Tehillim 86

1 6 (A tefillah of Dovid) Incline Thine ear, Hashem; hear me; for I am ani (poor) and evyon (needy).

2 Be shomer over my nefesh; for I am chasid; O Thou Elohai, save Thy eved that trusteth in Thee.

3 Channeni (be merciful) unto me, Adonoi; for I cry unto Thee kol hayom.

4 Samei’ach (rejoice) the nefesh of Thy eved; for unto Thee, Adonoi, do I lift up my nefesh.

5 For Thou, Adonoi, art tov, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in chesed unto all them that call upon Thee.

6 Give ear, Hashem, unto my tefillah (prayer); and attend to the voice of my techinnot (supplications).

7 In my yom tzoros I will call upon Thee; for Thou wilt answer me.

8 Ein kamocha vaelohim (there is none like Thee among the g-ds), Adonoi; nor are there any ma’asim like Thine.

9 Kol Goyim whom Thou hast made shall come and worship before Thee, Adonoi; and shall glorify Shimcha.

10 For Thou art gadol, and doest nifla’ot (wondrous things); Thou alone art Elohim.

11 Teach me Thy Derech, Hashem; I will walk in Thy emes; Yachad (make undivided) levavi (my heart) to fear Thy Shem.

12 I will praise Thee, Adonoi Elohai, with all my lev; and I will glorify Shimecha l’olam.

13 For gadol is Thy chesed toward me; and Thou hast saved my nefesh from the lowermost Sheol.

14 O Elohim, the zedim (arrogant ones, proud, insolent ones) are risen up against me, and the adat aritzim (band of violent men) seek my nefesh; and have not set Thee before them.

15 But Thou, Adonoi, art El Rachum and Channun, slow to anger, and plenteous in chesed and emes.

16 O turn unto me, and be gracious upon me; give Thy oz (strength) unto Thy eved, and save the ben amatecha (the son of Thy handmaid).

17 Show me an ot (sign) for tovah; that they which hate me may see it, and be put to shame; because Thou, Hashem, hast helped me, and comforted me.

Tehillim 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.