Logos Bible Study

Psalm 86

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Psalm 8621

A prayer of David.

86:1Listen1 O Lord! Answer me!

For I am oppressed and needy.

86:2Protect me,2 for I am loyal!

O my God, deliver your servant, who trusts in you!

86:3Have mercy on me,3 O Lord,

for I cry out to you all day long!

86:4Make your servant4 glad,

for to you, O Lord, I pray!5

86:5Certainly6 O Lord, you are kind7 and forgiving,

and show great faithfulness to all who cry out to you.

86:6O Lord, hear my prayer!

Pay attention to my plea for mercy!

86:7In my time of trouble I cry out to you,

for you will answer me.

86:8None can compare to you among the gods, O Lord!

Your exploits are incomparable!8

86:9All the nations, whom you created,

will come and worship you,9 O Lord.

They will honor your name.

86:10For you are great and do amazing things.

You alone are God.

86:11O Lord, teach me how you want me to live!10

Then I will obey your commands.11

Make me wholeheartedly committed to you!12

86:12O Lord, my God, I will give you thanks with my whole heart!

I will honor your name continually!13

86:13For you will extend your great loyal love to me,14

and will deliver my life15 from the depths of Sheol.16

86:14O God, arrogant men attack me;17

a gang18 of ruthless men, who do not respect you, seek my life.19

86:15But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God.

You are patient20 and demonstrate great loyal love and faithfulness.21

86:16Turn toward me and have mercy on me!

Give your servant your strength!

Deliver your slave!22

86:17Show me evidence of your favor!23

Then those who hate me will see it and be ashamed,24

for you, O Lord, will help me and comfort me.25

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Footnotes

  1. 21 Psalm 86. The psalmist appeals to God’s mercy as he asks for deliverance from his enemies.
  2. 1 Heb “turn your ear.”
  3. 2 Heb “my life.”
  4. 3 Or “show me favor.”
  5. 4 Heb “the soul of your servant.”
  6. 5 Heb “I lift up my soul.”
  7. 6 Or “for.”
  8. 7 Heb “good.”
  9. 8 Heb “and there are none like your acts.”
  10. 9 Or “bow down before you.”
  11. 10 Heb “teach me your way.” The Lord’s “way” refers here to the moral principles he expects the psalmist to follow. See Pss 25:4; 27:11.
  12. 11 Heb “I will walk in your truth.” The Lord’s commandments are referred to as “truth” here because they are a trustworthy and accurate expression of the divine will. See Ps 25:5.
  13. 12 Heb “Bind my heart to the fearing of your name.” The verb translated “bind” occurs only here in the Piel stem. It appears twice in the Qal, meaning “be joined” in both cases (Gen 49:6; Isa 14:20). To “fear” God’s name means to have a healthy respect for him which in turn motivates one to obey his commands (see Pss 61:5; 102:15).
  14. 13 Or “forever.”
  15. 14 Heb “for your loyal love [is] great over me.”
  16. 15 Or “for he will have delivered my life.” The verb form indicates a future perfect here.
  17. 16 Or “lower Sheol.”
  18. 17 Heb “rise up against me.”
  19. 18 Or “assembly.”
  20. 19 Heb “seek my life and do not set you before them.” See Ps 54:3.
  21. 20 Heb “slow to anger.”
  22. 21 Heb “and great of loyal love and faithfulness.” The psalmist’s confession of faith in this verse echoes Exod 34:6.
  23. 22 Heb “the son of your female servant.” The phrase “son of a female servant” (see also Ps 116:16) is used of a son born to a secondary wife or concubine (Exod 23:12). In some cases the child’s father is the master of the house (see Gen 21:10, 13; Judg 9:18). The use of the expression here certainly does not imply that the Lord has such a secondary wife or concubine! It is used metaphorically and idiomatically to emphasize the psalmist’s humility before the Lord and his status as the Lord’s servant.
  24. 23 Heb “Work with me a sign for good.” The expression “work a sign” also occurs in Judg 6:17.
  25. 24 After the imperative in the preceding line (“work”), the prefixed verb forms with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose or result.
  26. 25 The perfect verbal forms are understood here as dramatic/rhetorical, expressing the psalmist’s certitude that such a sign from the Lord will be followed by his intervention. Another option is to understand the forms as future perfects (“for you, O Lord, will have helped me and comforted me”).

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press