Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Psalms 86
Psalm 86:5For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
This verse establishes the foundation for the entire prayer: the psalmist calls on God because he knows God's nature is to be good, forgiving, and full of love for all who seek Him.Psalm 86:11Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.
Here, the psalmist's plea shifts from deliverance from external enemies to a desire for internal transformation, asking for an undivided heart focused completely on honoring God.Psalm 86:15But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
By quoting a foundational description of God's character from Exodus, the psalmist contrasts the cruelty of his enemies with the reliable mercy and faithfulness of the Lord.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Desperate Cry in the Face of Danger
This psalm is a personal lament, a type of prayer where an individual in crisis cries out to God. The psalmist faces specific, dangerous enemies described as 'insolent' and 'ruthless men' who actively seek his life. He is not merely experiencing general hardship. This context of immediate, life-threatening danger makes his plea for deliverance incredibly urgent and personal, moving it from a theoretical prayer to a desperate cry for survival.
Leaning on the Promises of God
The prayer is unique in that it feels like a carefully constructed collection of powerful phrases and ideas found elsewhere in Scripture, particularly in other psalms and the books of Moses. The psalmist leans on established truths about God's character, such as His 'steadfast love' and mercy, which He revealed to Moses. This shows a person deeply familiar with God's promises, who now brings those same promises back to God as the basis for his appeal for help.
A Journey from Plea to Praise
Psalm 86 unfolds as a deeply personal conversation with God, moving from an honest admission of need to a powerful declaration of God's greatness. The psalmist begins by laying his vulnerability before the Lord, then shifts to praising God's unique character, and finally returns to his specific situation, armed with renewed confidence in God's power to save. This structure provides a timeless model for how we can navigate our own troubles through prayer.
A Humble Plea for Help (Psalm 86:1-7)
1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you - you are my God.
3 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day.
4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace.
7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me.
Commentary:
The psalmist cries out to God from a place of weakness, confident that God hears and answers the needy.
A Declaration of God's Uniqueness (Psalm 86:8-10)
8 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.
10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.
Commentary:
The psalmist praises God's supreme power, declaring that He alone is God and worthy of all worship.
A Prayer for an Undivided Heart (Psalm 86:11-13)
11 Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.
12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
Commentary:
The psalmist asks God for a focused, undivided heart so he can offer genuine, wholehearted praise.
A Final Appeal Based on God's Character (Psalm 86:14-17)
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.
15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant.
17 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.
Commentary:
Contrasting his enemies with God's faithful character, the psalmist asks for a clear sign of God's help and deliverance.
Core Truths Revealed in Psalm 86
God's Steadfast Love (Hesed)
This psalm is saturated with the concept of God's 'hesed,' or steadfast love. This is a loyal, covenant-keeping faithfulness that God has promised to His people, not merely a feeling of affection. The psalmist repeatedly appeals to this attribute (vv. 5, 13, 15) as the reliable foundation of his hope for deliverance.
Prayer Rooted in God's Character
The psalmist doesn't list his demands. He builds his case for God's intervention based on who God is. He calls on God because God is 'good and forgiving' (v. 5) and 'merciful and gracious' (v. 15). This teaches that mature prayer is less about our circumstances and more about our understanding of God's unchanging nature.
The Desire for Wholehearted Devotion
The plea to 'unite my heart' (v. 11) is a central theme, expressing a deep longing for spiritual integrity. The psalmist understands that a fragmented heart, pulled apart by worldly fears and desires, cannot properly worship God. He seeks a single-minded focus that allows him to walk in God's truth without distraction.
Bringing Psalm 86 into Your Life
Psalm 86 teaches that your neediness is not a disqualification but a reason to come to God. The psalmist begins, 'for I am poor and needy' (v. 1), using his vulnerability as the very basis of his appeal. This encourages you to be honest about your struggles, knowing that God listens to the humble and desperate, rather than only the strong.
When facing challenges, it's easy to fixate on the problem or the people causing it. Psalm 86:15 reminds you to shift your focus to God's unchanging nature: 'merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.' Recalling who God is puts your problems in perspective and builds confidence that His goodness is greater than any opposition you face.
A 'united heart' means having an undivided devotion to God, free from competing desires and loyalties that pull you in different directions. It's about aligning your thoughts, feelings, and actions with God's truth. This is crucial because a divided heart leads to instability and anxiety, while a heart united in its reverence for God brings peace, clarity, and purpose to your walk with Him.
God's Character is Our Confidence
Psalm 86 is a powerful model for prayer, showing that our deepest needs should be brought before God with complete honesty. The psalmist grounds his desperate plea not in his own merit, but in the unchanging, compassionate character of God Himself. The message is that knowing who God is - merciful, gracious, and abounding in love - gives us the confidence to call on Him in any trouble, trusting that He will hear and help.
What This Means for Us Today
This prayer is an invitation to anchor our hope in God's character. When life feels overwhelming and enemies seem strong, Psalm 86 calls us to remember that our God is merciful, gracious, and faithful, and it invites us to bring our divided hearts and desperate pleas to the one who alone can deliver and comfort us.
- What specific attribute of God in verse 15 brings you the most comfort right now?
- Where in your life do you need to pray for a 'united heart'?
- How can you shift your focus from your troubles to God's greatness, as the psalmist does?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
Connections Across Scripture
This is the original source of the description of God's character that the psalmist quotes in verse 15, showing how God's self-revelation shapes Israel's prayers.
Jonah quotes this same description of God's character, but in frustration that God's mercy extends even to his enemies, showing the radical nature of God's grace.
This New Testament passage echoes the theme of bringing anxious requests to God with thanksgiving, trusting that His peace will guard our hearts and minds.
Discussion Questions
- The psalmist calls himself 'poor and needy' and 'godly' in the same breath (vv. 1-2). How can both of these be true at the same time, and what does this teach us about our identity before God?
- In verse 11, David prays, 'unite my heart to fear your name.' What things in modern life tend to divide our hearts and distract us from a single-minded focus on God?
- David asks for a 'sign' of God's favor (v. 17). What might a sign of God's favor look like in our lives today, and is it right for us to ask for one?