For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Psalm 86

1 Hear me, Lord, and answer me,
    for I am poor and needy.
2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
    save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; 3 have mercy on me, Lord,
    for I call to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
    for I put my trust in you.

5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
    abounding in love to all who call to you.
6 Hear my prayer, Lord;
    listen to my cry for mercy.
7 When I am in distress, I call to you,
    because you answer me.

8 Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
    no deeds can compare with yours.
9 All the nations you have made
    will come and worship before you, Lord;
    they will bring glory to your name.
10 For you are great and do marvellous deeds;
    you alone are God.

11 Teach me your way, Lord,
    that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
    that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
    I will glorify your name for ever.
13 For great is your love towards me;
    you have delivered me from the depths,
    from the realm of the dead.

14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
    ruthless people are trying to kill me –
    they have no regard for you.
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
    slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and have mercy on me;
    show your strength on behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
    just as my mother did.
17 Give me a sign of your goodness,
    that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
    for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

A. Find Out:

1. Who is David struggling with? v.14
2. What does he ask the Lord to do? v.1,6
3. What three specific things does he ask the Lord to do? v.2-4
4. What does he know about the Lord? v.5,7,8-10
5. What more does he know about the Lord? v.13,15
6. So what does he ask of Him? v.11,16,17

B. Think:

1. List all the things about God that David speak about.
2. What is David’s apparent need?
3. So what is he confident to ask for?

C. Comment:

This is very much a psalm of reassurance. David speaks a lot of truth about what he knows of the Lord, and this gives him confidence to ask a number of things of the Lord, to help him. As in our questions above, it is useful to note that the cause of this psalm is that David is having trouble with people (v.14) and ask for the Lord’s help against them, arrogant men who seek David’s life.

He first of all asks the Lord to listen to what he is saying (v.1,6) and he asks on the basis of the relationship that he has with the Lord (v.2) for the Lord to guard him against these people. Protection is his first obvious need. He appeals to the Lord’s mercy (v.3) and asks Him to come and restore him and life up his sagging spirits and bring joy to him (v.4). His knowledge of the Lord bring him confidence that God is forgiving and loving and good (v.5,15) and will come in answer to his prayer (v.7). He knows that there is no one else like the Lord (v.8) and all God’s enemies will one day have to come to acknowledge Him (v.9,10) so (implied) these present enemies aren’t a problem!

He has the confidence to ask the Lord to teach and guide him (v.11) for he knows he is loved (v.13), but he still needs strength and needs to be saved (v.16) and looks for encouragement (v.17) that will be also seen by his enemies, to comfort him and shame them.

D. Application:

1. God IS loving, compassionate, forgiving. Rejoice in this!
2. When enemies rise up, turn and call on the Lord.