1 {A Prayer of David.} Incline thine ear, Jehovah, answer me; for I am afflicted and needy.
2 Keep my soul, for I am godly; O thou my God, save thy servant who confideth in thee.
3 Be gracious unto me, O Lord; for unto thee do I call all the day.
4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant; for unto thee, Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, and art of great loving-kindness unto all that call upon thee.
6 Give ear, O Jehovah, unto my prayer, and attend to the voice of my supplications.
7 In the day of my distress I will call upon thee, for thou wilt answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, Lord, and there is nothing 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, thou alone.
11 Teach me thy way, Jehovah; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with my whole heart; and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
13 For great is thy loving-kindness toward me, and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.
14 O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assembly of the violent seek after my soul, and they have not set thee before them.
15 But thou, Lord, art a ùGod merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in goodness and truth.
16 Turn toward me, and be gracious unto 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; for thou, Jehovah, hast helped me and comforted me.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 86
Commentary on Psalms 86 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 86
Ps 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.
1, 2. 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.
4. 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).
8. neither … works—literally, "nothing like thy works," the "gods" have none at all.
9, 10. The pious Jews believed that God's common relation to all would be ultimately acknowledged by all men (Ps 45:12-16; 47:9).
11. 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.
13, 14. The reason: God had delivered him from death and the power of insolent, violent, and godless persecutors (Ps 54:3; Eze 8:12).
15. Contrasts God with his enemies (compare Ps 86:5).
16. son … handmaid—homeborn servant (compare Lu 15:17).
17. Show me—literally, "Make with me a token," by Thy providential care. Thus in and by his prosperity his enemies would be confounded.