Psalms 86
Big idea: A prayer stitched together from other prayers — almost every line echoes something else in Scripture — and that is not a weakness. It is a man praying with borrowed words when he has none of his own. Its centre is the one request nobody makes unless they have noticed the problem: make my heart undivided to fear your name. And its theological anchor is a quotation from Exodus 34: you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.
Psalm 86 asks for an undivided heart. Psalm 87 registers whole nations as native-born citizens of Zion.
86:1–10 — You are God alone
A psalm stitched almost entirely out of other psalms and out of Exodus — which is what makes it useful. It is a man praying in borrowed words. Its ground is stated plainly in verse 5: not that he deserves an answer but that God is 'READY to forgive'. And then it widens without warning to all nations coming to worship, which is a large claim for a prayer this personal.
1 A Prayer by David. Hear, Yahweh, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my soul, for I am godly. You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you. 3 Be merciful to me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. 4 Bring joy to the soul of your servant, for to you, Lord, do I lift up my soul. 5 For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you. 6 Hear, Yahweh, my prayer. Listen to the voice of my petitions. 7 In the day of my trouble I will call on you, for you will answer me. 8 There is no one like you among the gods, Lord, nor any deeds like your deeds. 9 All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord. They shall glorify your name. 10 For you are great, and do wondrous things. You are God alone.
86:11–17 — Make my heart undivided
The request at verse 11 is the psalm's best line and the hardest thing in it: make my heart UNDIVIDED. He is not asking for more devotion but for a single one — the acknowledgement is that the problem is fragmentation rather than deficiency. And verse 15 quotes Exodus 34 almost exactly, so the argument against the violent men is God's own self-description.
11 Teach me your way, Yahweh. I will walk in your truth. Make my heart undivided to fear your name. 12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart. I will glorify your name forever more. 13 For your loving kindness is great toward me. You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol. 14 God, the proud have risen up against me. A company of violent men have sought after my soul, and they don’t hold regard for you before them. 15 But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth. 16 Turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give your strength to your servant. Save the son of your servant. 17 Show me a sign of your goodness, that those who hate me may see it, and be shamed, because you, Yahweh, have helped me, and comforted me.
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).