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Psalms 86
1Hear, Yahweh, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
2Preserve my soul, for I am godly. You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you.
3Be merciful to me, Lord, for I call to you all day long.
4Bring joy to the soul of your servant, for to you, Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.
6Hear, Yahweh, my prayer. Listen to the voice of my petitions.
7In the day of my trouble I will call on you, for you will answer me.
8There is no one like you among the gods, Lord, nor any deeds like your deeds.
9All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord. They shall glorify your name.
10For you are great, and do wondrous things. You are God alone.
11Teach me your way, Yahweh. I will walk in your truth. Make my heart undivided to fear your name.
12I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart. I will glorify your name forevermore.
13For your loving kindness is great toward me. You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.
14God, the proud have risen up against me. A company of violent men have sought after my soul, and they don't hold regard for you before them.
15But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.
16Turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give your strength to your servant. Save the son of your handmaid.
17Show me a sign of your goodness, that those who hate me may see it, and be shamed, because you, Yahweh, have helped me, and comforted me. A Psalm by the sons of Korah; a Song.
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Afflictions and Adversities: Prayer In Psalm 86:1–17
A prayer of David. Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. / Preserve my soul, for I am godly. You are my God; save Your servant who trusts in You. / Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I call to You all day long.
Church: Prophecies Concerning Prosperity of Psalm 86:9
All the nations You have made will come and bow before You, O Lord, and they will glorify Your name.
Comfort Psalm 86:17
Show me a sign of Your goodness, that my enemies may see and be ashamed; for You, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
Compassion Psalm 86:15
But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.
Compassion to Others Psalm 86:15
But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.
David: King of Israel: He Probably Writes, at This Time Psalm 86:1
A prayer of David. Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
Decision: David Psalm 86:11
Teach me Your way, O LORD, that I may walk in Your truth. Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.
Desire: Spiritual Psalm 86:11, 12, 16
Teach me Your way, O LORD, that I may walk in Your truth. Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name. / I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever. / Turn to me and have mercy; grant Your strength to Your servant; save the son of Your maidservant.
Devotedness to God: Grounded Upon: Our Creation Psalm 86:9
All the nations You have made will come and bow before You, O Lord, and they will glorify Your name.
Earnest: A Pledge or Token Psalm 86:17
Show me a sign of Your goodness, that my enemies may see and be ashamed; for You, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
Faith: Exemplified Psalm 86:2, 7
Preserve my soul, for I am godly. You are my God; save Your servant who trusts in You. / In the day of my distress I call on You, because You answer me.
Fear of God: Reverence Psalm 86:11
Teach me Your way, O LORD, that I may walk in Your truth. Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.
Gentiles: Prophecies of the Conversion of Psalm 86:9
All the nations You have made will come and bow before You, O Lord, and they will glorify Your name.
Glorifying God: Saints should Persevere In Psalm 86:12
I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever.
Glorifying God: Saints: Persevere In Psalm 86:12
I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever.
Glorifying God: Shall be Universal Psalm 86:9
All the nations You have made will come and bow before You, O Lord, and they will glorify Your name.
God is Declared to Be: Great Psalm 86:10
For You are great and perform wonders; You alone are God.
God is Declared to Be: Merciful Psalm 86:5
For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving, rich in loving devotion to all who call on You.
God is Love Psalm 86:15
But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.
God: Creator of Man Psalm 86:9
All the nations You have made will come and bow before You, O Lord, and they will glorify Your name.
God: Goodness of Psalm 86:5
For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving, rich in loving devotion to all who call on You.
God: Longsuffering of Psalm 86:15
But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.
God: Mercy of Psalm 86:5, 13, 15
For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving, rich in loving devotion to all who call on You. / For great is Your loving devotion to me; You have delivered me from the depths of Sheol. / But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.
God: Personality of Psalm 86:10
For You are great and perform wonders; You alone are God.
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Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
Pastoral and devotional reflections focused on spiritual formation and application.
Psalms 86:1-7 Verses 1-7
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.
Psalms 86:8-17 Verses 8-17
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.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
Historical, contextual, and verse-level study notes for deeper biblical exploration.
Psalms 86:1-2 This is a prayer in which the writer, with deep emotion,
poor and needy--a suffering child of God, as in Ps 10:12, 17; 18:27. I am holy--or, "godly," as in Ps 4:3; 85:8.
Psalms 86:1-17 This is a prayer in which the writer, with deep emotion,
mingles petitions and praises, now urgent for help, and now elated with hope, in view of former mercies. The occurrence of many terms and phrases peculiar to David's Psalms clearly intimates its authorship.
Psalms 86:4 This is a prayer in which the writer, with deep emotion,
lift up my soul--with strong desire (Ps 25:1). 5-7. unto all ... that call upon thee--or, "worship Thee" (Ps 50:15; 91:15) however undeserving (Ex 34:6; Le 11:9-13).
Psalms 86:8 This is a prayer in which the writer, with deep emotion,
neither ... works--literally, "nothing like thy works," the "gods" have none at all.
Psalms 86:9-10 This is a prayer in which the writer, with deep emotion,
The pious Jews believed that God's common relation to all would be ultimately acknowledged by all men (Ps 45:12-16; 47:9).
Psalms 86:11 This is a prayer in which the writer, with deep emotion,
Teach--Show, point out. the way--of Providence. walk in thy truth--according to its declarations. unite my heart--fix all my affections (Ps 12:2; Jas 4:8). to fear thy name--(compare Ps 86:12) to honor Thy perfections.
Psalms 86:13-14 This is a prayer in which the writer, with deep emotion,
The reason: God had delivered him from death and the power of insolent, violent, and godless persecutors (Ps 54:3; Eze 8:12).
Psalms 86:15 This is a prayer in which the writer, with deep emotion,
Contrasts God with his enemies (compare Ps 86:5).
Psalms 86:16 This is a prayer in which the writer, with deep emotion,
son ... handmaid--homeborn servant (compare Lu 15:17).
Psalms 86:17 This is a prayer in which the writer, with deep emotion,
Show me--literally, "Make with me a token," by Thy providential care. Thus in and by his prosperity his enemies would be confounded. PSALM 87