Psalms 85:7 — Word Study
WLCהַרְאֵ֣נוּ יְהוָ֣ה חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝יֶשְׁעֲךָ֗ תִּתֶּן־ לָֽנוּ׃
BSAnotlôʼ you(m.s.)ʼattâh to returnshûwb to livechâyâh Amawʻam to rejoicesâmach
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הַרְאֵ֣נוּ | show us | Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
| יְהוָ֣ה | O Yahweh | Noun proper |
| חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ | covenant loyalty your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| וְ֝יֶשְׁעֲךָ֗ | and salvation your | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| תִּתֶּן־ | you will give | Verb, Qal, imperfect second person masculine singular |
| לָֽנוּ׃ | to us | Preposition, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Show us Your loving devotion, O LORD, and grant us Your salvation. |
| KJV | Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation. |
| ASV | Show us thy lovingkindness, O Jehovah, And grant us thy salvation. |
| YLT | Show us, O Jehovah, thy kindness, And Thy salvation Thou dost give to us. |
| WEB | Show us your loving kindness, Yahweh. Grant us your salvation. |
| BBE | Let us see your mercy, O Lord, and give us your salvation. |
Translations agree on the essential meaning of the verse, focusing on the request for God's loving devotion and salvation.
The verse contains two main requests, emphasizing the psalmist's plea for both God's loving devotion and salvation.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהוּא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 85:7
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Prayer for Restorationgenerated
Psalms 85:7 is a plea from the psalmist, asking the LORD to demonstrate His loving devotion and to provide salvation. This verse is part of a larger context where the psalmist seeks revival for the people of Israel, emphasizing the need for God's mercy and intervention in their lives. The surrounding verses highlight the relationship between God's kindness and the people's response to His grace.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 50:23 | He who sacrifices a thank offering honors Me, and to him who rights his way, I will show the salvation of God.” |
| 2 | Psalm 91:16 | With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.” |
| 3 | Jeremiah 42:12 | And I will show you compassion, and he will have compassion on you and restore you to your own land.’ |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — הַרְאֵ֣נוּ, har.'E.nugenerated
The verb הַרְאֵ֣נוּ (har'enu) is a hiphil imperative, meaning 'show us'. It is derived from the root רָאָה (ra'ah), which means 'to see'. This word emphasizes the psalmist's desire for God to reveal His presence and loving kindness.
The imperative form indicates a strong request or command, reflecting urgency and need. The suffix indicates that the request is directed towards the people, emphasizing communal need for divine revelation and assistance.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In this study, we examine the verse as rendered in the Berean Standard Bible, which states, 'Show us Your loving devotion, O LORD, and grant us Your salvation.' Other translations, including the KJV and ASV, maintain a similar wording, emphasizing God's loving kindness and salvation.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains two main clauses: the first is a request for God to show His loving devotion, and the second is a request for salvation. The structure emphasizes the psalmist's urgent plea for both divine love and assistance.
The finite verb הַרְאֵ֣נוּ (har'enu) governs the first clause, while תִּתֶּן־ (ti.ten-) governs the second. This arrangement highlights the interconnectedness of seeing God's love and receiving His salvation.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates הַרְאֵ֣נוּ as θεός (theos), which indicates a divine context, focusing on God's nature as the one who reveals. This choice reflects a broader understanding of God's role in salvation and mercy.
The translation choices in the Septuagint suggest a continuity in the understanding of God's character as loving and devoted, aligning with the Hebrew text's emphasis on divine kindness.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 85:7 is a prayer asking God to show His loving kindness and to grant salvation to His people. The psalmist expresses a deep need for God's mercy and intervention, highlighting the relationship between divine love and the well-being of the community.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The term refers to God's steadfast love and faithfulness, emphasizing His covenant relationship with His people.
The request for salvation reflects a need for rescue and deliverance from troubles faced by the community.
The verse is part of a broader plea for revival, where the psalmist seeks God's intervention to restore joy and life to His people.
Addressing God as 'LORD' signifies His authority and covenant relationship with Israel, reminding the people of His promises.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced God's loving devotion in my life?
- How can I seek God's salvation in times of trouble?
- What does it mean to me to ask God to show His kindness?
- How can I encourage others to trust in God's loving devotion and salvation?
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 85:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleShow us thy mercy, O Lord,.... Or, "thy grace" (o) and goodness, the riches of which are shown forth in Christ; the mercy promised to Abraham and others, long expected, wished, and prayed for; his
Read John Gill on Psalms 85 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryShew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation. No JFB commentary on this verse.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 85 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleShow us thy mercy, i.e. grant it to us, as the next words explain it, and as showing signifies, ; so also 71:20. Or, manifest thy secret purpose of mercy to us by thy providential dispensations.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 85 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 85:7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.Ver. 7. Show us thy mercy, O Lord] Thy fatherly mercy, στοργην. And grant us thy salvation] Thy Christ, and our Jesus, Luke 2:30.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 85 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 7. Show us thy mercy] Blot out all our sins. And grant us thy salvation.] Give us such a complete deliverance as is worthy of thy majesty and mercy to bestow!
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 85 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges7. Shew us &c.] Cause us to see thy lovingkindness, upon which we have a claim as Thy beloved ones (Psalms 85:8).
Read Cambridge on Psalms 85 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleShew us thy mercy, O Lord - That is, Manifest thy mercy in returning to us; in forgiving our sins; in taking from us the tokens of thy displeasure.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 85 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Show us Your loving devotion, O LORD, and grant us Your salvation.
Show us your loving kindness, Yahweh. Grant us your salvation.
Show us Your loving devotion, O LORD, and grant us Your salvation.
O Lord, show us your loyal love! Bestow on us your deliverance!
Tyndale line
Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.
Show us thy lovingkindness, O Jehovah, And grant us thy salvation.
Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.
Show us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.
Shew vs thy mercie, O Lord, and graunt vs thy saluation.
Strictly literal
Shew us thy loving-kindness, O Jehovah, and grant us thy salvation.
Show us, O Jehovah, thy kindness, And Thy salvation Thou dost give to us.
Show us, O YHWH, your kindness, || And You give to us Your salvation.
(85:8) Show us thy kindness, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation.
Show us your covenant faithfulness, Yahweh, grant us your salvation.
From the Latin
I have called upon thee in the day of my trouble: because thou hast heard me.
Simplified
Show us your trustworthy love, Lord! Give us your salvation!
Let us see your mercy, O Lord, and give us your salvation.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in their wording for Psalms 85:7. Both texts convey the same plea for God's loving devotion and salvation, indicating a consistent message across these ancient witnesses.
הַרְאֵ֣נוּ יְהוָ֣ה חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝יֶשְׁעֲךָ֗ תִּתֶּן־ לָֽנוּ׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 85:7
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
רָאָה (ra'ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to see' and encompasses a wide range of visual and perceptual actions, including looking, observing, and causing others to see. It can refer to both literal sight and figurative understanding, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as appearing or being visible. The entries indicate a rich semantic field without significant disagreement among lexicographers.
רָאָה 1315 vb. see
Qal 1141
see, subj.
see, c. acc. rei
see, sq. acc. cl. or phr. of closer design
see, so as to learn to know
abs. see, have (power of) vision
see = perceive
look at, see, by direct volition
of mental observation
c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest
see, c. acc. rei
Niph.
appear
be seen
be visible
Pu. appar. his bones are not detected
Hithp. recipr. look at each other
Hiph.
cause one to see something, shew
cause to experience something
cause to look intently at, to behold
Hoph.
be caused to see, be shewn
be exhibited to
base
H7200a רָאָה see .. . see, subj.
. see, c. acc. rei
. see, sq. acc. + cl. or phr. of closer design
. see, so as to learn to know
. abs. see, have (power of) vision
. see = perceive
. look at, see, by direct volition
. of mental observation
. . c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest
. see, c. acc. rei
. . appear
. be seen
. be visible
. appar. his bones are not detected
. recipr. look at each other
. . . cause one to see something, shew
. cause to experience something
. cause to look intently at, to behold
. . be caused to see, be shewn
. be exhibited to
H7200b רְאוּת look
7200 ra'ah raw-aw'
a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in
numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive,
intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve,
behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have
experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look
(on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up,
upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide,
regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one
another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X
surely, X think, view, visions.
רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: see.
: see/show
1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to see
1a2) to see, perceive
1a3) to see, have vision
1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out
1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish
1a6) to look at, gaze at
1a7) to provide, choose
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to appear, present oneself
1b2) to be seen
1b3) to be visible
1c) (Pual) to be seen
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to see, show
1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at
1e) (Hophal)
1e1) to be caused to see, be shown
1e2) to be exhibited to
1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face
רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: examine.
: examine/consider
1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to see
1a2) to see, perceive
1a3) to see, have vision
HVhv2ms/Sp1bp — Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHVhv2ms/Sp1bp
US, pronoun objective case of we.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Us , pron. [OE. us, AS. s; akin to OFries. & OS. s, D. ons, G. uns, Icel. & Sw. oss, Dan. os, Goth. uns, L. nos we, us, Gr. we, Skr. nas us. . Cf. Nostrum, Our.] The persons speaking, regarded as an object; ourselves; — the objective case of we. See We. “Tell us a tale.” Chaucer.
Give us this day our daily bread. Matt. vi. 11.
Us, pron. oblique case of we
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
HNpt — Noun properHNpt
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) primarily means kindness or goodness, often referring to the kindness of people towards one another, especially towards the needy. It can also denote God's lovingkindness and mercy. Additionally, it has a secondary meaning of shame or reproach. The entries reflect a range of uses, from human interactions to divine attributes.
חֶ֫סֶד 247 n.m. goodness, kindness
of man:
kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits
kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy
(rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety
lovely appearance
of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.
base
חֶ֫סֶד n.m. shame, reproach
base
H2617a חֶ֫סֶד goodness, kindness . of man: . kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits
. kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy
. (rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety
. lovely appearance
. of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.
H2617b חֶ֫סֶד shame, reproach
2617 checed kheh'-sed
from 2616; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety:
rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty:--favour,
good deed(-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-)kindness, merciful
(kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing.
see HEBREW for 02616
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — kindness.
goodness, kindness, faithfulness
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — shame.
a reproach, shame
HNcmsc/Sp2ms — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2ms
יֵ֫שַׁע (yesha`) refers to concepts of deliverance, rescue, and salvation, encompassing both physical and spiritual aspects. It also includes ideas of safety, welfare, and prosperity. The entries consistently emphasize its use in contexts of divine rescue and victory.
יֵ֫שַׁע n.m. deliverance, rescue, salvation, also safety, welfare
safety, welfare, prosperity
salvation, i.e. primarily physical rescue, by God, oft. with added spiritual idea
victory
base
H3468 יֵ֫שַׁע deliverance, rescue, salvation, also safety, welfare . safety, welfare, prosperity
. salvation, i.e. primarily physical rescue, by God, oft. with added spiritual idea
. victory
3468 yesha` yeh'-shah
or yeshai {yay'-shah}; from 3467; liberty, deliverance,
prosperity:--safety, salvation, saving.
see HEBREW for 03467
יֵ֫שַׁע (ye.sah) — salvation.
1) deliverance, salvation, rescue, safety, welfare
1a) safety, welfare, prosperity
1b) salvation
1c) victory
HC/Ncmsc/Sp2ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHC/Ncmsc/Sp2ms
The Hebrew word נָתַן (natan) means 'to give' and encompasses a wide range of applications such as putting, setting, and making. It can also indicate actions like bestowing, delivering, and assigning. The entries describe its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hophal, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.
נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set
Qal 1917
give
Put, set
Make, constitute
Niph.
82be given
Be put, set
Hoph.
be given, bestowed
= be given to one for wife
be put upon
base
H5414 נָתַן give, put, set .. give
. Put, set
. Make, constitute
. . be given
. Be put, set
. . . be given, bestowed
. = be given to one for wife
. be put upon
5414 nathan naw-than'
a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of
application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe,
assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth,
hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, +
cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X
without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up),
grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up),
(give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that,
occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X
pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send
(out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander,
strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade,
turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to)
God, yield.
נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: give.
: give/deliver/send/produce
1) to give, put, set
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend
1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate
1a3) to make, constitute
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned
1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up
1c2) to be put upon
נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: put.
: put/set/apppoint
1) to give, put, set
1a) (Qal)
HVqi2ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singularHVqi2ms
(nathan, yahabh, sum; didomi): "Give" is a very common word in the Old Testament. It is most frequently the translation of nathan, "to give" (Ge 1:29; 3:6; Ex 2:9; De 18,20, etc., over 800 instances); nathan is also translated "to give up" (De 23:14; Isa 43:6; Ho 11:8); of yahabh, "to give" (Ge 30:1; 1Ch 16:28 the King James Version). In Ps 55:22 we have the perfect with suffix, "Cast thy burden upon Yahweh," margin "what he hath given thee"; elsewhere it is…
נוּ (nu) — us.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person plural
HR/Sp1bp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bp
US, pronoun objective case of we.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Us , pron. [OE. us, AS. s; akin to OFries. & OS. s, D. ons, G. uns, Icel. & Sw. oss, Dan. os, Goth. uns, L. nos we, us, Gr. we, Skr. nas us. . Cf. Nostrum, Our.] The persons speaking, regarded as an object; ourselves; — the objective case of we. See We. “Tell us a tale.” Chaucer.
Give us this day our daily bread. Matt. vi. 11.
Us, pron. oblique case of we