A prayer of David.
86:1 Listen O LORD! Answer me!
For I am oppressed and needy.
86:2 Protect me, for I am loyal!
O my God, deliver your servant, who trusts in you!
86:3 Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for I cry out to you all day long!
86:4 Make your servant glad,
for to you, O Lord, I pray!
86:5 Certainly O Lord, you are kind and forgiving,
and show great faithfulness to all who cry out to you.
86:6 O LORD, hear my prayer!
Pay attention to my plea for mercy!
86:7 In my time of trouble I cry out to you,
for you will answer me.
86:8 None can compare to you among the gods, O Lord!
Your exploits are incomparable!
86:9 All the nations, whom you created,
will come and worship you, O Lord.
They will honor your name.
All the nations – ‘David was not a believer in the theory that the world will grow worse and worse; and that the dispensation will wind up with general darkness, and idolatry … We look for a day when the dwellers in all lands shall learn righteousness, shall trust in the Saviour, shall worship thee alone, O God, “and shall glorify thy name.”’ (Spurgeon, The Treasury of David)
86:10 For you are great and do amazing things.
You alone are God.
86:11 O LORD, teach me how you want me to live!
Then I will obey your commands.
Make me wholeheartedly committed to you!
86:12 O Lord, my God, I will give you thanks with my whole heart!
I will honor your name continually!
‘Though nothing can add to God’s essential glory, yet praise exalts him in the eyes of others. When we praise God, we spread his fame and renown, we display the trophies of his excellency. In this manner the angels glorify him; they are the choristers of heaven, and do trumpet forth his praise. Praising God is one of the highest and purest acts of religion. In prayer we act like men; in praise we act like angels.’ (Thomas Watson)
86:13 For you will extend your great loyal love to me,
and will deliver my life from the depths of Sheol.
86:14 O God, arrogant men attack me;
a gang of ruthless men, who do not respect you, seek my life.
86:15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God.
You are patient and demonstrate great loyal love and faithfulness.
86:16 Turn toward me and have mercy on me!
Give your servant your strength!
Deliver your slave!
Your slave – lit. ‘the son of your maidservant’ – ‘In this Davidic psalm, the worshiper speaks of himself as “the son of Your female servant,” traditionally, “handmaid” (see also 116:16). Since the speaker was the king, the reference was to the “queen mother” who evidently could exercise considerable influence in the Judean and Israelite courts (1 Kg 2:19; 2 Ch 22:3). The records of the reigns of David’s descendants on the throne of Judah usually mention the name of the king’s mother (e.g., 1 Kg 14:31; 15:10; 22:42). Roman Catholic theologians sometimes point to these facts in support of the attention paid to the mother of Jesus, the Messiah, who also calls herself “the Lord’s slave” (Lk 1:38), or handmaid.’ (Apologetics Study Bible)
86:17 Show me evidence of your favor!
Then those who hate me will see it and be ashamed,
for you, O LORD, will help me and comfort me.
Randal Pelton suggests that a sermon on this psalm might not follow the structure of the psalm itself. The psalm contains at least 15 requests to God, with most being followed by a reason for the request. Rather than moving backwards and forwards between request and reason (Pelton suggest) it might be appropriate for the preacher to deal with the requests as a group, and then the reasons as a second major grouping.