What does Psalms Chapter 85 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

David’s prayer asks hearing, preservation and a token for good. The heart is asked to rejoice so it may fear the name; give command is retained. Haters’ confounding is requested rather than recorded as completed.

Chapter breakdown

Inclina, Domine is the incipit; the separate heading describes asking grace to persevere to the end. David's prayer asks hearing because he is needy and poor, preservation because he is holy, and saving because he trusts. The note explains holy by office and profession as dedicated to God's service, rather than a new claim of sinlessness. He cries all day, asks mercy and joy and lifts his soul to the Lord, who is sweet, mild and plentiful in mercy to callers.

He asks hearing and recalls calling in trouble because God has heard. None among gods or works compares to God. All nations He made shall come, adore and glorify His name; He is great, does wonders and alone is God. The speaker asks conduct in God's way and says he will walk in truth, asking that his heart rejoice so that it may fear God's name. An undivided heart is not this edition's wording. He will praise with whole heart and glorify the name forever, recalling great mercy and deliverance of his soul from the lower hell.

Wicked people rose and mighty people sought his soul without setting God before their eyes. He names God's compassion, mercy, patience and truth and asks a look, mercy, command for His servant and saving of His handmaid's son. He asks a token for good so haters may see and be confounded, because God helped and comforted him. Neither their completed defeat nor a particular encircled king's scene is supplied.

The story inside

Opening: David’s prayer asks hearing, preservation and a token for good. Development: The heart is asked to rejoice so it may fear the name; give command is retained. Conclusion: Haters’ confounding is requested rather than recorded as completed.

Lessons worth keeping

1
David’s prayer asks hearing, preservation and a token for good.
2
The heart is asked to rejoice so it may fear the name; give command is retained.
3
Haters’ confounding is requested rather than recorded as completed.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 63116–63117
85:1. A prayer for David himself. Incline thy ear, O Lord, and hear me: for I am needy and poor.
Lines 63119–63120
85:2. Preserve my soul, for I am holy: save thy servant, O my God, that trusteth in thee.
Lines 63122–63123
I am holy.... I am by my office and profession dedicated to thy service.
Lines 63130–63131
85:5. For thou, O Lord, art sweet and mild: and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thee.
Lines 63142–63143
85:9. All the nations thou hast made shall come and adore before thee, O Lord: and they shall glorify thy name.
Lines 63148–63149
85:11. Conduct me, O Lord, in thy way, and I will walk in thy truth: let my heart rejoice that it may fear thy name.
Lines 63154–63155
85:13. For thy mercy is great towards me: and thou hast delivered my soul out of the lower hell.
Lines 63167–63168
85:17. Shew me a token for good: that they who hate me may see, and be confounded, because thou, O Lord, hast helped me and hast comforted me.