1 Hear, Yahweh, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my soul, for I am godly. You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you. 3 Be merciful to me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. 4 Bring joy to the soul of your servant, for to you, Lord, do I lift up my soul. 5 For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you. 6 Hear, Yahweh, my prayer. Listen to the voice of my petitions. 7 In the day of my trouble I will call on you, for you will answer me. 8 There is no one like you among the gods, Lord, nor any deeds like your deeds. 9 All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord. They shall glorify your name. 10 For you are great, and do wondrous things. You are God alone. 11 Teach me your way, Yahweh. I will walk in your truth. Make my heart undivided to fear your name. 12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart. I will glorify your name forevermore. 13 For your loving kindness is great toward me. You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol. 14 God, the proud have risen up against me. A company of violent men have sought after my soul, and they don't hold regard for you before them. 15 But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth. 16 Turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give your strength to your servant. Save the son of your handmaid. 17 Show me a sign of your goodness, that those who hate me may see it, and be shamed, because you, Yahweh, have helped me, and comforted me. A Psalm by the sons of Korah; a Song.
This psalm purports to be a psalm of David; and there is nothing in the psalm that is contrary to this supposition. Why it has its place among the psalms which are designated as the compositions of "the sons of Korah," and had not its place among those which are ascribed to David Ps. 1-70 we have no means of ascertaining. It is not said, however, that those were the only psalms of David, and there is no improbability in supposing that he may have composed others. It is not improperly named "a prayer," since it is made up mostly of petitions, though this is true of others which are called "psalms," and though it is true that this one has so much of praise in it that it might also (as it is in the margin) be designated a psalm. The occasion on which it was composed is unknown, but it has been commonly supposed that it was written in the time of the persecutions under Saul. DeWette regards it as a national song composed in a time of national trouble.
This psalm does not admit of any minute subdivision. It is made up of earnest prayers, with reasons why those prayers should be answered; and perhaps the leading practical suggestion which would properly follow from the psalm is, that it is proper for us, in our prayers, to urge reasons why they should be answered: the reasons why we pray at all. We cannot, indeed, suppose that we can suggest anything which would not occur to the divine mind, but in all our prayers there is some reason why we pray; there are reasons why we ask the particular things which are the burden of our supplications, and it cannot be improper, in order that our own minds at least may be suitably impressed, to mention those reasons when we come before God.
The psalmist prays to God for support, from a conviction that he is merciful, good, ready to forgive, and that there is none like him, Psalm 86:1-8; all nations shall bow before him because of his wondrous works, Psalm 86:9, Psalm 86:10; he prays to be instructed, and promises to praise God for his great mercy, Psalm 86:11-13; describes his enemies, and appeals to God, Psalm 86:14-16; begs a token for God, that his enemies may be confounded, Psalm 86:17.
The title attributes this Psalm to David; and in this all the versions agree: but in its structure it is the same with those attributed to the sons of Korah; and was probably made during the captivity. It is a very suitable prayer for a person laboring under affliction from persecution or calumny.
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 86
A Prayer of David. The title is the same with the Seventeenth Psalm, and the subject of it is much alike: it was written by David, when in distress, and his life was sought after; very likely when he was persecuted by Saul, and fled from him; so Aben Ezra, Jarchi, and Kimchi: and as he was a type of Christ in his afflictions, as well as in his exalted state, it may not be unfitly applied to him, as it is by some interpreters. The Syriac inscription of it is,
"for David, when he built an house for the Lord; and a prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles; and moreover, a prayer of a peculiar righteous man.''
Theodoret thinks it predicts the siege of Jerusalem by the Assyrians, and Hezekiah's hope in God.
(Psalm 86:1-7) The psalmist pleads his earnestness, and the mercy of God, as reasons why his prayer should be heard.
(Psalm 86:8-17) He renews his requests for help and comfort.
Prayer of a Persecuted Saint
A Psalm "by David" which has points of contact with Psalm 85:1-13 (cf. Psalm 86:2, חסיד, with Psalm 85:9; Psalm 86:15, חסד ואמת, with Psalm 85:11) is here inserted between Korahitic Psalm: it can only be called a Psalm by David as having grown out of Davidic and other model passages. The writer cannot be compared for poetical capability either with David or with the authors of such Psalm as Ps 116 and Psalm 130:1-8. His Psalm is more liturgic than purely poetic, and it is also only entitled תּפּלּה, without bearing in itself any sign of musical designation. It possesses this characteristic, that the divine name אדני occurs seven times,
(Note: For the genuine reading in Psalm 86:4 (where Heidenheim reads יהוה) and in Psalm 86:5 (where Nissel reads יהוה) is also אדני (Bomberg, Hutter, etc.). Both the divine names in Psalm 86:4 and Psalm 86:5 belong to the 134 ודּאין. The divine name אדני, which is written and is not merely substituted for יהוה, is called in the language of the Masora ודאי (the true and real one).)
just as it occurs three times in Psalm 130:1-8, forming the start for a later, Adonajic style in imitation of the Elohimic.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.