Psalms Chapter 86 — A Prayer for Mercy and Guidance
A heartfelt petition for divine mercy and guidance in the face of trouble, highlighting God's incomparable character.
1Hear, LORD, and answer me,
2Preserve my soul, for I am godly.
3Be merciful to me, Lord,
4Bring joy to the soul of your servant,
5For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
6Hear, LORD, my prayer.
7In the day of my trouble I will call on you,
8There is no one like you among the gods, Lord,
9All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord.
10For you are great, and do wondrous things.
11Teach me your way, LORD.
12I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart.
13For your loving kindness is great toward me.
14God, the proud have risen up against me.
15But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God,
16Turn to me, and have mercy on me!
17Show me a sign of your goodness,
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Psalms 86:5
“For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,”
This verse highlights God's character as being inherently good and willing to extend forgiveness to those who seek Him.
Psalms 86:11
“Teach me your way, LORD.”
This simple but profound request represents the psalmist's desire for spiritual direction and submission to God's truth.
Psalms 86:15
“But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God,”
This verse echoes the classic biblical description of God's compassionate and patient nature.
Chapter Summary
Psalm 86 is a prayer of petition attributed to David, in which the speaker calls upon God for preservation and joy. The text emphasizes God's goodness and readiness to forgive those who call upon Him. It contrasts the unique power of the Lord with other gods, asserting that all nations created by God will eventually come to worship before Him. The psalmist specifically requests instruction in God's ways, expressing a desire to walk in truth and a commitment to praise God with a whole heart in response to His great loving kindness. Despite being surrounded by proud and violent adversaries who do not respect God, the psalmist relies on the divine nature of being merciful, gracious, and slow to anger. The chapter concludes with a request for a sign of favor to encourage the speaker and put enemies to shame.
Frequently Asked Questions
The psalmist asks for God to hear his prayer, preserve his soul, and show him mercy during a day of trouble. He specifically asks for joy and for God to teach him His ways so that he may live according to the truth.
The chapter states that all nations God has made will eventually come to worship before Him. It affirms that God is great and performs wondrous things that demonstrate His unique status above all other gods.
God is described as good, ready to forgive, merciful, gracious, great, and performing wondrous deeds. The text repeatedly mentions God's loving kindness as a reason for the psalmist's trust.
Study Note
Psalm 86 is notable for being the only psalm in the third book of the Psalter (Psalms 73–89) attributed specifically to David.
Related Chapters
Psalm 25
Another prayer by David that focuses on a desire for God's guidance and the forgiveness of sins.
Exodus 34
Contains the foundational revelation of God's name and character as merciful and gracious, which Psalm 86 quotes.
Psalm 103
Expands on the themes of God's loving kindness and readiness to forgive mentioned in this psalm.
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