Psalm 86–87

Psalm 86

A prayer by David. 

¹Turn your ear ⸤toward me⸥, O Lord. 

Answer me, because I am oppressed and needy. 

²Protect me, because I am faithful ⸤to you⸥. 

Save your servant who trusts you. You are my God. 

³Have pity on me, O Lord, 

because I call out to you all day long. 

⁴Give me joy, O Lord, 

because I lift my soul to you. 

⁵You, O Lord, are good and forgiving, 

full of mercy toward everyone who calls out to you. 

⁶Open your ears to my prayer, O Lord. 

Pay attention when I plead for mercy. 

⁷When I am in trouble, I call out to you 

because you answer me. 

⁸No god is like you, O Lord. 

No one can do what you do. 

⁹All the nations that you have made 

will bow in your presence, O Lord. 

They will honor you. 

¹⁰Indeed, you are great, a worker of miracles. 

You alone are God. 

¹¹Teach me your way, O Lord, 

so that I may live in your truth. 

Focus my heart on fearing you. 

¹²I will give thanks to you with all my heart, O Lord my God. 

I will honor you forever 

¹³because your mercy toward me is great. 

You have rescued me from the depths of hell. 

¹⁴O God, arrogant people attack me, 

and a mob of ruthless people seeks my life. 

They think nothing of you. 

¹⁵But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God. 

You are patient, always faithful and ready to forgive. 

¹⁶Turn toward me, and have pity on me. 

Give me your strength because I am your servant. 

Save me because I am the son of your female servant. 

¹⁷Grant me some proof of your goodness 

so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame. 

You, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me. 

Psalm 87

By Korah’s descendants; a psalm; a song. 

¹⸤The city⸥ the Lord has founded ⸤stands⸥ on holy mountains. 

²The Lord loves the city of Zion 

more than any other place in Jacob. 

³Glorious things are said about you, O city of God! 

Selah 

⁴⸤The Lord says,⸥ “I will add Egypt and Babylon 

as well as Philistia, Tyre, and Sudan 

to the list of those who acknowledge me. 

Each nation ⸤will claim that it⸥ was born there.” 

⁵But it will be said of Zion, 

“Every race is born in it. 

The Most High will make it secure.” 

⁶The Lord will record this in the Book of Nations: 

“Every race ⸤claims that it⸥ was born there.” 

Selah 

⁷Singers and dancers will sing, 

“Zion is the source of all our blessings.”