******Psalms 86

psalms 86:1-17

1. Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me; For I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my [a]life, for I am holy; You are my God; Save Your servant who trusts in You! 3 Be merciful to me, O Lord, For I cry to You all day long. 4 [b]Rejoice the soul of Your servant, For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. 5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.

6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; And attend to the voice of my supplications. 7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me.

8 Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord; Nor are there any works like Your works. 9 All nations whom You have made Shall come and worship before You, O Lord, And shall glorify Your name. 10 For You are great, and do wondrous things; You alone are God.

11 Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; [c]Unite my heart to fear Your name. 12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore. 13 For great is Your mercy toward me, And You have delivered my soul from the depths of [d]Sheol.

14 O God, the proud have risen against me, And a mob of violent men have sought my life, And have not set You before them. 15 But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Long-suffering and abundant in mercy and truth.

16 Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to Your servant, And save the son of Your maidservant. 17 Show me a sign for good, That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, Because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

(86:1–17) Introduction: some situations in life are so threatening that we cannot get them off our minds. Our days are unproductive because of the stress and anxiety they create. We cannot sleep at night because when we close our eyes our troubles are still before us. All we can do is continually cry out for God’s help.

David wrote Psalm 86 when he found himself in such a situation—this is the only psalm in the third book of Psalms authored by him. We do not know the specific occasion that held David in such deep distress. It may have been Saul’s pursuit, Absalom’s rebellion, or some other less prominent conflict with enemies. Whatever the situation, his desperation was so great and his need so urgent that he constantly cried out to God.

Health crises, family crises, financial crises, fierce persecution, and a host of other troubles can plunge us so deep into despair that we can do nothing but pray. And pray we should, for in such times nothing else can truly help. In this psalm, David teaches us how to pray when facing critical situations. This is, When Desperation Drives You to Continually Cry Out for God’s Help, 86:1–17.

1. Turn your attention to me, O LORD; hear my prayer: Because I am in desperate need (v. 1).

2. Protect my life, save my soul (v. 2).

3. Be merciful, O LORD: Because I call out to you all day long (v. 3).

4. Give joy to my soul, O LORD (vv. 4–5).

5. Hear my prayer, my urgent cry, O LORD (vv. 6–10).

6. Teach me your way, O LORD, and give me a pure heart (vv. 11–15).

7. Turn to me and have mercy, O LORD (v. 16).

8. Show me a sign of your favor (v. 17).

1 (86:1) Turn your attention to me, O LORD; hear my prayer: Because I am in desperate need.

In desperate need of God’s help, David cried out to the LORD. He asked God to bow down His ear, to turn His attention to him and hear (ana) his prayer. By referring to himself as poor (ani), David was saying that he was sorely distressed. Needy (ebyon) means that he was helpless and in need of God’s assistance. He could do nothing to change his circumstances.

Thought 1. When we are brought low by trouble, we can call on God. As we pass through life, we will face many situations that are out of our control. But even when we can do nothing to change our circumstances, we are not helpless. God is our helper, and He has promised to hear us when we cry out to Him.

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Ph. 4:6).

“Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms” (Js. 5:13).

“I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech” (Ps. 17:6).

“But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God” (Ps. 40:17).

“For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper” (Ps. 72:12).

2 (86:2) Protect my life, save my soul.

David was under attack from ruthless enemies who sought his life (v. 14). Unable to ensure his own safety, he asked God to preserve or guard his soul or life and to save him from his enemies.

a. Because I am devoted to you (v. 2a).

David appealed to God for protection on the basis of his devotion to God. He humbly stated that he was holy (chasid) and that the LORD was his God. When used as a noun, chasid is usually translated as saint. It speaks of those who have a covenant relationship with the LORD and who “reflect the character of God in their actions or personality.”1 Because David lived righteously and was faithful to God, he could boldly ask God to be faithful to him.

b. Because I am your servant and I trust in you (v. 2b).

David also appealed to God for protection because he was God’s servant. Like the bondservant, who chooses to stay with his master out of love, David willingly served God because he loved Him (Ex. 21:5–6). And, he trusted God for protection and for the provision of his needs in return. This was the servant-master relationship: the servant dedicated his life to his master, and the master was responsible for taking care of the servant.

Thought 1. When we are faithful to the LORD, we can expect Him to be faithful to us. Because we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ, we are God’s sons and daughters (Ga. 3:26). We should also be His servants, ones who freely and willingly dedicate our lives to Him. We are to present ourselves as living sacrifices to God. When we consider His mercies toward us, we are to give ourselves fully to Him. This is our reasonable service (Ro. 12:1).

Even when we are unfaithful, God is still faithful (2 Ti. 2:13). Yet serving God faithfully fills us with boldness to approach Him for our needs, and it gives us the confidence that He will faithfully take care of us.

“Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed” (2 Co. 4:9).

3 (86:3) Be merciful, O LORD: Because I call out to you all day long.

David pleaded with God to be merciful to Him. Be merciful (chanan) means to “bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior.”2 It is to be gracious toward or show pity to a person in need. David’s need for God’s help was so great that he cried out to God throughout the day, all day long.

Thought 1. Anything we receive from God is a result of His mercy toward us. We always need to remember that we deserve nothing from Him but judgment. Every gift we receive from God is due to His graciousness: it is His nature to help us and to do good for us. We are the blessed benefactors of a good, loving, and merciful God.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us” (Ep. 2:4).

“It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” (Lam. 3:22–23).

4 (86:4–5) Give joy to my soul, O LORD.

David desired more than to be rescued from his enemies: he longed for the joy of the LORD to fill his soul again. Because his troubling circumstances had robbed him of his joy, he needed a special touch from God. In lifting up his soul to Him, David asked God to lift him out of the depths of despair and to fill his heart with joy. To lift up your soul to God is turn to Him with all that you are (Ps. 25:1).

a. Because I am your servant: I give myself to serve you (v. 4).

Once more, David emphasized the fact that he was God’s servant. Having given himself fully to God, he asked the Lord to meet his desperate need for encouragement, comfort, and hope.

b. Because you are good, ready to forgive, and merciful to all who call on you (v. 5).

In calling out for God’s help, David claimed what he knew to be true about God, about His character and nature. Notice that David addressed God as Lord (Adonai), which means master. David appealed to God on the basis of his servant relationship to Him.

First, David praised the Lord for being good. Life’s severe trials do not change who God is and what He is like. On the darkest days of our lives, God is still good (1 Chr. 16:34; Ps. 145:9). Even though David was sorely distressed by his trouble, he did not lose sight of God’s goodness.

Second, David praised God because He is always ready to forgive. Even though God is perfectly holy and righteous, He does not stand by waiting for the opportunity to judge us. Rather, as David noted, He stands ready to forgive us. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are still sinners, and yet God has no record of our sins. He has carried our sins away, casting them in the depths of the sea forever (Mi. 7:19; Je. 31:34; Ps. 103:12). On our very worst days, we can rejoice because we have been forgiven.

Third, David praised the Lord because He is merciful. Mercy (chesed) is God’s steadfast, covenant love (see outline and notes—Ps. 5:7 for more discussion). When we call on Him, He responds according to His unfailing love for us. Plenteous speaks of the depth and magnitude of God’s mercy and love toward us as well as all that He does for us because of His great love. God’s mercy is abundant—far beyond what we could ever need.

Thought 1. David realized that he could have joy in the midst of his intense trouble. Notice what he did:

⮚ He asked God to give him joy.

⮚ He took his eyes off of his trouble and focused instead on God’s goodness, forgiveness, and mercy.

Even when we are depressed, discouraged, or in a state of desperation, God is still God. He is still good, forgiving, and merciful. He never changes. When our trouble has brought us low, we can still have the joy of the Lord in our hearts. Meditating on God—on who He is and all that He does for us—will bring gladness to our souls in our darkest hours.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy” (Jn. 16:20).

5 (86:6–10) Hear my prayer, my urgent cry, O LORD.

David again asked God to listen closely to his prayer and to attend (qashab) to his supplications. In other words, he wanted God to give his requests full attention and then to do or fulfill his requests. Supplications (tachanun) are earnest pleas for favor from one who is helpless. David was pleading for God to bend down and show him mercy. By using this word, David conveyed the urgency of his cry.

a. Because I am in trouble and you promise to hear me (v. 7).

David’s petition was so urgent because his crisis was so severe. He had learned to call on God when he was in trouble, for God had promised to hear and answer his prayers. His experiences had proved God to be true to His Word, strengthening his confidence in the LORD. Therefore, he could boldly say, “You will answer me.”

b. Because you are the only living and true God: No one can do what you do (v. 8).

In his time of urgent need, David turned to the Lord because of his deep conviction that He is the only living and true God. He held God up against the gods of the heathen nations and declared that there was no comparison: not one of them was like his Lord—the Master he freely served. Not one of the pagan idols could do the works that God did. He alone is alive and real. He alone is God.

c. Because one day in the future every person and every nation will submit to you and worship you, Ph. 2:9–11 (vv. 9–10).

David prophesied that all nations will one day turn from their idols and acknowledge his Lord and Master as God (v. 10). They too will submit to His Lordship and worship Him. They will bow the knee at the name of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and they will glorify Him (Ph. 2:9–11). On that day, all of creation will join with God’s people in declaring that God is great and that He performs miraculous, wonderful deeds. All will confess that He alone is God (v. 10).

Thought 1. We can carry our most urgent petitions to God with full confidence that He is alive and that He is the one true God. We do not pray to an object but to a living Spirit—the force of creation, the source and sustainer of all life (Jn. 4:24; Ac. 17:28). As believers, we can call on God with unwavering assurance that He hears us and will answer us (1 Jn. 5:14–15). Furthermore, we can pray with absolute certainty that He is able to solve our greatest problems, meet our deepest needs, and deliver us from our fiercest enemies. He is God. He is omnipotent. Nothing is too hard for Him. No one can do what He can do!

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Mt. 7:7).

6 (86:11–16) Teach me your way, O LORD, and give me a pure heart.

David paused his fervent prayer for deliverance to make an unusual request of the LORD. He asked God to teach him His way and to give him a pure heart. In spite of his urgent need, David was concerned with pleasing God and living to glorify Him.

a. That I may walk according to your truth and genuinely honor your name (v. 11).

As God’s willing servant, David desired to obey and please the LORD in all things. He asked God to teach him His way so that he could walk according to God’s truth. David believed that “faith without works is dead” (Js. 2:26). He longed to have a living faith, a faith demonstrated by obedience to God’s Word (Js. 1:22–25). He sincerely asked God to “unite his heart to fear thy name.” Simply stated, he petitioned God for an undivided heart, one that was not torn between obeying God’s Word and fulfilling his own desires. He longed to fear God wholeheartedly—to obey and submit to Him—that he might genuinely honor God’s holy name.

b. That I may praise and glorify your name forever (vv. 12–14).

David yearned not only to obey God wholeheartedly but also to praise God will all his heart (v. 12). He promised God to praise and glorify His name forever. He felt this was the least he could do in return for all that God had done for him. He was the recipient of God’s great mercy and unfailing love (v. 13a). God had preserved his life, delivering him from the lowest hell (death) on many occasions (v. 13b). Hell or the grave (sheol) refers to the world of the dead. Indeed, God had delivered him time and again from his enemies. At present, David was being attacked yet again by prideful and violent men who had rejected God and were now seeking his soul or life. The words risen against me suggest that he was facing a revolt from within his own nation.

c. That I may declare your nature (v. 15).

David responded to his enemies’ threat by resting in God’s nature. He declared that the Lord is compassionate and gracious. He is slow to anger, patient and longsuffering. Likewise, His mercy and truth are abundant.

Thought 1. Throughout life, even in the midst of serious crises, we should live for God’s glory. Like David, we ought to ask God repeatedly to teach us His way—the way of righteousness, holiness, and godliness. We ought to pray for God to deliver us from the desires of our sinful nature, asking Him to create in us a heart that is wholly devoted to Him. These requests should not be made in an effort to seek God’s favor or help but, rather, in gratitude for His abundant mercy and faithful love.

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (Js. 1:19).

7 (86:16) Turn to me and have mercy, O LORD.

David ended his prayer with one last appeal for God’s help. He asked God to turn toward him and to have mercy on him (v. 3). Turn (panah) is the root of the Hebrew word for face. Literally, David petitioned God to “turn His face toward [him] in grace.”3

a. Because I am your servant and need your strength (v. 16a).

Again declaring himself to be God’s servant, David prayed that God would give him His very own strength. He did not intend to stand by idly while his enemies fiercely threatened him; instead, he was determined to rise up and defend himself. His foes were powerful and intimidating, and David knew he could not defeat them in his own strength. In light of that, he asked God to endue him with His mighty power.

b. Because I am your maidservant’s son and need to be saved (v. 16b).

David reminded God that his mother was also His servant. This may have been an expression of humility, or David may have been asking the Lord to save him for his godly mother’s sake. Some scholars see a prophetic reference to Jesus, whose mother described herself as “the handmaid of the Lord” (Lu. 1:38).

Thought 1. Because Jesus Christ is our Great High Priest, we have a standing invitation to come boldly to God for grace and mercy (He. 4:14–16). We need God’s favor, and we need God’s help. In addition, we desperately need God’s strength to fight against our enemy—Satan and his evil forces (1 Pe. 5:8–9). If we battle the enemy in our own strength, we will surely suffer defeat. But when we stand in the power of God’s might, we will be victorious (Ep. 6:10–12). We must never hesitate nor neglect to call on God for help and strength.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” (Ep. 6:10).

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Ph. 4:13).

8 (86:17) Show me a sign of your favor.

David asked God to show him a token or sign that His favor was on him. Most likely, David was referring to God’s delivering him from his enemies. He was not asking God to give him a sign that he would deliver him, but for God’s deliverance to be the sign that proved His favor toward David.

a. Because my enemies need to see evidence of your existence and goodness and be shamed (v. 17a).

God’s deliverance of David would serve as a sign to his enemies that God exists and that He is truly God. When they saw God’s goodness bestowed on His servant, they would be ashamed or disgraced.

b. Because you have helped and comforted me (v. 17b).

When God delivered David, his enemies would see that the LORD had helped and comforted him. Notice that David did not address God here as Lord (Adonai) but as LORD (Yahweh, Jehovah), God’s covenant name. In the end, David wanted everyone to know that God is faithful to His people. His deliverance would serve as a strong witness that God can be trusted and that He will, without fail, stand by those who belong to Him.

Thought 1. Like David, we can expect God’s favor when we serve Him faithfully and call on His name. The Lord loves us so much that He gave His only Son for us. He will not withhold His help and strength in our time of need (Ro. 8:32). He promises to comfort us in all of our trials (2 Co. 1:3–4). When we are in a desperate situation, we need to cry out for God’s help continually, fully expecting God to show Himself strong on our behalf. And when we faithfully serve and obey Him, we can be sure that God will not ignore us in our time of need.

“So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (He. 13:6).