Psalms86
New American Standard
1 Incline Your ear, Lord, and answer me; For I am afflicted and needy.
2 Protect my soul, for I am godly; You my God, save Your servant who trusts in You.
3 Be gracious to me, Lord, For I call upon You all day long.
4 Make the soul of Your servant joyful, For to You, Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all who call upon You.
6 Listen, Lord, to my prayer; And give Your attention to the sound of my pleading!
7 On the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me.
8 There is no one like You among the gods, Lord, Nor are there any works like Yours.
9 All nations whom You have made will come and worship before You, Lord, And they will glorify Your name.
10 For You are great, and You do wondrous deeds; You alone are God.
11 Teach me Your way, Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.
12 I will give thanks to You, Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forever.
13 For Your graciousness toward me is great, And You have saved my soul from the depths of Sheol.
14 God, arrogant men have risen up against me, And a gang of violent men have sought my life, And they have not set You before them.
15 But You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, Slow to anger and abundant in mercy and truth.
16 Turn to me, and be gracious to me; Grant Your strength to Your servant, And save the son of Your maidservant.
17 Show me a sign of good, That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, Because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
Study
Psalms 86Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Psalms 86. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The psalmist pleads his earnestness, and the mercy of God, as reasons why his prayer should be heard. (1–7). He renews his requests for help and comfort. (8–17).
vv1-7
Our poverty and wretchedness, when felt, powerfully plead in our behalf at the throne of grace. The best self-preservation is to commit ourselves to God's keeping. I am one whom thou favourest, hast set apart for thyself, and made partaker of sanctifying grace. It is a great encouragement to prayer, to feel that we have received the converting grace of God, have learned to trust in him, and to be his servants. We may expect comfort from God, when we keep up our communion with God. God's goodness appears in two things, in giving and forgiving. Whatever others do, let us call upon God, and commit our case to him; we shall not seek in vain.
vv8-17
Our God alone possesses almighty power and infinite love. Christ is the way and the truth. And the believing soul will be more desirous to be taught the way and the truth. And the believing soul will be more desirous to be taught the way and the truth of God, in order to walk therein, than to be delivered out of earthly distress. Those who set not the Lord before them, seek after believers' souls; but the compassion, mercy, and truth of God, will be their refuge and consolation. And those whose parents were the servants of the Lord, may urge this as a plea why he should hear and help them. In considering David's experience, and that of the believer, we must not lose sight of Him, who though he was rich, for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich.
Key Words
תְּפִלָּה: intercession, supplication; by implication, a hymn
דָּוִד: David, the youngest son of Jesse
נָטָה: to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application
אֹזֶן: broadness. i.e. (concrete) the ear (from its form in man)
עָנָה: properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announce
כִּי: (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
אֲנִי: I
עָנִי: depressed, in mind or circumstances
אֶבְיוֹן: destitute
שָׁמַר: properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.
Cross References
Psalms 86Direct quotation of God's self-revelation to Moses as merciful, gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness.
Supported by JFB
Parallels 'unite my heart' with God's promise to give His people 'one heart' to fear Him.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Nearly identical phrasing concerning proud, violent men rising up and not setting God before them.
Supported by JFB
Verbatim parallel using the humble plea of being 'the son of thine handmaid.'
Supported by JFB
Repeats the distinct phrase 'unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.'
Supported by JFB
Idiomatic Hebrew parallel for setting one's heart or desire upon something.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Illuminates 'I am holy' (godly), showing God sets apart the godly for Himself.
Supported by JFB
Further contextualizes the expression of lifting up the soul as longing or expectation.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Echoes the triumphal song of Moses: 'Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods?'
Supported by Matthew Poole
Prophetic hope that all the ends of the world shall turn and worship before God.
Supported by JFB
Eschatological fulfillment where all nations come and worship before God because His judgments are manifest.
Supported by JFB