Psalms 85:8

I will listen to what God the LORD will say; for He will surely speak peace to His people and His saints; He will not let them return to folly.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The psalmist addresses Yahweh immediately after petitioning for His loving devotion and salvation (v. 7), committing himself to listen to what God will say.

The words — שָׁלוֹם (shālôm) carries the full weight of the promise: not mere absence of conflict but wholeness. The verb יְדַבֵּר (yĕdabber) appears twice, binding God's speech to both the act of saying and the content of peace.

The thread — Psalms 29:11 pairs Yahweh's blessing with peace given to His people; John 14:27 presents peace as something Christ leaves and gives, distinct from the world's; Revelation 3:19 shows the corrective edge — love rebukes before peace is fully received.

Why it lands — The verse holds the reader to a standard: if God speaks to His people, the content is peace, not a return to folly. It asks you to test what you are hearing against that claim.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

אֶשְׁמְעָ֗ה'esh.me.'AhI will listen to מַה־mah-whatever יְדַבֵּר֮ye.da.Berhe will say הָאֵ֪ל׀ha./'El<the>/ God יְה֫וָ֥הYah.wehYahweh כִּ֤י׀kifor יְדַבֵּ֬רye.da.Berhe will speak שָׁל֗וֹםsha.Lompeace אֶל־'el-to עַמּ֥וֹa.M/opeople/ his וְאֶל־ve./'el-and/ to חֲסִידָ֑יוcha.si.Da/vfaithful [people]/ his וְֽאַל־ve./'al-and/ may not יָשׁ֥וּבוּya.Shu.vuthey return לְכִסְלָֽה׃le./khis.Lahto/ folly

King James Version

I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.

Cross-references

Psalms 29:11 The LORD gives His people strength; the LORD blesses His people with peace.
Revelation 3:19 Those I love I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.
Habakkuk 2:1 I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the ramparts. I will watch to see what He will say to me, and how I should answer when corrected.
Zechariah 9:10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be broken. Then He will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.
2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.”
Hebrews 10:26 If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains,
Genesis 34:7 When Jacob’s sons heard what had happened, they returned from the field. They were filled with grief and fury, because Shechem had committed an outrage in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter—a thing that should not be done.
Psalms 130:4 But with You there is forgiveness, so that You may be feared.
Haggai 2:9 The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former, says the LORD of Hosts. And in this place I will provide peace, declares the LORD of Hosts.”