him in a proper manner. They may expect his aid; they may be sure that he will soon come to help them. This expresses the confident assurance of the author of the psalm that God would interpose in the troubles of the nation, and would deliver them. That glory may dwell in our land - (a) The glory or honor of having such a God to dwell among them; and (b) the peace, the prosperity, the happiness, which will be the consequence - of his interposition. The idea is, that this would be a permanent thing; that this honor or glory would then make the land its dwelling-place.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אַ֤ךְ׀ | ʾakh | surely | H389 → | 161 times |
| קָר֣וֹב | karov | [is] near | H7138 → | 77 times |
| לִירֵאָ֣יו | lireav | to [those] fearing him | H3373 → | 64 times |
| יִשְׁע֑וֹ | yisho | salvation his | H3468 → | 36 times |
| לִשְׁכֹּ֖ן | lishkon | to dwell | H7931 → | 129 times |
| כָּב֣וֹד | kavod | glory | H3519 → | 200 times |
| בְּאַרְצֵֽנוּ׃ | beartzenu | in land our | H776 → | 2504 times |
אַ֤ךְ׀surely
ʾakhH389 →161 times
קָר֣וֹב[is] near
karovH7138 →77 times
לִירֵאָ֣יוto [those] fearing him
lireavH3373 →64 times
יִשְׁע֑וֹsalvation his
yishoH3468 →36 times
לִשְׁכֹּ֖ןto dwell
lishkonH7931 →129 times
כָּב֣וֹדglory
kavodH3519 →200 times
בְּאַרְצֵֽנוּ׃in land our
beartzenuH776 →2504 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Zechariah 2:8For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “After His Glory has sent Me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye—
it leads to
- Psalms 17:8
Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings
- Deuteronomy 32:10
He found him in a desert land, in a barren, howling wilderness; He surrounded him, He instructed him, He guarded him as the apple of His eye.
- Psalms 17:8
Through
John 7:17If anyone desires to do His will, he will know whether My teaching is from God or whether I speak on My own.
it leads to
- John 8:31–32
So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples.
- John 8:43
Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message.
- Jeremiah 31:33–34
“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And…
- John 8:31–32
Through
Zechariah 2:5For I will be a wall of fire around it, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory within it.’”
it leads to
- Isaiah 4:5
Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud of smoke by day and a glowing flame of fire by night. For over all the glory there…
- Zechariah 9:8
But I will camp around My house because of an army, because of those who march to and fro, and never again will an oppressor overrun My people, for now I keep watch with…
- Psalms 3:3
But You, O LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.
- Isaiah 4:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Psalms
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 85; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 4; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Homily 64, on Psalm 84 (Alternate Series); Jerome, Homily 17, on Psalm 84; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.