David
Psalm 86
A Prayer of David.
Scripture (KJV)
1Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
2Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
3Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.
4Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
6Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.
7In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
8Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.
9All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.
10For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.
11Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
12I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
13For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
14O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.
15But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
16O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.
17Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.
Summary
Psalm 86 is a personal prayer of David that combines petition, praise, and confidence in God’s unique greatness. David begins by asking God to bow down His ear and hear him, for he is poor and needy, and asks God to preserve his soul and save His servant who trusts in Him. He cries to God daily and lifts up his soul, confident that the Lord is good, ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy to all who call upon Him. In the day of trouble, he will call, for God will answer. The central section bursts into praise: among the gods there is none like the Lord, and all nations shall come and worship before Him, for He is great and does wondrous things; He is God alone. The beloved verse 11 is the heart: "Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name." David vows to praise God with all his heart, for God’s mercy is great and has delivered his soul from the lowest hell. Though the proud and violent seek him, God is full of compassion, gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. David asks for a token for good, that those who hate him may see it and be ashamed, because the LORD has helped and comforted him.
The major themes are prayer, God’s uniqueness, mercy, a united heart, and praise. Practically, the psalm teaches that the one who is poor and needy may cry to a God who is ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy, and that a united heart is the key to walking in God’s truth. The great lesson is that God alone is great and does wondrous things, and He unites the heart to fear His name.
Key Themes
A Prayer from Psalm 86
Bow down Your ear, O LORD, and hear me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my soul; save Your servant who trusts in You. Be merciful to me, for I cry to You daily. Rejoice the soul of Your servant, for to You I lift up my soul. You, Lord, are good and ready to forgive, plenteous in mercy to all who call upon You. In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, for You will answer me. Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto Your works. All nations shall come and worship before You and glorify Your name. Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth. Unite my heart to fear Your name. I will praise You with all my heart and glorify Your name forevermore. Turn unto me and have mercy upon me; give Your strength to Your servant. Show me a token for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, because You, LORD, have helped and comforted me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflection Questions
- 1What does it mean to ask God to "unite my heart to fear thy name"?
- 2How does David’s confidence in God’s uniqueness shape his prayer?
- 3Where do I need to cry, "Teach me thy way, O LORD"?
- 4How can I ask God for a "token for good" in my own life?
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