“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.”
In plain words: The writer says he will pay close attention to what God says, because God promises peace to the people who belong to Him and will keep them from going back to foolish ways.
What Psalm 85:8 means.
The psalmist says he will listen to what God says, because He promises peace to His people.
Common questions about Psalm 85:8
What does it mean that God will speak peace?
In the Bible, peace means more than feeling calm. It means being whole and safe, and at one with God, with nothing broken between you. The psalmist trusts that God promises this to His people. Jesus later said He gives a peace the world cannot give, one that does not depend on how the day goes [[John 14:27]]. The verse also says God will not let His people go back to folly, which means foolish ways that hurt us. So His peace comes with His help to walk a better road.
Apply it today: Read Psalm 85:8 out loud once, then sit quietly for one minute and tell God you want to listen.
Who are His people and His saints?
A saint does not have to be perfect or famous. The word means a person God has set apart as His own. In this psalm it points to Israel, the people God had brought back home after a hard time away. In the New Testament, Paul writes to ordinary believers in a city and calls them saints [[Ephesians 1:1]]. Anyone who trusts Jesus belongs to that family. It is a gift God gives, not a prize for being good enough. The promise of peace is for people who belong to Him.
Apply it today: Read Ephesians 1:1-2 and notice how Paul greets God's people with grace and peace.
How can I listen to God today?
The psalmist simply says, I will listen. That is a choice to slow down and pay attention. God has given us the Bible so we can know what He has said [[2 Timothy 3:16-17]]. Listening means reading it, thinking about it, and talking to God in prayer. You do not need special words. If you are new, start small with one short passage read slowly. Ask what it shows about God and what it tells us to do. Let the Bible, not a guess or a passing feeling, be your guide.
Apply it today: Read Psalm 23 slowly once today, pausing after each line to think about what it says about God.
Ask anything about it.
Every question gets a clear answer in seconds, and a way to live it today.
Live it today.
Spend five minutes listening to God today instead of talking.
Pray it back.
Lord, I’m listening. Speak peace to me.
Carry it all day.
Put today’s verse on your lock screen, so every time you pick up your phone, the Word is the first thing you see.
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One verse every morning at 7 a.m. your time. Leave any time.