Psalm 85:11
New International Version
Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.

New Living Translation
Truth springs up from the earth, and righteousness smiles down from heaven.

English Standard Version
Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky.

Berean Standard Bible
Faithfulness sprouts from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.

King James Bible
Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

New King James Version
Truth shall spring out of the earth, And righteousness shall look down from heaven.

New American Standard Bible
Truth sprouts from the earth, And righteousness looks down from heaven.

NASB 1995
Truth springs from the earth, And righteousness looks down from heaven.

NASB 1977
Truth springs from the earth; And righteousness looks down from heaven.

Legacy Standard Bible
Truth springs up from the earth, And righteousness looks down from heaven.

Amplified Bible
Truth springs from the earth, And righteousness looks down from heaven.

Christian Standard Bible
Truth will spring up from the earth, and righteousness will look down from heaven.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Truth will spring up from the earth, and righteousness will look down from heaven.

American Standard Version
Truth springeth out of the earth; And righteousness hath looked down from heaven.

Contemporary English Version
Loyalty will sprout from the ground; justice will look down from the sky above.

English Revised Version
Truth springeth out of the earth; and righteousness hath looked clown from heaven.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Truth sprouts from the ground, and righteousness looks down from heaven.

Good News Translation
Human loyalty will reach up from the earth, and God's righteousness will look down from heaven.

International Standard Version
Truth sprouts up from the ground, while righteousness looks down from the sky.

Majority Standard Bible
Faithfulness sprouts from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.

NET Bible
Faithfulness grows from the ground, and deliverance looks down from the sky.

New Heart English Bible
Truth springs out of the earth. Righteousness has looked down from heaven.

Webster's Bible Translation
Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

World English Bible
Truth springs out of the earth. Righteousness has looked down from heaven.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Truth springs up from the earth, "" And righteousness looks out from the heavens,

Young's Literal Translation
Truth from the earth springeth up, And righteousness from heaven looketh out,

Smith's Literal Translation
Truth will spring up from the earth, and justice looked forth from the heavens.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Truth is sprung out of the earth: and justice hath looked down from heaven.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Truth has risen from the earth, and justice has gazed down from heaven.

New American Bible
Truth will spring from the earth; justice will look down from heaven.

New Revised Standard Version
Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Faith will sprout from the Earth and righteousness looked out from Heaven!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Truth springeth out of the earth; And righteousness hath looked down from heaven.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Truth has sprung out of the earth; and righteousness has looked down from heaven.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
You Showed Favor to Your Land
10Loving devotion and faithfulness have joined together; righteousness and peace have kissed. 11Faithfulness sprouts from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. 12The LORD will indeed provide what is good, and our land will yield its increase.…

Cross References
Isaiah 45:8
Drip down, O heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness. Let the earth open up that salvation may sprout and righteousness spring up with it; I, the LORD, have created it.

Hosea 2:21-22
“On that day I will respond—” declares the LORD—“I will respond to the heavens, and they will respond to the earth. / And the earth will respond to the grain, to the new wine and oil, and they will respond to Jezreel.

Isaiah 61:11
For as the earth brings forth its growth, and as a garden enables seed to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.

Isaiah 32:16-17
Then justice will inhabit the wilderness, and righteousness will dwell in the fertile field. / The work of righteousness will be peace; the service of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever.

James 3:18
Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness.

Isaiah 11:5
Righteousness will be the belt around His hips, and faithfulness the sash around His waist.

Isaiah 42:4
He will not grow weak or discouraged before He has established justice on the earth. In His law the islands will put their hope.”

Romans 3:21-22
But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets. / And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction,

Isaiah 51:5
My righteousness draws near, My salvation is on the way, and My arms will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look for Me and wait in hope for My arm.

Isaiah 55:10-11
For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, / so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.

Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Romans 10:6-8
But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down) / or, ‘Who will descend into the Abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” / But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:

Isaiah 45:19
I have not spoken in secret, from a place in a land of darkness. I did not say to the descendants of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in a wasteland.’ I, the LORD, speak the truth; I say what is right.

2 Peter 3:13
But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Isaiah 59:14
So justice is turned away, and righteousness stands at a distance. For truth has stumbled in the public square, and honesty cannot enter.


Treasury of Scripture

Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

truth

Isaiah 4:2
In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.

Isaiah 45:8
Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.

Isaiah 53:2
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

righteousness

Isaiah 42:21
The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.

Matthew 3:17
And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Matthew 17:5
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

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Earth Faith Faithfulness Forth Ground Heaven Heavens Looks Plant Righteousness Sky Spring Springeth Springs Truth
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














Faithfulness sprouts from the earth
This phrase suggests a divine interaction where human faithfulness emerges as a response to God's grace. The imagery of "sprouting" evokes agricultural growth, symbolizing new life and renewal. In biblical context, the earth often represents humanity or the physical realm. This can be seen in Genesis 2:7, where God forms man from the dust of the ground. The idea of faithfulness emerging from the earth may also reflect the covenant relationship between God and His people, where human faithfulness is a response to divine faithfulness. The agricultural metaphor aligns with passages like Hosea 10:12, which calls for sowing righteousness and reaping steadfast love. This phrase can be seen as a type of Christ, who is the ultimate expression of faithfulness and truth, as He came to earth to fulfill God's promises.

and righteousness looks down from heaven
This part of the verse portrays righteousness as a divine attribute that originates from God. The imagery of "looking down" suggests oversight, care, and the bestowal of blessings from above. In the biblical narrative, heaven is often depicted as God's dwelling place, where His will and righteousness are perfectly established. This aligns with passages like Isaiah 45:8, which speaks of righteousness pouring down from the skies. The connection between heaven and earth in this verse reflects the biblical theme of God's kingdom coming to earth, as seen in the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:10). Righteousness looking down can also be seen as a prophetic anticipation of Christ, who embodies divine righteousness and brings it to humanity. This dual imagery of faithfulness and righteousness highlights the harmonious relationship between God's actions and human response, emphasizing the covenantal theme throughout Scripture.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Sons of Korah
The authors of Psalm 85, a group of Levitical singers and musicians who played a significant role in temple worship.

2. Israel
The nation to whom the Psalm is addressed, reflecting on their relationship with God and their longing for restoration.

3. Heaven and Earth
Symbolic places representing the divine (heaven) and the human or earthly realm (earth), highlighting the interaction between God and His creation.
Teaching Points
The Harmony of Truth and Righteousness
Truth and righteousness are depicted as working in harmony, with truth emerging from the earth and righteousness descending from heaven. This illustrates the divine partnership between God and humanity in the pursuit of holiness.

The Role of Believers in Manifesting Truth
As truth sprouts from the earth, believers are called to be vessels of truth in the world. This involves living out the truth of the Gospel in daily life and being a witness to others.

God's Sovereign Righteousness
Righteousness looking down from heaven signifies God's sovereign oversight and His desire to impart righteousness to His people. Believers can trust in God's righteous judgment and His provision of righteousness through Christ.

The Fulfillment in Christ
Jesus Christ embodies the fulfillment of this verse, as He is the truth that came to earth and the righteousness that comes from God. Believers find their ultimate hope and restoration in Him.(11) Truth, or "faithfulness," is here depicted as springing out of the earth, because the renewal of fertility has re-established the conviction of the faithfulness of Jehovah towards His people, which had been shaken.

Look down.--Used of bending forwards as from a window or battlement (Song of Solomon 6:10, Note).

This "righteousness" (here in direct parallelism with faithfulness) had, as it were, been hidden like the sun behind a cloud, but now is seen showing its benign face once more in the skies.

Verse 11. - Truth shall spring out of the earth (comp. Isaiah 45:8). One result of the reconciliation of God's mercy and truth shall be a growth of righteousness among men. The pardoned people of God shall bring forth much fruit. And righteousness shall look down from heaven. God's righteousness "looks down from heaven" (like the sun), to draw up and mature the feeble plant of man's righteousness, which, without it, would come to nothing.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Truth
אֱ֭מֶת (’ĕ·meṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 571: Stability, certainty, truth, trustworthiness

sprouts
תִּצְמָ֑ח (tiṣ·māḥ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 6779: To sprout, spring up

from the earth,
מֵאֶ֣רֶץ (mê·’e·reṣ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

and righteousness
וְ֝צֶ֗דֶק (wə·ṣe·ḏeq)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6664: The right, equity, prosperity

looks down
נִשְׁקָֽף׃ (niš·qāp̄)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8259: To overhang, look out or down

from heaven.
מִשָּׁמַ֥יִם (miš·šā·ma·yim)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky


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OT Poetry: Psalm 85:11 Truth springs out of the earth (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 85:10
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