While David did not sing all of his prayers, he often wove prayer into his songs.
The language of Psalm 86 is remarkably plain compared to some of David’s other writings. There are few poetic flourishes, reminding us that eloquence is not the chief ornament of prayer. [1]
“Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me, for I am poor and needy.” Psalm 86:1
The imagery of this passage is of David being small compared to God who is great. He needs God the Creator and Sustainer of the universe to come down to his level and listen to Him. This is how prophets see God. In Isaiah 42:5, Isaiah declared that God “created the heavens and stretched them out.” Similarly, in Jeremiah 32:17, Jeremiah acknowledged God’s greatness in his prayer, saying, “Ah Lord God! behold, You have made the heaven and the earth by Your great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for You.”
God’s love for us is demonstrated in the fact that though He is the supreme and sovereign being over everything, He is still willing to listen to us when we call upon His Name.
David confessed his need of God, saying, “I am poor and needy.”
In the Gospels, we read of Jesus stopping by the waysides to help poor and needy people. For example, in Luke 7:11-17, seeing a grieving widow about to bury her only son, the heart of Jesus overflowed with compassion, and He brought the young man back to life. Which of us could do that for someone? Thus, we are poor and needy, but God is rich and powerful.
“Preserve my life, for I am holy. You are my God. Save Your servant who trusts in You!” Psalm 86:2
David wanted God to preserve his separated-life for God’s glory. A holy person is a witness for God in a world that needs to know Him. How many people have offered their lives to God to love and serve Him? The world needs more of such people not less.
“Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I cry to You all day long.” Psalm 86:3
In Mark 10:46-52, when Jesus came to Jericho, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus began to cry out, and say, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.” Many told him to be quiet, but he kept on crying out, “Son of David, have mercy on me.” Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your faith has made you whole.” “Immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.”
Though David was a king, and lived in a palace, he too cried out persistently to God for mercy. He cried to the Lord all the day long. He did not wait until the Sabbath Day to pray. He prayed daily. In Psalm 55:17, David wrote, “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud, and He [God] shall hear my voice.”
David set for us an example. We too can plead for God’s mercy at any time and at any place, and He will hear our voice.
“Rejoice the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” Psalm 86:4
When God fills our soul with His presence, we overflow with joy!
Prayer is one of the chief means by which God nourishes the joy of His people. [2]
David saw himself as God’s servant. He sang, “I am Your servant.” Paul introduced himself in his letters to people as God’s servant. For example, in Titus 1:1, he wrote, “Paul, a servant of God.”
“For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer, and attend to the voice of my supplications.” Psalm 86:5-6
The Lord’s goodness includes a readiness to forgive sinners—more ready to forgive than we are to repent. [3] His enemies called Jesus a “friend of sinners.” What a friend we have in Jesus!
In Ephesians 2:4, Paul wrote that God is rich in mercy. In Acts 20:35, he remembered the words of the Lord Jesus, how Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
“In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, for You will answer me.” Psalm 86:7
Unlike idols of stone and wood which cannot answer prayers, God answered David’s prayers. [4]
“Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord, nor are there any works like Your works.” Psalm 86:8
Among all the gods worshiped by the heathen, among angels, kings, and rulers, there is none like the Lord. No one can match His infinite wisdom. No one can fathom the depths of His love.
God works are works of love. He shares His power with us to heal our bodies. He shares His understanding with us to help us solve problems. He imparts wisdom to us to help us make wise decisions. He fills our hearts with love so we can love as He loves.
“All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your Name. For You are great and do wondrous things. You alone are God.” Psalm 86:9-10
All nations derive their existence from God. Therefore, all peoples shall ultimately come and worship before Him and glorify His Name. This promise was partially fulfilled through those who embraced the worship of Israel’s God, but it finds its fullest accomplishment in the kingdom of Christ, when people from every nation are brought to worship the Lord (See Revelation 7:9). Since all things were created through Christ, it is Christ who gathers the nations to God. [5]
“Teach me Your way, O Lord. I will walk in Your truth. Unite my heart to fear Your Name.” Psalm 86:11
David’s life was well-founded on divine truth, yet he recognized his need for God’s continued guidance. [6] He wanted to walk in paths of righteousness for the Lord’s Name sake.
A hypocrite’s heart is divided. He acts as a servant of God but in his heart he is for himself. With our affections fixed on God, we bear fruit that brings glory to God and needed help to people.
“I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your Name forevermore. For great is Your mercy toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.” Psalm 86:12-13
David delighted in praising the Lord. He resolved to praise the Lord with all his heart and to glorify His Name forever. This determination sprang forth from his personal experience of God's mercy. He professed to God saying, “Great is Your mercy toward me.”
God's delivered David’s soul from “the lowest hell.” David understood that his sins deserved eternal condemnation, particularly after his grievous sin concerning Uriah. Yet God forgave him and spared him from destruction. [7]
Every believer owes his or her salvation not to personal merit but to God’s mercy. [8]
“O God, the proud have risen against me, and a mob of violent men have sought my life and have not set You before them.” Psalm 86:14
David lays before God the hostility of his enemies. They despise him. They seek to overpower him. His foes unite together to destroy him. They seek not only his downfall but his very life.
David’s enemies opposed those who served God. They lacked fear of God, and thus, did not restrain their evil intentions. However, in opposing God’s servant, they opposed God.
God’s sovereignty is absolute. His power is irresistible. His riches are inexhaustible. His dominion is unquestionable. His wondrous works demonstrate that He alone is God. All people should maintain lofty thoughts of God and a proper perspective of themselves before Him.
“But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in mercy and truth.” Psalm 86:15
The words of Psalm 86:15 are similar to Exodus 34:6. As the Lord passed by Moses, He said to Moses, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.” Those who know the Lord, know Him in this way.
“O, turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to Your servant and save the son of Your maidservant.” Psalm 86:16
David asked for comforting mercy. When enemies attacked him and friends forsook him, David found comfort in knowing that God looked upon him with tender compassion. [9]
David asked God for His strength. Both he and his mother (God’s handmaid) served Him. [10]
“Show me a sign for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.” Psalm 86:17
David desired some unmistakable evidence of God’s blessing, not merely for his own assurance but so that those who hated him would see it and be ashamed of themselves. [11]
When God openly helps and comforts His people, it becomes clear that opposing them is opposing God. The joy of God’s servants becomes the shame of those who persecute them.
Thus, Psalm 86 closes with David resting in hope with the God who helps, comforts, strengthens, and delivers Him. We too can rest in hope when we have a close relationship with the Lord.
[1] Edited material from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid
[6] Ibid
[7] Ibid
[8] Ibid
[9] Ibid
[10] Ibid
[11] Ibid
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