Psalm 86

Psalm 86 belongs to Book III of the Psalms (Psalms 73–89). The preceding Psalm 85, a psalm of the sons of Korah, is a prayer for the restoration of the community, whereas Psalm 86, titled "A Prayer of David," is an individual petition. It is the only psalm in Book III that bears David's name, and the following Psalm 87 returns to the psalms of the sons of Korah.

Structure

• Verses 1–7 The psalmist asks to be answered, describing himself as poor and needy. He confesses that the Lord is good, ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy to all who call upon Him, and he declares that in the day of trouble he will call upon the Lord, who will answer him.
• Verses 8–10 He praises God: among the gods there is none like the Lord; all the nations He has made will come and worship before Him; and He alone is God.
• Verses 11–13 He asks the Lord to teach him His way and prays that his heart may be united to fear the Lord. He confesses that the Lord's mercy has delivered his soul from the lowest hell.
• Verses 14–17 He lays before the Lord his situation, with the proud and the assemblies of violent men rising against him, and he pleads with the Lord, who is longsuffering and plenteous in mercy and truth, to turn to him, have mercy on him, and show him a token for good.

Key Verses

• Psalm 86:5 "For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive" — The forgiveness of sin is in view here, and the psalmist grounds his prayer in the character of God.
• Psalm 86:11 "Unite my heart to fear thy name" — Frequently cited as a prayer that a divided heart might be made one.
• Psalm 86:15 "But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth" — This verse reproduces almost verbatim the declaration of God's character found in Exodus 34:6.

People and Places

• David: Named in the superscription. Interpreters differ on whether the superscription indicates authorship or means a psalm "relating to David" or "belonging to the Davidic collection."
• The son of thine handmaid (v. 16): A self-humbling designation by which the psalmist refers to himself, understood to mean a servant born in God's household.

Points for Reflection

• In verse 2, "for I am holy" (Hebrew ḥasid, often rendered "godly" or "devout") can easily be read as a claim of self-righteousness. However, ḥasid shares the same root as hesed (steadfast love grounded in the covenant, rendered "mercy" in this psalm in the KJV). For this reason, the word is often interpreted as designating a member of the covenant people who belongs to God.
• "Among the gods" in verse 8 is generally read not as an acknowledgment that other gods actually exist, but as an expression that emphasizes the uniqueness of the LORD by comparison with the gods worshiped by the surrounding nations. The statement in verse 10, "thou art God alone," supports this reading.
• Because this psalm shares many expressions with other psalms and with the Pentateuch, many scholars regard it as a psalm woven together from existing prayer language.
• "Hell" in verse 13 (Hebrew Sheol) refers to the realm of the dead; this subject is treated in detail in the article Sheol.
• The confession in verse 9 that all nations will come and worship is read in connection with Revelation 15: "for all nations shall come and worship before thee."