Psalm 86–87

PSALM 86

A Prayer of David.

¹Incline thy ear, O Lord, and answer me,

for I am poor and needy.

²Preserve my life, for I am godly;

save thy servant who trusts in thee.

Thou art my God; ³be gracious to me, O Lord,

for to thee do I cry all the day.

⁴Gladden the soul of thy servant,

for to thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

⁵For thou, O Lord, art good and forgiving,

abounding in steadfast love to all who call on thee.

⁶Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;

hearken to my cry of supplication.

⁷In the day of my trouble I call on thee,

for thou dost answer me.

⁸There is none like thee among the gods, O Lord,

nor are there any works like thine.

⁹All the nations thou hast made shall come

and bow down before thee, O Lord,

and shall glorify thy name.

¹⁰For thou art great and doest wondrous things,

thou alone art God.

¹¹Teach me thy way, O Lord,

that I may walk in thy truth;

unite my heart to fear thy name.

¹²I give thanks to thee, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,

and I will glorify thy name for ever.

¹³For great is thy steadfast love toward me;

thou hast delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

¹⁴O God, insolent men have risen up against me;

a band of ruthless men seek my life,

and they do not set thee before them.

¹⁵But thou, O Lord, art a God merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

¹⁶Turn to me and take pity on me;

give thy strength to thy servant,

and save the son of thy handmaid.

¹⁷Show me a sign of thy favor,

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

because thou, Lord, hast helped me and comforted me.

PSALM 87

A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. A Song.

¹On the holy mount stands the city he founded;

²the Lord loves the gates of Zion

more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.

³Glorious things are spoken of you,

O city of God. Selah

⁴Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;

behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia—

“This one was born there,” they say.

⁵And of Zion it shall be said,

“This one and that one were born in her”;

for the Most High himself will establish her.

⁶The Lord records as he registers the peoples,

“This one was born there.” Selah

⁷Singers and dancers alike say,

“All my springs are in you.”