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Psalm 85:3
You have taken away all your wrath. You have turned from the fierceness of your anger.
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.
5Will you be angry with us forever? Will you draw out your anger to all generations?
Notice
“All your wrath” names the extent of God's past mercy, while the prayer that follows shows his people still pleading for their present need.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What do you notice about God being the one who has taken away his wrath?
Write on thisHow would you describe the shift from “You have turned” in verse 3 to “Turn us” in verse 4?
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Where else Scripture says this
12 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 106:23Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had Moses, his chosen, not stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, so that he wouldn’t destroy …Both passages speak of God's wrath being turned away; Psalm 106 names Moses standing in the breach before him.
Deuteronomy 13:17Nothing of the devoted thing shall cling to your hand, that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger and show you mercy, and have compassion on you …Both speak of God turning from the fierceness of his anger; Deuteronomy links this with rejecting devoted things and receiving mercy.
Isaiah 12:1In that day you will say, “I will give thanks to you, the LORD; for though you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you comfort me.Both address God with acknowledgment that his anger has turned away; Isaiah also names the comfort that follows.
Zephaniah 3:15The LORD has taken away your judgments. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Israel, the LORD, is among you. You will not be afraid of evil any more.Both describe God taking something away from his people: wrath in the psalm and judgments in Zephaniah.
Jonah 3:9Who knows whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?”Both speak of God turning from fierce anger; Jonah voices uncertainty, while the psalm recalls that God has done so.
Exodus 32:12Why should the Egyptians talk, saying, ‘He brought them out for evil, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the surface of the earth’? Turn …Exodus asks God to turn from fierce wrath against his people; the psalm acknowledges that he has turned from his anger.
Judges 3:8Therefore the LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served …Both concern the LORD's anger toward his people, though Judges describes its consequences and the psalm remembers its removal.
Isaiah 6:7He touched my mouth with it, and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin forgiven.”Both describe something being taken away by God's action: wrath in the psalm and iniquity in Isaiah.
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 psalms recall God turning his anger away; Psalm 78 connects this restraint with mercy and forgiveness.
John 1:29The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!Both use the language of taking away, though the psalm names God's wrath and John names sin taken away by Jesus.
Isaiah 27:4Wrath is not in me, but if I should find briers and thorns, I would do battle! I would march on them and I would burn them together.Both speak of wrath being absent, though Isaiah also includes God's warning of battle against briers and thorns.
Exodus 32:11–12Moses begged the LORD his God, and said, “LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, that you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great …Both address God concerning his wrath toward his people; Moses pleads over burning anger, while the psalm recalls anger turned away.
Where this verse fits
Guilt and confession. feeling distant from God. gratitude.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
Remembering mercy need not silence a fresh plea for help. These people ask God to turn toward them again because he has turned from his anger before.
Now put it in your words.
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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).