Sovereign Gratitude

Please turn in your Bible to Psalm 86. If you are using one of the new Pew Bibles (which are actually called Worship Bibles by this Crossway Publishing Company) you will fin the text on page 584. By the way, the question was asked last week if people are still allowed to use their own Bible. The answer is yes, of you are. As a matter of fact that is probably the preference, especially if you are one who likes to mark in their Bible.

Let me give you a couple of reasons why I like for the Pew or Worship Bibles to match the translation that I am preaching from. First, if you are anything like me, you get caught up in the slight differences of the text while listening to the preacher. And then before you know you have missed something important that he had to say. Second, in my first church out in Stockholm, Maine, we had a visitor at the church who did not carry her own Bible (If I recall correctly, she had grown up in the area, and was back visiting on vacation). Anyway, she commented to me after the service about how it was hard for her to follow along in the NIV Pew Bible we had there, while I was preaching from the ESV. In that church we had neither a computer nor a projector, so there was not the option to put the verses on the screen for folks.

As I mentioned last week, my intention is to have people look at the main passage from the Bible which is in their hands. And then, if I refer to passages elsewhere, I will put those on the screen.

Enough about Bible translations and such, let’s look at our text. Since by now I have probably given you enough time to find our passage, let’s go ahead and read it.

Psalm 86 ESV

A Prayer of David. Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

For the past three weeks we have been looking at various psalms which fall into the genre of being called a thanksgiving psalm. As I started digging into the text for this week, I started scratching my head as to why I chose this psalm for this series. While there is a note of thanks contained within this psalm, it clearly falls into the genre of being a psalm of lamentation. Though I do not see this as a thanksgiving psalm, I do believe that it is the text that the Lord wanted me to preach on this morning.

We do not know much about the background of this psalm. All we know is that it is a Prayer of David. We don’t know when this was written. Was it while David was still a shepherd boy? Was it after he had been anointed by Samuel as the next king of Israel, and while he was being chased by Saul? Was it after he became king? We simply do not have enough information to determine the when. But David does tell us about the why — oddly enough, he wait until the last strophe of the psalm to give us his reason for imploring God to listen to his prayer. Look at verse 14.

Psalm 86:14 “O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them.”

David’s life was being threatened by a men whom he described as being insolent and ruthless. And David, with great urgency, is asking for God to listen to his prayer. Though David’s life was at peril, still he expressed great confidence in God. As we look at this psalm, we will still try to focus on the concept of thankfulness, since that is the series that we are in. We will see how David was grateful for God’s sovereignty, character, commitment, uniqueness, instruction, and protection.

As we journey through this psalm we will not go verse by verse as much theme by theme. Let’s begin by looking at how David was

Grateful for God’s Sovereignty

One of the interesting features of this psalm is the way in which David uses various names for God. Look at verse 1 for a moment. Psalm 86:1 “Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.” You will notice that the term LORD is in all capital letters. This signifies, in most English translations, that this is a reference to the covenant name of God, which is Yahweh. Recently I have been reading a set of novels which seems to have been written from the standpoint of a 20th/21st century Jewish family. In the early pages of the first book in this series the was the use of a word that I was not familiar with. Hashem. And so, I did some investigating about that term and it simply means “The Name.” Somewhere along the line, in Jewish tradition, the stopped using the covenant name of God, and simply used the word “Hashem” or the name instead. This was due to the third commandment which states that we should not use the name of Yahweh in vain. However, this is an extrabiblical tradition, since the term is used, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit nearly 7,000 times in the Old Testament.

But what does the term mean?

The name YAHWEH (YHWH) is connected to the Hebrew words “I am”, and is understood to mean “I am who I am” or “I will be what I will be”.

Note that

The Name Yahweh Reveals God as Eternal, Absolute, Unchangeable, Always Active, Always Present, and Answerable to no one

The name Yahweh reveals God’s nature in the highest sense, emphasizing his absolute faithfulness and encompassing attributes such as being merciful, gracious, patient, loving, truthful, forgiving, just, and righteous.

Significantly, the name Yahweh is polemical, indicating that God is unique and the only true God. While he reveals himself, he remains ultimately mysterious and beyond human comprehension, yet desires to be with his people. Due to the name’s profound significance, there were strict rules about its use, and Israelites often used an abbreviated form “Yah” in worship, such as in the expression “Hallelujah” (Praise Yah).

This term for God is used five times in this psalm — verses 1, 6, 11, and 17. Each of these uses is combined with a prayer request from David: incline your ear, give ear, teach me, and show me.

The next term for God, Adonai, is used seven times in this psalm. It is found in verses 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12, and 15. Look at Psalm 86:3 “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day.” Notice that the English term Lord, in this case, is not in all capital letters. That indicates that the Hebrew term is Adonai. The term refers to one who is a ruler, master, or sovereign. It can be used of man — when it is used for man the “L” is not capitalized in the English Bible. This term is used for God approximately 360 times in the Old Testament.

Note that,

The Name Adonai Points to God being the Owner and Ruler of the Universe

Adonai points to the Ruler of the universe to whom all creation is dependent and subject, indicating that God is the owner who claims unrestricted obedience and guides his people. Importantly, this lordship is not about compulsion, but about a loving relationship where submission flows from love, with the understanding that love begets love.

Interestingly, the name also suggests the concept of the Trinity, as seen in passages like Psalm 110:1, which hints at a second person alongside Yahweh, ultimately referring to the Great Three-in-One: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

It is interesting to note that seven of the fifty times this term is used in the psalms is in this psalm. That is why the emphasis is on God’ sovereignty since He is David’s Sovereign. God is not only sovereign in all things, He is also the Sovereign to whom all the world owes allegiance and obedience.

The third term used for God in our text is the Hebrew term “Elohim,” which is usually translated as “God.” Look at Psalm 86:2 “Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.” Here, the psalmist is stating that Yahweh (verse1) is his God.

The name originates from two Hebrew root words: one meaning “being strong and mighty” and another meaning “to be smitten with fear”, which together suggest “the Strong and Mighty One who is the object of fear”. The plural form signifies a “plurality of majesty or greatness”, as the singular form was not adequate to express the fullness of God. While it can be used for both the true God and false gods, it is predominantly used to refer to the true God. The name emphasizes God’s power, His role as Creator and God of Nature, and His divine character.

Note that

The name Elohim Depicts God as All-Powerful, Capable of Creating the Universe through His Mighty Word, Bringing Existence out of Nothing, and Demonstrating Absolute Strength Through His Acts of Creation and Covenant-Keeping

We’ve spent quite a bit of time on God’s sovereignty as seen in His name. Let’s turn not to how David was

Grateful for God’s Character

Throughout this psalm I find at least five things which describe the character of God; some of these things are mentioned multiple times throughout this prayer.

First, we learn that

God is Gracious

Look at Psalm 86:3 “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day.”

David’s prayer request is for God to be gracious to him. In order for God to show David graciousness, He must then be gracious. “Gracious” is a multifaceted word describing kindness, courtesy, and benevolence. It means being courteous, kind, and pleasant, characterized by friendliness and a disposition to forgive and show mercy. Aren’t you glad that God is gracious? And because God is gracious, we who are His image bearers should be gracious also — especially those who are redeemed image bearers!

Next, we see that

God is Good

When we say God is good, it means He always acts in accordance with what is right, true, and good. Goodness is an intrinsic part of God’s nature, and He is the ultimate standard of all that is good. This encompasses multiple dimensions: God meets absolute standards of excellence, is morally perfect, and fundamentally maintains a benevolent attitude toward His creation. He is kind, friendly, and genuinely desires to bless and care for His creatures with a generous spirit. His intentions and motivations are always good, He always does what is right, and the outcome of His plan is always positive. His goodness extends to everything He does. Importantly, this goodness is not limited to humans but extends to all of creation - He provides for and cares for all living things, from birds and flowers to the entire world.

The Bible is clear in its declaration that no one but God is good — none are righteous — no one does good (Romans 3:9, 12). Jesus was once called “Good Teacher” to which He responded, “why do you call Me Good, no one is good but God alone.” Of course, since Jesus is God incarnate, He truly is good, but this rich young ruler who called Him that did not really understand what he was saying.

Not only is God gracious and good,

God is Forgiving

Look at verse 5, which refers both to His goodness and His forgiving nature. Psalm 86:5 “For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.”

God’s forgiveness is a profound and multifaceted aspect of His divine nature. He is fundamentally a forgiving God, known for His readiness and completeness in forgiveness. His forgiveness stems from His compassion, grace, patience, and faithful love, and is motivated by both His covenant promises and concern for His reputation.

Because God has forgiven believers for much, we should be willing to forgive others as well. As a matter of fact, a lack of forgiveness on our part hampers our fellowship with God. Jesus said, Matthew 6:14–15 “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Next, we see that

God is Merciful

God’s mercy is a profound expression of His love, fundamentally meaning that when we deserve punishment, He withholds just condemnation.

Finally, we see that

God is Slow to Anger

Verse 15 refers to both God’s mercifulness and His being slow to anger. Psalm 86:15 “But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”

This bring us to consider how David was

Grateful for God’s Covenantal Commitment

Note that,

God Show Covenantal Love to His Covenantal People

Look again at verse 5. Psalm 86:5 “For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.”

The idea of steadfast love is related to God keeping His covenant with His people. Steadfast love, derived from the Hebrew word hesed, is a profound and multifaceted concept that describes God’s unconditional, loyal, and enduring love. It is a Hebrew term translated variously as “mercy,” “lovingkindness,” “goodness,” or “love,” with the word “steadfast” emphasizing that this is not a fleeting or momentary affection. This love is characterized by God’s pleasure in doing the best for another without requiring reciprocation, and it is freely given regardless of the recipient’s response or qualities. Primarily expressed in the context of God’s covenant with his people, steadfast love represents an unchanging commitment that combines both emotional compassion and intentional loyalty. It is a love that promises never to be broken, pursuing individuals relentlessly and ensuring that nothing can separate them from God’s love. This love is demonstrated through God’s kindness in preserving human life and offering redemption, and is described as abundant and extensive. Remarkably, God not only practices steadfast love but delights in it, making it a distinctive and core characteristic of His nature.

Look at verse 13. Psalm 86:13 “For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.”