Psalms 85:11

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

Truth {H571} shall spring out {H6779}{H8799)} of the earth {H776}; and righteousness {H6664} shall look down {H8259}{H8738)} from heaven {H8064}.

Truth springs up from the earth, and justice looks down from heaven.

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

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

Commentary

Psalm 85:11 KJV reads, "Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven." This powerful verse encapsulates a profound spiritual promise of divine interaction and restoration, often understood within the context of God's redemptive plan.

Context

Psalm 85 is a prayer for national restoration and revival, following a period of divine discipline or exile. The psalmist recalls God's past favor and deliverance (Psalm 85:1-3), then pleads for renewed mercy and salvation (Psalm 85:4-7). Verse 11 belongs to the concluding section where the psalmist expresses confident hope in God's coming salvation, envisioning a harmonious meeting of God's attributes. It immediately follows Psalm 85:10, which beautifully states, "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other."

Key Themes

  • Divine Harmony: The verse paints a picture of God's attributes—truth and righteousness—working in perfect concert. Truth, representing faithfulness and reality, emerges from the human realm ("out of the earth"), while righteousness, representing divine justice and moral perfection, descends from God's heavenly abode ("from heaven").
  • Spiritual Restoration: It speaks to a time of spiritual renewal and flourishing where God's character is fully manifest on earth. This suggests a period of reconciliation and blessing where divine standards are upheld and experienced by humanity.
  • Messianic Foreshadowing: Many commentators interpret this verse with Messianic overtones. The coming of Christ is seen as the ultimate fulfillment, where God's truth was embodied on earth (John 1:14 states that the Word became flesh, full of grace and truth) and His righteousness was perfectly displayed and offered from heaven.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "truth" is 'emet (אֱמֶת), meaning faithfulness, reliability, and reality. Its emergence "out of the earth" implies that God's faithfulness will be visibly demonstrated and experienced in the earthly realm. "Righteousness" is tzedeq (צֶדֶק), referring to justice, moral rectitude, and conformity to God's holy standard. Its act of "looking down from heaven" suggests divine approval, oversight, and perhaps even a bestowal of righteousness upon humanity.

Practical Application

For believers today, Psalm 85:11 offers immense encouragement and a call to action:

  • Hope in God's Character: It reinforces the trustworthy nature of God, whose truth and righteousness are foundational to His dealings with humanity. Even in times of struggle, we can trust that His divine attributes will prevail and bring about restoration.
  • Living out Truth: The verse challenges us to be instruments through whom truth "springs out of the earth." This means living authentically, speaking truth, and upholding integrity in our daily lives, reflecting God's character.
  • Anticipating God's Work: It reminds us that righteousness ultimately originates from heaven. While we strive to live righteously, true righteousness is a gift from God. This prompts us to look to Him for guidance and the ultimate fulfillment of His promises, including the promise of new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells.
Note: Commentary was generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please remember that only the commentary section is AI-generated. The main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are sourced from trusted and verified materials.

Cross-References

  • John 14:6

    Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

  • 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.

  • 1 John 5:20

    And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

  • 1 John 5:21

    Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

  • Luke 2:14

    Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

  • Matthew 3:17

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

  • 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.
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