The Meaning of Psalms 85:9 Explained

Psalms 85:9

KJV: Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.

YLT: Only, near to those fearing Him is His salvation, That honour may dwell in our land.

Darby: Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.

ASV: Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him, That glory may dwell in our land.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Surely his salvation  [is] nigh  them that fear  him; that glory  may dwell  in our land. 

What does Psalms 85:9 Mean?

Study Notes

fear
.
fear of the Lord
The "fear of the Lord," a phrase of the O.T. piety, meaning reverential trust, with hatred of evil.

Context Summary

Psalm 85:1-13 - A Prayer For The Nation
This psalm is the counterpart of Psalms 80:1-19. There we see petitions ascending; here thanksgivings are returned. Evidently there had been granted some great national deliverance, which filled the land with thanksgiving. The restoration of the captives from Babylon was such an event; but the words well befit glad days of revival. They might have been sung on the first Easter day, when mercy and truth met at the Cross, and there was a bridal of the earth and sky. Reversed captivity, forgiven and buried sin, the dark clouds of estrangement dispelled, the speaking of peace-these are great themes and all have their counterparts in Christian experience.
There is exquisite beauty in Psalms 85:10-11. What a meeting of the divine attributes! The Cross is their trysting-place. It resembles the family-gathering of brothers and sisters in the old homestead. Notice that heaven must combine with earth in the production of Christian grace. Truth can spring up in the soil of our heart only when righteousness looks down with benignant love from heaven. But she does even more-she shows us how to walk in the way of God's steps. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 85

1  The Psalmist, out of the experience of former mercies, prays for continuance thereof
8  He promises to wait thereon, out of confidence of God's goodness

What do the individual words in Psalms 85:9 mean?

Surely near to those who fear Him His salvation [is] that may dwell glory in our land
אַ֤ךְ ׀ קָר֣וֹב לִירֵאָ֣יו יִשְׁע֑וֹ לִשְׁכֹּ֖ן כָּב֣וֹד בְּאַרְצֵֽנוּ

אַ֤ךְ ׀  Surely 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַךְ  
Sense: indeed, surely (emphatic).
קָר֣וֹב  near 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: קָרֹוב  
Sense: near.
לִירֵאָ֣יו  to  those  who  fear  Him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Adjective, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא  
Sense: fearing, reverent, afraid.
יִשְׁע֑וֹ  His  salvation  [is] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יֵשַׁע  
Sense: deliverance, salvation, rescue, safety, welfare.
לִשְׁכֹּ֖ן  that  may  dwell 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁכַן  
Sense: to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside.
כָּב֣וֹד  glory 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כָּבֹוד  
Sense: glory, honour, glorious, abundance.
בְּאַרְצֵֽנוּ  in  our  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.