Psalm 86

12 notes and millions of melodies

It is amazing to think that with a limited amount of building blocks, one can create unlimited things. Take, for example, music. In music from the western tradition, we have twelve scale degrees from which the great majority of music is created. The same could be said for the alphabet. From 26 letters, we have countless words, sentences, and paragraphs from which countless accounts can be written. But when it comes to prayer, some may feel they don’t have much to say. Thank God that we have the book of Psalms. It contains over 150 examples of how to express ourselves to God. As we study this prayer and lament of David, consider how it can help you grow in faith and depth of prayer.

Laments in the Psalms

Studying Psalms reveals patterns. As we noted before, Hebrew poetry typically uses the comparison and contrast of short lines and ideas. These short lines form larger groups and patterns. When we consider the types of Psalms, scholars have differing lists of the types, but a general category or component is the lament. To lament is to express deep painful, sorrowful, or regretful emotions. Laments make up a significant part of the Psalms, approximately one-third. Many people find a common voice with the psalms because they express the basic human struggle that is true of all people, places, and times. But the major difference is the focus on hope and praise in the midst of deep painful expression. This is what makes the blues and biblical laments different. A biblical lament includes a redirection of thought to hope and reliance upon God. Consider how people deal with the heavy emotions and problems of life? While there are many options, the Bible encourages us to take our burdens to God in prayer. Let’s look at how David takes his problems to God in prayer and confidence. He does so by taking his situation before a Sovereign Savior.

The Situation

In the first seven verses, David begins His prayer within a troubling situation. We do not know the details, but we can sense the heaviness of the situation. The situation is that he is poor and needy. These terms are typically used to describe the misery that comes from some type of oppression. When we read about the life of David, we discover multiple moments of being hunted and chased down by people who sought to ruin him. You can read about one instance when his father-in-law, King Saul, sought and plotted to kill him. David also describes himself as godly. The term could also be translated as “faithful,” for it has the same root as the loyal, faithful love of God (chesed). His mention of faithfulness is to point out that God is the only one whom he can trust. God is David’s God, and David serves the One True God (YHWY).

Why go to God when you have problems? David gives us three reasons for us to consider. The first is because he is filled with tears and knows that God is able to hear his prayer. The second reason is that God is good and forgiving. The emphasis of this prayer is not for forgiveness but for help. Nevertheless, David recognizes that God is holy, and even the most honest of people do not deserve the mercy of God. He humbles himself and appeals to the grace of God toward sinners who humble themselves. God responds to the humble with His steadfast love. And thirdly, David knows that God will answer His prayer.

Does God hear our prayers? This is probably one of the biggest challenges to prayer. Sometimes our words seem like they only go into the air. If you are a believer in Christ, you can be assured that God hears your prayers. But we should also be assured that we humble our hearts and recognize that we, humans that may still wrestle with our sinful flesh, are addressing a Holy God. Psalm 66:18

Psalm 66:18 ESV

18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

At the same time, we can be assured that God is willing and ready to receive the repentant heart. Hebrews 4:16

Hebrews 4:16 ESV

16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

So David’s words asking God to hear his prayer should not be seen as an issue of doubt but as a combination of recognizing his need and the gracious power of God to answer. If you struggle with doubt that God hears your prayers, remember that God longs for our prayers that come from a humble, repentant, and dependent heart.

The Sovereign Savior

In verse 8, David moves from focusing on his situation to take time to worship God as the Sovereign Lord.

Divine sovereignty refers to God’s all-encompassing rule over the entire universe.

David expresses God’s sovereignty in the following ways:

God is uniquely God.

Shema Deuteronomy 6:4

Deuteronomy 6:4 ESV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

All people will ultimately one day recognize Him as God

As Christians, we understand this to include that Jesus is God. He is Lord. Philippians 2:9-11

Philippians 2:9–11 ESV

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

God is all-powerful

God has demonstrated this as Creator. Romans 1:19-20

Romans 1:19–20 ESV

19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

God has the right to direct our understanding of life and how to live it

Isaiah 55:6–9 ESV

6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Not all people acknowledge God as having all these attributes or holding such authority. But if you call God “my God”, then you should have no problem letting God be your God. God would seem extremely dangerous with all this power, but He is also faithful in his steadfast love. After recognizing all these things about God, David expresses his human experience and the potential danger of wandering from such a great and good God. He asks God to “unite my heart to fear your name.” The relationship He has with God is blessed, full of life, and sacred. He knows that apart a divided heart would lead him away from the true source of life. Truly God alone gives life. Without him, we are spiritually in the grave.

The Haters

The last section reflects the reality of life for some, especially those who choose to be faithful to following God. David had a list of people who sought to do him harm because he chose to follow God and received the blessings of obedience. God exalted David, who started out as the youngest of eight brothers. He was considered the least, but God chose to use this obedient and faith-filled boy for great things. As a result, he was at odds with those who were envious and hateful of the success and favor God had given. This included King Saul and other leaders. The common theme among these enemies was that they did not honor, fear, or seek God. In their hearts, they rejected God and set themselves against those who would seek to honor God.

Who do you consider to be your enemy, and why? What standards do you use to define “an enemy”? Clearly, there are people who mean harm to others based on reasons such as disagreements, hate, jealousy, racism, or for no clear reason. But today, unfortunately, our culture has increasingly defined “an enemy” as someone with whom you disagree on some issue. We need not consider everyone who disagrees with our Christian view as our personal enemies based on a difference of thought. In that situation, the Bible reminds us that those who disagree with God and the Bible are influenced by a greater enemy and spiritual influences rooted in the disposition of Satan. Ephesians 6:12

Ephesians 6:12 ESV

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Illustration of March for Life

God’s Gracious Turn

After describing how his enemies are godless and seek his destruction, David declared God's mercy, grace, delay of anger, and steadfast love. David’s words echo the Lord’s declaration in Exodus 34:6-9. The context is the rebellion of the people with the golden calf. Moses supposes that God may have abandoned the salvation project from Egypt to the Promised Land. Moses intercedes in prayer for the people acknowledging their sinful and stiff-necked disposition. He asks for mercy. In scripture, God consistently displays righteous anger toward sin and rejection of God. Just like Moses, David knew that he was sinful before a holy God. He asked God to turn toward him in grace. And later, because of Jesus Christ, Paul described the full picture of God’s grace when he explained the gospel in the book of Romans. Paul explained that all people, Jewish and Gentile, under the Law (Torah) or not, were sinners. And all sinners are enemies of God. But God, who is rich in mercy and grace, reached out to make the way for the sinful enemies of God to be made righteous. Romans 5:6-11

Romans 5:6–11 ESV

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Jesus Christ is the answer to Moses and David’s prayer for grace and favor.

Application

As we consider this lament psalm from David, we can use it as part of our prayer language and time with God. If we consider it as an outline, we can learn to incorporate the following concepts.

1. Time with God includes asking God to hear prayer. And when we ask this in prayer, we do so in confidence, knowing that because of Christ, we are commanded to boldly approach the throne of grace. Hebrews 4:16

Hebrews 4:16 ESV

16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

How do you call upon God? Do you struggle with the thought that God is not real? or that He doesn’t care? or that prayer is a useless waste of time?

2. Prayer time includes asking God for help with all issues of life (spiritual and physical). God is a specialist in all troubling issues and circumstances.

3. Prayer time includes recognizing God as “my God”. Acknowledge Him as the Only True God and Sovereign King over all situations.

4. Prayer time includes recognizing our need to be led by God and asking Him to show us His ways so that we may walk in them.

5. Prayer time includes recognizing distressful situations and asking God to deliver us from evil.

6. Prayer time includes a humble request for forgiveness

7. Payer includes leaving our requests with God because He will answer according to His timing and will. God will always be present to help and comfort us, even in the difficult times.