1 <A Prayer. Of David.> Let your ears be open to my voice, O Lord, and give me an answer; for I am poor and in need.
Though I am poor and in need, the Lord has me in mind; you are my help and my saviour; let there be no waiting, O my God.
Let your ear be turned to me; take me quickly out of danger; be my strong Rock, my place of strength where I may be safe.
Give ear, my dear brothers; are not those who are poor in the things of this world marked out by God to have faith as their wealth, and for their heritage the kingdom which he has said he will give to those who have love for him?
But let the brother of low position be glad that he is lifted up; But the man of wealth, that he is made low; because like the flower of the grass he will come to his end.
The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because I am marked out by him to give good news to the poor; he has sent me to make well those who are broken-hearted; to say that the prisoners will be let go, and the blind will see, and to make the wounded free from their chains,
Happy are the poor in spirit: for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
O my God, let your ear be turned and give hearing; let your eyes be open and see how we have been made waste and the town which is named by your name: for we are not offering our prayers before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercies.
You have seen it; for your eyes are on sorrow and grief, to take it into your hand: the poor man puts his faith in you; you have been the helper of the child who has no father.
<Maschil. Of David. A prayer when he was in the hole of the rock.> The sound of my cry went up to the Lord; with my voice I made my prayer for grace to the Lord.
Take away from me shame and bitter words; for I have kept your unchanging word in my heart.
When he has given ear to the prayer of the poor, and has not put his request on one side.
For he will be a saviour to the poor in answer to his cry; and to him who is in need, without a helper. He will have pity on the poor, and be the saviour of those who are in need. He will keep their souls free from evil designs and violent attacks; and their blood will be of value in his eyes.
This poor man's cry came before the Lord, and he gave him salvation from all his troubles.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 86
Commentary on Psalms 86 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 86
This psalm is entitled "a prayer of David;' probably it was not penned upon any particular occasion, but was a prayer he often used himself, and recommended to others for their use, especially in a day of affliction. Many think that David penned this prayer as a type of Christ, "who in the days of his flesh offered up strong cries,' Heb. 5:7. David, in this prayer (according to the nature of that duty),
In singing this we must, as David did, lift up our souls to God with application.
A Prayer of David.
Psa 86:1-7
This psalm was published under the title of a prayer of David; not as if David sung all his prayers, but into some of his songs he inserted prayers; for a psalm will admit the expressions of any pious and devout affections. But it is observable how very plain the language of this psalm is, and how little there is in it of poetic flights or figures, in comparison with some other psalms; for the flourishes of wit are not the proper ornaments of prayer. Now here we may observe,
Psa 86:8-17
David is here going on in his prayer.