Psaume 86

1 Prière de David. Éternel, prête l'oreille, exauce-moi, car je suis affligé et misérable.

2 Garde mon âme, car je suis de ceux qui t'aiment; ô toi, mon Dieu, sauve ton serviteur qui se confie en toi!

3 Aie pitié de moi, Seigneur; car je crie à toi tout le jour.

4 Réjouis l'âme de ton serviteur; car j'élève mon âme à toi, Seigneur.

5 Car tu es bon et clément, Seigneur, et plein de bonté pour tous ceux qui t'invoquent.

6 Écoute, ô Éternel, ma prière, et sois attentif à la voix de mes supplications!

7 Je t'invoque au jour de ma détresse; car tu m'exauces.

8 Seigneur, nul entre les dieux n'est comme toi, et il n'y a point d'œuvres telles que les tiennes.

9 Toutes les nations que tu as faites, viendront se prosterner devant toi, Seigneur, et glorifieront ton nom.

10 Car tu es grand, et tu fais des choses merveilleuses; tu es Dieu, toi seul.

11 Éternel, enseigne-moi ta voie, je marcherai dans ta vérité; range mon cœur à la crainte de ton nom.

12 Je te louerai de tout mon cœur, Seigneur mon Dieu, et je glorifierai ton nom à toujours.

13 Car ta bonté est grande envers moi, et tu as retiré mon âme du Sépulcre profond.

14 O Dieu, des orgueilleux se lèvent contre moi, et une troupe de gens violents, qui ne t'ont pas devant les yeux, cherche ma vie.

15 Mais toi, Seigneur, tu es un Dieu pitoyable et miséricordieux, lent à la colère, abondant en bonté et en fidélité.

16 Tourne-toi vers moi et aie pitié de moi; donne ta force à ton serviteur; délivre le fils de ta servante.

17 Accorde-moi un signe de ta faveur, et que ceux qui me haïssent le voient et soient confus, parce que toi, ô Éternel, tu m'auras aidé et tu m'auras consolé.

Psaume 86 Commentary

Chapter 86

The psalmist pleads his earnestness, and the mercy of God, as reasons why his prayer should be heard. (1-7) He renews his requests for help and comfort. (8-17)

Verses 1-7 Our poverty and wretchedness, when felt, powerfully plead in our behalf at the throne of grace. The best self-preservation is to commit ourselves to God's keeping. I am one whom thou favourest, hast set apart for thyself, and made partaker of sanctifying grace. It is a great encouragement to prayer, to feel that we have received the converting grace of God, have learned to trust in him, and to be his servants. We may expect comfort from God, when we keep up our communion with God. God's goodness appears in two things, in giving and forgiving. Whatever others do, let us call upon God, and commit our case to him; we shall not seek in vain.

Verses 8-17 Our God alone possesses almighty power and infinite love. Christ is the way and the truth. And the believing soul will be more desirous to be taught the way and the truth. And the believing soul will be more desirous to be taught the way and the truth of God, in order to walk therein, than to be delivered out of earthly distress. Those who set not the Lord before them, seek after believers' souls; but the compassion, mercy, and truth of God, will be their refuge and consolation. And those whose parents were the servants of the Lord, may urge this as a plea why he should hear and help them. In considering David's experience, and that of the believer, we must not lose sight of Him, who though he was rich, for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 86

\\<>\\. 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.