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

2Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.

3Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.

4Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

5For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

6Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.

7In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.

8Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.

9All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.

10For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.

11Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

12I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.

13For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.

14O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.

15But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

16O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.

17Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.

COMMENTARY by Dr. Dave Burnette

Written By: God through Inspiration

Penned By: David, Asaph, Solomon, Heman, Ethan, Moses, and the Sons of Korah

Date Penned: (1440-586 BC)

Overview: Poetry for the Expression of Praise and Worship to God (c 1-150)

Theme: The Third Book of Psalms (c 73 - 89)

Message: Devotion In Times of Trouble (v 1-17)

Psalms 86 Commentary

(86:1-17) A Prayer For Today - David's prayer provides a wonderful outline we can pray today. Dear Lord, we can begin, I ask that you will (1) hear and answer my prayer (86:1, 6); (2) protect and save me (86:2); (3) be merciful to me (86:3, 16); (4) give me joy and satisfaction (86:4); (5) teach me (86:11); (6) give me an undivided heart (86:11); and (7) show me your goodness (86:17). 86:7. Sometimes our trouble or pain is so great that all we can do is cry out to God, "Preserve my soul (86:2). And often, when there is no relief in sight, all we can do is acknowledge the greatness of God and wait for better days ahead. The conviction that God answers prayer will sustain us in these difficult times.

(86:8-10) One True God - "Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord." The God of the Bible is unique! He is alive and able to do mighty deeds for those who love him. All human-created deities lack power because they are merely inventions of the mind and reflections of our own desires, not living beings. The Lord alone is "worthy to receive glory and honor and power" (Revelation 4). Although people follow different religions and different gods, never assume that God is only one among many, that all are equally valid, or that you may be worshiping the wrong God. The Lord alone is God.

(86:11-17) A Commitment to Prayer - This prayer within a prayer captures a glimpse of vibrant spiritual vitality. Iwo requests are made: "Teach me thy way" and "unite my heart." Each request has a God-centered purpose: that the person praying would "walk in thy truth" and "fear thy name." No matter how well we know and follow God, we can always ask him to increase our awareness and improve our obedience. Jesus echoed one of these requests in the sixth beatitude: "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). Commit this prayer to memory and use it often.

(86:17) God's Favor - It is right to pray for a sign of God's favor. As David found, that may be just what we need. But we should not overlook the signs of favor he has already given us: the support of family and friends, the fellowship of other Christians, and the light of each new day. You can be confident that he knows your situation no matter how desperate it becomes, and he cares. Ask God today for a sign of his love. It may come in an unexpected way.

LIFE APPLICATION by Dr. Dave Burnette

Each day, we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter, making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today, we continue in the Book of Psalms with Chapter 86. Today's text shows a theme of David's devoted trust in times of deep trouble. This prayer of David gives us a pattern of prayer. In applying, we see that the Lord hears our prayers and responds even when we make mistakes. It is our faith and trust in who God is that gives us the confidence to humbly and boldly approach the throne of grace and mercy. If we are saved, our sins have been forgiven so we can talk to a Holy God. How about you? Do you speak to God through Prayer? Let us learn from our Psalm and text today to remember that we can talk to a Holy God, and He hears our prayers.