Psalms 86:1

A prayer of David.

1 Hear me, LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

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Psalms 86:1 in Other Translations

KJV

1 Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.

ESV

1 Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

NLT

1 Bend down, O LORD, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help.

MSG

1 Bend an ear, God; answer me. I'm one miserable wretch!

CSB

1 Listen, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

Psalms 86:1 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 86:1

Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me
This is spoken of God after the manner of men, who, when they listen and attentively hearken to what is said to them, stoop and bow the head, and incline the ear; and it denotes condescension in the Lord, who humbles himself as to look upon men, so to bow down the ear and hearken to them: this favour is granted to the saints, to whom he is a God hearing and answering prayer, and which Christ, as man and Mediator, enjoyed; see ( Hebrews 5:7 ) ( John 11:41 John 11:42 ) ,

for I am poor and needy;
weak and feeble, destitute and distressed, and so wanted help and assistance; and which carries in it an argument or reason enforcing the above petition; for the Lord has a regard to the poor and needy; see ( Psalms 6:2 ) ( 12:5 ) ( 35:10 ) . This may be understood literally, it being the common case of the people of God, who are generally the poor and needy of this world, whom God chooses, calls, and makes his own; and so was David when he fled from Saul, being often in want of temporal mercies, as appears by his application to Ahimelech and Nabal for food; and having nothing, as Kimchi observes, to support him, but what his friends, and the men of Judah, privately helped him to; and the character well agrees with Christ, whose case this was; see ( 2 Corinthians 8:9 ) ( Matthew 8:20 ) ( Luke 8:2 Luke 8:3 ) . Moreover, it may be taken in a spiritual sense; all men are poor and needy, though not sensible of it; good men are poor in spirit, are sensible of their spiritual poverty, and apply to the Lord, and to the throne of his grace, for the supply of their need; and such an one was David, even when he was king of Israel, as well as at this time, ( Psalms 40:17 ) , and may be applied to Christ; especially when destitute of his Father's gracious presence, and was forsaken by him and all his friends, ( Matthew 27:46 ) ( 26:56 ) .