1 David imploreth God's aid because of his need and religious faith; 5 and of the power and goodness of God: 11 he prayeth for grace, and promiseth praise for past mercies: 14 complaining of the proud, he craveth some token of God's favour.
A Prayer 1of David.
1. Bow adown thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for bI am poor and needy.
2. cPreserve my soul; for I am 2holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that dtrusteth in thee.
3. Be merciful unto me, O Lord: efor I cry unto thee 3daily.
4. fRejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do gI lift up my soul.
5. For hthou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
6. iGive ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.
7. In jthe day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
8. Among kthe gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.
9. lAll nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.
10. For mthou art great, and doest wondrous things: nthou art God alone.
11. oTeach me thy way, O LORD; pI will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
12. I qwill praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
13. For rgreat is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast sdelivered my soul from the 4lowest hell.
14. O God, the tproud are risen against me, and the assemblies of 5violent men have sought after my soul; and uhave not set thee before them.
15. But vthou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
16. O wturn unto me, and have mercy upon me; xgive thy strength unto ythy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.
17. Shew me za token for good; athat they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, bhast *holpen me, and comforted me.
A Prayer of David. Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone. Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. O 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. But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid. Shew 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.
Metrical version
Psalm 86
C.M. Evan
O LORD, do thou bow down thine ear, and hear me graciously; Because I sore afflicted am, and am in poverty. Because I'm holy, let my soul by thee preserved be: O thou my God, thy servant save, that puts his trust in thee. Sith unto thee I daily cry, be merciful to me. Rejoice thy servant's soul; for, Lord, I lift my soul to thee. For thou art gracious, O Lord, and ready to forgive; And rich in mercy, all that call upon thee to relieve. Hear, LORD, my pray'r; unto the voice of my request attend: In troublous times I'll call on thee; for thou wilt answer send. Lord, there is none among the gods that may with thee compare; And like the works which thou hast done, not any work is there. All nations whom thou mad'st shall come and worship rev'rently Before thy face; and they, O Lord, thy name shall glorify. Because thou art exceeding great, and works by thee are done Which are to be admired; and thou art God thyself alone. Teach me thy way, and in thy truth, O Lord, then walk will I; Unite my heart, that I thy name may fear continually. O Lord my God, with all my heart to thee I will give praise; And I the glory will ascribe unto thy name always: Because thy mercy toward me in greatness doth excel; And thou delivered hast my soul out from the lowest hell. O God, the proud against me rise, and vi'lent men have met, That for my soul have sought; and thee before them have not set. But thou art full of pity, Lord, a God most gracious, Long-suffering, and in thy truth and mercy plenteous. O turn to me thy countenance, and mercy on me have; Thy servant strengthen, and the son of thine own handmaid save. Show me a sign for good, that they which do me hate may see, And be ashamed; because thou, LORD, didst help and comfort me.
This psalm contains, (1.) David's fervent supplications, that God would hear his prayers, ver. 1, 6-7; mercifully preserve and save him, ver. 2-3, 16; and afford him joy, strength, and honour, ver. 4, 11, 17. (2.) His pleas, wherewith he enforceth his prayers, drawn from the goodness of God, ver. 5, 13, 15; his own relations to, and trust in God, ver. 2, 4, 16; his former experience of God's kindness, ver 17; and from the malice of his enemies, ver. 14. (3.) His ascription of praise to God, as matchless in his nature and work; as the sole object of worship; and as great and infinitely gracious, ver. 8-10, 12-13.
While I sing, let me remember, that the psalmist hath left me an example, that I should walk in his steps.