Psalms86
King James Version · Public Domain
1 Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.
4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
6 Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.
7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.
9 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.
10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.
11 Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
14 O 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.
15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.
17 Shew 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.
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