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Psalm 85:2
You have forgiven the iniquity of your people. You have covered all their sin. Selah.
1For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. LORD, you have been favorable to your land. You have restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2You have forgiven the iniquity of your people. You have covered all their sin. Selah.
3You have taken away all your wrath. You have turned from the fierceness of your anger.
4Turn us, God of our salvation, and cause your indignation toward us to cease.
Notice
“All their sin” gives this remembrance of forgiveness its breadth: the people’s wrongdoing is named, and God is praised for having covered it.
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Where else Scripture says this
11 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Psalm 32:1By David. A contemplative psalm. Blessed is he whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is covered.Both describe sin as forgiven and covered; Psalm 32 names the blessing of the person who receives that pardon.
Micah 7:18Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he …Both speak of God pardoning his people’s iniquity; Micah also declares his delight in loving kindness.
Colossians 2:13You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,Both emphasize the breadth of forgiveness with the word “all,” applied to sin in the psalm and trespasses in Colossians.
Romans 4:7“Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered.Both use the paired descriptions of iniquities forgiven and sins covered, with Romans declaring those who receive forgiveness blessed.
Jeremiah 50:20In those days, and in that time,” says the LORD, “the iniquity of Israel will be sought for, and there will be none, also the sins of Judah, and they won’t be …Both describe God’s pardon of his people; Jeremiah pictures their sins being sought and no longer found.
Acts 13:39and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.Both concern release from sin: the psalm speaks of forgiveness, while Acts speaks of justification for everyone who believes.
Numbers 14:19Please pardon the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your loving kindness, and just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until …Both remember God forgiving his people; Numbers makes that past forgiveness part of a plea for pardon.
Psalm 79:8–9Don’t hold the iniquities of our forefathers against us. Let your tender mercies speedily meet us, for we are in desperate need.Both address God about the people’s iniquities; Psalm 79 seeks mercy, while Psalm 85 remembers forgiveness already received.
Psalm 78:38But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn’t destroy them. Yes, many times he turned his anger away, and didn’t stir up all his wrath.Both recall God forgiving iniquity among his people; Psalm 78 also recounts his mercy in sparing them from destruction.
Isaiah 38:17Behold, for peace I had great anguish, but you have in love for my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for you have cast all my sins behind your back.Both describe God dealing with all the sins named, using the pictures of covering them and casting them behind his back.
1 Kings 8:30Listen to the supplication of your servant, and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Yes, hear in heaven, your dwelling place; and when you …Both address God concerning forgiveness for his people Israel; Kings asks him to forgive, while the psalm remembers that he has.
Where this verse fits
Guilt and confession. gratitude. praise and worship.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
Remembered forgiveness has a place even when prayer remains unfinished. Before asking God to turn toward them again, these people confess what he has done: he has forgiven their iniquity.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).